Get ready for an exhilarating challenge at our upcoming Toastmasters Club Contest! It’s time to showcase your speaking prowess and compete with the best.
Date: Tuesday, 23. January 2024 Time: 18.45 Event: Toastmasters Club Contest
Featured Quote: “A good speech is like a pencil; it has to have a point.” – Anonymous
Join us for a thrilling evening of competition, where eloquence meets excitement. Witness our club’s finest speakers, engage with captivating speeches, and be part of the vibrant Toastmasters community.
🎉 In the spirit of friendly competition, let’s come together to celebrate talent, hard work, and the art of public speaking. Ready, set, speak!
What a truly enchanting start we had to the new year at our last Tuesday’s gathering, set against the historical backdrop of the medieval Guild of the Carpenters in Zurich!
Stepping into the medieval guild hall was like taking a journey back in time. The rich history of the Guild of the Carpenters provided a unique setting for our meeting. Sabina, our Toastmaster of the evening, skillfully guided us through an entertaining journey, seamlessly navigating the challenges posed by the new venue with her excellent preparation.
Speakers΄ Highlights
Keynote in Evaluations:Roland, in his eloquent keynote, likened evaluation to the essential fertilizer of our growth. He outlined nine guiding principles, with the first and foremost being to listen carefully and observe the speaker’s objectives.
Yani elucidated some Artificial Intelligence (AI) aspects with the creative story- telling elements, while bringing Alan Turin to life throughout her speech.
Path Reflection: Harry shared an inspiring reflection on his extensive public speaking journey, starting at the tender age of seven. His key advice? To become a better speaker or conversationalist, one must begin by learning to listen. His remarkable achievements earned him the best speaker award.
Zsolt seamlessly integrated his speech with the theme of the day, providing valuable insights on hacking ourselves to turn learning into an entertaining journey.
Icebreaker: Congratulations to Marco for his icebreaker! With vivid descriptions and body language, he took us on a captivating journey to Italy. What added to the speech’s quality? His authentic sharing of his public speaking objectives.
The Art of Evaluations
Evaluations, being a form of speech themselves, demand engaging openings, structured content, and effective time management. All evaluators applied some of the nine principles shared in the keynote, granting them the skill of effective listening! Christina, with her constructive examples, was rightfully awarded the best evaluator.
What Awaits on the Horizon
– 23rd of January: Club Speech Contest with Alice and Kevin as Contest Chairs.
– 30th of January:Cultural Enrichment with Burn’s Night hosted by Harry. Spoiler alert: Expect Scottish ambiance, poetry, whiskey, and the opening dedicated to our general assembly.
Here’s to more captivating evenings at the Guild of the Carpenters, where each gathering becomes a page in our own historical narrative.
Join us for an exciting Toastmasters meeting where the theme is “Entertainment!” This session promises engaging speeches, lively participation, and a valuable keynote on the craft of evaluations.
Date: Tuesday, 16th January Time: 18.45 CET Location: ‼️Zunfthaus zur Zimmerleuten (new location) Theme: “Entertainment”
🔑 Keynote Focus: Discover the art of evaluations. Our keynote will guide you in providing feedback that entertains and enlightens, transforming evaluations into an art form.
Featured Quote: “Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint on it you can.” – Danny Kaye
Prepare to be both the entertainer and the entertained, enhancing your speaking and evaluation skills in a vibrant atmosphere. It’s not just a meeting; it’s a performance where every word counts!
🌈 In the world of ‘Entertainment,’ every speech is an act, and every feedback a highlight. Be part of this exciting journey!
What a fantastic way to close out the year! Our celebration was infused with the perfect blend of fun, creativity, and a festive atmosphere, creating the recipe for a truly successful party. Anna and I took great pleasure in orchestrating and hosting this memorable evening! A special shout out to Samira and Thomas who engaged as our croupiers for the night, full in style!
Table Topics Highlights
The Table Topics segment showcased that expression in any form, be it improvisational speeches, storytelling, body language, or even drawing, has a magical effect on engaging the audience. When these elements are harmoniously blended, the engagement scale reaches its peak, leaving the audience captivated.
Beyond the entertainment, we uncovered hidden talents among our members! Gabriele and Hugo claimed the spotlight, walking away with cinema tickets to the picturesque art kinos of Zurich as the prize! Joran struck Bingo, leading to a short impromptu award acceptance speech, much to the delight of the audience. Meanwhile, Michelle earned the grand casino night award, revealing the depth of talent within our Toastmasters community.
What is on the horizon?
Looking ahead, the horizon is promising! The new year kicks off with three diverse meetings designed to enhance our public speaking skills.
Join us:
– January 16th for a regular meeting,
– January 23rd for the Club Speech Contest (last registration round—reach out to Alice!),
– January 30th for a Cultural Enrichment Meeting hosted by Harry featuring a Burn’s Night celebration.
Let’s embark on this journey of growth and eloquence together as we set our New Year’s resolution to elevate our public speaking prowess.
Cheers to a year filled with compelling stories, confident speakers, and shared success!
We’re thrilled to extend an exclusive invitation to our dazzling Toastmasters Zuriberg Christmas Party. Mark your calendars for an enchanting Casino Night set amidst the chic ambiance of The Blue Monkey.
Date & Time: December 19th, Starting at 18:45, members only
Venue: The Blue Monkey
Dress Code: Formal Attire (Or Christmas Jumpers)
RSVP: Kindly confirm your attendance by 16th December in easy speak. Let us know if you bring a guest to share in the festivities.
Get ready for an unforgettable night of elegance, excitement, and Toastmasters’ spirit. This is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the festive season with your fellow members in style.
In a world where the last minute is often associated with stress, our last Toastmasters meeting took a refreshing perspective on the theme “Last Minute.” The evening unfolded with a blend of insights, creativity, and laughter, proving that the last minute isn’t always as daunting as it seems. It may also allow for a creativity boost!
Meeting Highlights
Christina and Fereshteh, our Toastmaster of the Evening (TME) and Table Topics Master respectively, navigated the theme, offering diverse perspectives on how we handle the last-minute. Kevin stood out with his creative take on a last-minute situation, earning him the Table Topics Best Speaker award.
Speaker Highlights
Tatyana: Completing the Engaging Humor Pathways, Tatyana shared the wisdom gained in her 3.5-year journey. Her key lesson? The best humor often stems from ordinary situations.
Richard: With the mantra “Per aspera ad astra,” Richard emphasized the value of audience feedback in the journey of public speaking while reflecting on his Persuasive Influence Pahways. His well-crafted speech drew inspiration from a favorite movie, engaging the audience with elements of inspiration.
Gabriele: Blending his speech seamlessly with the theme, Gabriele explored the benefits of abandoning a last-minute lifestyle as we progress in life. Drawing parallels with the Toyota “Just in Time” approach, he skillfully connected real-life examples, captivating the audience.
Andrea: Introducing himself with an authentic and humorous style, Andrea left us eager for more of his future speeches.
The Art of Evaluation
Michelle demonstrated the challenging art of evaluation, taking home the Best Evaluator award. Her empathetic and constructive feedback on Tatyana’s speech highlighted that in the pursuit of humor, authenticity and passionate storytelling can also be as impactful.
Conclusion
As the year comes to an end, our Toastmasters journey taught us the importance of pushing boundaries in prepared, last-minute, and improvisational speeches. Exchange, constructive feedback, and a nurturing environment for experimentation create a recipe for individual and collective growth. As we reflect on the past year, let’s set new resolutions for improvement.
What’s on the Horizon?
– The Christmas party and year-end closure meeting are just around the corner. Get ready to celebrate in festive attire!
– Don’t forget to register for the speech club contest in January—time is running out!
In the spirit of Toastmasters, let’s continue to embrace the unexpected and grow together. Cheers to a year of learning, laughter, and last-minute triumphs!
Join us for an exhilarating Toastmasters session where we embrace the thrill of the ‘Last Minute.’ This meeting is a blend of impromptu speaking and prepared speeches, offering a dynamic and diverse experience. 🎤
Date: December 12th Time: 18:45 Location: The Blue Monkey Theme: “Last Minute”
🌟 Featured Quote: “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Whether you’re delivering a prepared speech or diving into impromptu speaking, this meeting is the perfect platform to refine your skills. Our ‘Last Minute’ theme encourages spontaneity, quick thinking, and the art of eloquence under pressure.
🔔 Embrace the unexpected and showcase your prepared speeches in a vibrant atmosphere. Join us next Tuesday at The Blue Monkey for an unforgettable Toastmasters experience!
During our summer party, serendipity favored our VP Membership, Kevin, as he was the lucky recipient of the grand raffle prize.As someone deeply inspired by the world of Opera, Kevin is eager to share his impressions from the enchanting “Night at the Opera” experience last October!
On behalf of Kevin:
A Night at the Opera
Don Giovanni stood before us, a silhouette amidst the flames, his years of greed and misdeeds sealing his fate in eternal damnation. Justice prevailed, and the audience, enchanted by Mozart’s timeless opera “Don Giovanni,” rose in an excited standing ovation. I had the chance to be among them, thanks to our very own Club – the Zuriberg Toastmasters Club – which organized a lottery prize at our closing meeting in June. A big thank you to the Committee for having selected such an inspiring prize and given the winner – me in this case – the opportunity to broaden my horizons.
During that evening, I couldn’t help but notice the parallels between being an opera singer and a speaker, realizing how much there is to learn from each other.
Firstly, both share the purpose of communicating a message to an audience. Though seemingly trivial, we often overlook this when on stage and rather worry about details: the volume of our voice, checking if we display anxiety, or having seemingly uncontrolled movements. The real question should be: does the audience understand the message?
Secondly, both leverage vocal variety and body language to engage their audience. Imagine how you’d feel if an opera singer had only one note or used the same gesture repeatedly. Most likely, you’d leave within the first 10 minutes. Similarly, speakers, when comfortable with a specific tone or gesture, may use it over and over again while wondering why the audience’s engagement is low. As in life, variety is key. Like an opera singer, a speaker’s voice and gestures must align with the message and adapt to emotions and situations to keep the audience engaged throughout the entire journey.
Even more importantly, opera singers spend years working on their craft and thoroughly prepare for their performance. Of course, nobody is expected to perform as an opera singer without practice. Strangely, this is what we expect when we speak in public. We believe that all it takes is to take a deep breath and start speaking. But this does not produce much results. Without preparation, we will probably not have content interesting enough to be communicated, or we won’t be able to communicate it effectively. Therefore, both the expert opera singer and the smart speaker will dedicate most of their time getting ready for game day.
Art is something magical!
Out of ordinary things such as words or paint comes out something extraordinary – the communication of emotions. Countless individuals express themselves, yet not all achieve the finesse of mastery. True mastery is reserved for those who consistently work on their craft and prepare for the moments they need to perform at their best. Toastmasters provides a weekly chance to hone these skills. Through dedication, practice, and training, the day is approaching when, much like opera singers, you will be able to captivate your audience every time you step on the stage.
What a better occasion to raise your glass for an empowering toast rather the Zuriberg Toastmasters Award dinner? Last night we got up to the mood for social speeches, where four speakers raised their glass to acknowledge and toast members who have been the guiding stars, the silent motivators, and the unsung heroes of our Toastmasters journey. Our beautiful Blue Monkey guilt adorned in the elegance befitting an award dinner.
Our Toastmaster of the evening, Roland, not only set the mood with the importance of social speeches, but also he fused the evening with Voltaire’s timeless quote and weaved it beautifully with the speakers introduction and the theme of day:
“Appreciation is a wonderful thing – It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well”
Speakers’ Highlights
Christina – With built-up suspense and eloquence, Christina raised her glass to Joran, the master of humorous and tall-tales speeches, bringing laughter to our meetings.
Harry – Offering a gracious and concise toast to Roland, Harry highlighted the inspiration he drew from Roland’s leadership and feedback exchange, educating the audience while honoring the toast receiver.
Hugo –to Ben, the multi-talented member, Hugo presented a toast filled with vivid visualization through expressive body language, acknowledging Ben’s efforts in uniting the Dutch expat society.
Elias – a toast immersed in creativity. Samira and her genuine presenting style, fusing emotions with authenticity, inspired Elias to raise a glass to her using the alphabet: a reason for appraisal for every letter! Elias’s unique approach earned him the Best Speaker award.
The Art of Evaluation:Nicola, our General Evaluator, provided insights into effective evaluations, emphasizing close summaries for memorable takeaways, engaging delivery, and constructive feedback. Myself, Vanessa was honored to take the best evaluation award home.
Creativity of Table Topics:Yani won the Best Table Topic, explaining why the ant would be the most suitable mascot animal for Toastmasters. Table topic master, Gabriele showcased inclusive, easy-to-answer topics fused seamlessly into the overarching theme.
Reflection and Inspiration
In summary, our traditional award dinner-themed Toastmasters Zuriberg meeting promises an unforgettable blend of sophistication and sincerity, as members come together to celebrate the unsung heroes who make our Toastmasters experience truly remarkable. Cheers to inspiration, camaraderie, and the power of a well-deserved toast!
What is on the horizon?
As we immense in winter and festive atmosphere, we continue to grow and thrive in our public speaking journey, learning from one another and setting last minute milestones for 2023.
Contest announcement – connect with Alice to register for speech or organisation support!
Tuesday’s gathering was far from hibernation—it was an evening of vibrancy and growth! Despite a last-minute change in venue, Ana Maria, our adept Toastmaster of the Evening, skillfully guided us through the night, showcasing the power of preparation in handling unforeseen challenges.
Our Table Topics Master curated a session inspired by the animal kingdom, leading to engaging impromptu speeches. Seline’s witty response not only avoided a frog kiss but earned her the Best Table Topics Award.
Special guest Santhiago, our former member and current Area Director, enlightened us about his role in Toastmasters Organisation. What is his vision for his year of service? His efforts are focused to enhance our public speaking journey through intra-club speeches, with available slots for the upcoming club Walk the talk—contact our VP Education Alice for a chance to participate.
Speaker highlights
Pietro: Infused his speech on decision-making with acting flair, humor, and vivid storytelling, showcasing the importance of creativity on stage.
Joran: Landed the Best Speaker Award with a tall tale that was imaginative, absurd, and humorously enriched with body language elements.
Vadim: Explored stoicism with parallelism and philosophy jokes, delivering a well-structured speech with strong takeaways and audience engagement.
Habiba: Shared insights into her leadership style, navigating us through her personal experience with emotional vocality. Trust and empowerment were key strengths in discovering her democratic and liberating leadership style. Thank you Habiba for sharing your story with us!
The art of evaluations
Our General Evaluator, Sabine, provided insightful feedback to all evaluators, emphasizing how well they demonstrated the speakers΄strengths and areas for improvement. Michelle received the Best Evaluator Award, celebrated for her unique style.
What is in the horizon?
A lot of events are coming! Animal kingdom may hibernate in winter, but Zuriberg Toastmaster make good use of the cold rainy days to hone our public speaking skills!
The evening was a testament to the diverse talents within our club, fostering an environment to learn, grow and excel together.Let’s carry this inspiration into our next meetings!
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