World Speech Day Date in the current year: March 15, 2024

The idea to observe World Speech Day was first voiced by Simon Gibson, a freelance speechwriter, at the Athens Democracy Forum in 2015. He came up with the idea while working on a free database for historical and contemporary speeches. This project made him realize that public speaking can change the world for the better, so it definitely deserves a wider recognition.

The inaugural World Speech Day took place on March 15, 2016. There were events in Athens (Greece), Moscow (Russia), Singapore, Tawau (Malaysia), and other cities in 30 countries. They received informational support from The New York Times and The International New York Times.

The following year, there were events in about 80 countries, ranging from Palestinian schools to the Mongolian Parliament, from cultural centers in Bangladesh to Oxford University in England, from lecture halls in Nigeria to colleges across the United States. And in 2019, there were about 600 events in 102 countries! A lot of events were streamed online so that anyone could see them.

The official hashtag of World Speech Day is #unexpectedvoices, which perfectly reflects the essence of the campaign: on March 15, everyone has a chance to be heard, including people and groups that usually find it difficult to draw public attention to their concerns and challenges. The main goal of this international campaign is to show people that public speeches can change the lives of individuals, social groups, communities, and even entire nations.

World Speech Day events are organized by schools, universities, speakers’ clubs, NGOs, commercial organizations, think tanks, community groups etc. In fact, anyone can hold an event if they want to. At the World Think Day website, you can find a lot of ideas and tips for those who want to join the global movement and make the world a better place. Besides, in several countries there are official World Speech Day ambassadors who can provide informational and practical support.

Anyone can give a speech on the occasion of World Speech Day and be heard. Thanks to the Internet, you can do it even if there are no World Speech Day events in your city. All you need to do is film your speech and share the video on social media. Don’t forget to accompany it with the hashtags #worldspeechday and #unexpectedvoices to reach a wider audience!