Rules

Rules BBC-GNE Public Speaking Awards 2009

The BBC-GNE Public Speaking Awards is based on the same rules as those of the highly successful English-Speaking Union International Public Speaking Competition. The aim is to give young people practical experience in the art of public speaking. It also gives them the opportunity to express their views on topics of national and international interest.

1. Eligibility
The BBC-GNE Public Speaking Awards is open to all Netherlands secondary school and universities of professional education (HBO) in fulltime education between 16 and 20 years of age (i.e. the oldest possible competitor would have his/her 21st birthday no later than one day after the prize-giving event on 28 March 2009. Each school may nominate a maximum of four students to participate in the preliminary rounds. Preliminary selection is the responsibility of the schools.

2. Topics
Competitors are required to speak on a chosen topic for 5 minutes, followed by a 3-minute period to answer questions from the audience. The topics for the BBC-GNE Public Speaking Awards 2009 are:

The organisers reserve the right to reject unsuitable titles or topics. It is appreciated that speakers have limited time to make their case and competitors’ persuasiveness and ingenuity in dealing with the subject is of considerable importance. Although the judges may penalise the treatment of any subject they consider offensive, unnecessary flippant or outside the aims of the competition, speakers should not be afraid to be provocative, hard-hitting or humorous as long as their intention is clearly constructive. It is advisable to ensure that the speech – and this applies especially to a more light-hearted topic – has pith and substance.

3. Timing
The chairperson of the regional session will introduce the speaker. The speech itself should last 5 minutes with a margin of 30 seconds either way. After 4.5 minutes a red flag signals that the speech must be finished within 1 minute. After 5.5 minutes an audible signal indicates the end of the speaking time. The speech will be followed by a question period of 3 minutes. The speaker will deal with the questions without an intermediary. One of Judges will ask the first question. The timing is therefore as follows:

  Introduction of speaker   0.5 minutes
  Speech 4.5 - 5.5 minutes
  Questions and answers  3 minutes
  Total 8 - 9 minutes

4. General
The order in which the speakers compete will be determined by ballot. The speaker’s presentation should be purely oral without use of any other devices. The discreet use of notes, however, is permitted.

5. Judging
There will be at least three Judges per round, who will allocate points on the following basis:

  Topic: content and argument maximum 16
  Presentation: structure, delivery, timing, English maximum 21
  Handling of questions maximum 13
  Total number of points maximum 50

The Judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

6. Prizes
The winner and the runner-up in the National Final will be awarded a trip to London, where they will compete in the English-Speaking Union (ESU) International Final 2009 as representatives of The Netherlands. Please note that the topic for the ESU International Final 2009 in London is different to that of the Dutch competition and is known in December 2008 (see www.bbcawards.com).
Should a finalist be unable to attend the National Final and prize-giving event on 28 March 2009, they will automatically forego any right to the prizes. The winning school will be awarded the prestigious challenge cup the Rose Bowl!

7. Dates
BBC Public Speaking Awards 2009: Regional rounds will be held on locations spread over the Netherlands in February 2009. Venues will be published as soon as possible. The semi-finals will take place on Saturday 14 March 2009. National Final 28 March 2009, Amsterdam. International Final 18-22 May 2009 (Note: dates have changed from those originally published!) London.

8. Registration
Participating schools register up to four applicants by completing the forms online at www.bbcawards.com The preliminary registration date for the BBC-GNE Public Speaking Awards is 21 December 2008, and the closing date is 31 January 2009.
A registration fee of € 12.50 per participating student is required. After registration the school will receive an invoice for the total number of registered participants from their school.

Rules BBC-GNE Writers Awards 2009

1. Eligibility
The BBC-GNE Young Writers Awards is open to all Netherlands secondary school students and universities of professional education in fulltime education between 16 and 20 years of age (i.e. the oldest possible competitor would have his/her 21st birthday no later than one day after the prize-giving event on 28 March 2009). Each school may nominate a maximum of four students to submit their opinion piece. Preliminary selection is the responsibility of the schools.

2. Topics
Competitors are requested to write an opinion piece on one of the topics using a maximum of 600 words. After preliminary selection the four best entries of the school are to be submitted using the form on the registration page on the www.bbcawards.com website. The topics are:

3. Judging
At the prize-giving event, to be held in Amsterdam on 28 March 2009, excerpts from the texts of the short-listed candidates will be read out. The winner and the runner-up will then be announced. The Judges’ decision is final. By submitting their texts, the competitors automatically relinquish their copyrights. The texts will become property of the Stichting Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards and will not be returned. No correspondence will be entered into.

4. Prizes
The winner and the runner-up will be offered the opportunity to follow a one week residential writing course at one of the Arvon (the Foundation for Writing) centres in the UK. Should the winners be unable to attend the prize-giving event, then they will automatically forego their right to any prizes. The winning school will be awarded the prestigious BBC Writers Trophy.

5. Registration
Participating schools register a maximum of four applicants by completing the forms online. The preliminary registration date for the BBC-GNE Young Writers Awards is 21 December 2008 and the closing date for submitting the texts is 31 January 2009.
A registration fee of € 12.50 per participating student is required. After registration the school will receive an invoice for the total amount for the total number of registered participants from their school.

Additional information

Teachers and students can find additional information as well as advice on speaking and writing and past participants’ reports at our website: www.bbcawards.com