Rules are boring. But also rules are necessary to avoid problems about the contest. Especially when you are up on stage! What is expected of you? What is it exactly what you need to do? What are the criteria? Here are all the details:

RULES BBC PUBLIC SPEAKING AWARDS 2005

The BBC 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 Public Speaking Awards is open to all Netherlands secondary school students in full-time education between 16 and 20 years of age (i.e. the oldest possible competitors would have their 21st birthday on the day after the prize-giving event on 9 April 2005). Each school may nominate a maximum of two students to participate in the regional 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 Public Speaking Awards 2005 are based on the themes of active citizenship and identity and are:

1. The environment
2. Belonging
3. Democracy
4. Security
5. Spirituality
6. Responsibility
7. Justice
8. Peace

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 their subject is of considerable importance. Although the Judges may penalise the treatment of any subject they consider offensive, unnecessarily 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
  

> Click here for more details on how points are awarded

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 from 9-12 May 2005, where they will compete in the English-Speaking Union (ESU) International Final 2005 on 11 May as representatives of the Netherlands. Please note that the topic for the ESU International Final 2005 in London is different from that of the BBC Public Speaking Awards, namely "Differences and Diversity". Should a finalist be unable to attend the National final and prize-giving event on 9 April 2005, they will automatically forego any right to the prizes.
The winning school will be awarded the prestigious Challenge Cup.

7. Dates BBC Public Speaking Awards 2005

Regional rounds: locations & dates to be announced after registration.
National final and prize-giving event: 9 April 2005, Peace Palace The Hague.
International final: May 2005, London

8. Registration procedure

Participating schools register one or two applicants by completing the forms online at www.bbcawards.com. The preliminary registration date for the BBC Public Speaking Awards is 15 December 2004, and the closing date is 15 January 2005.

RULES BBC YOUNG WRITERS AWARDS 2005

1. Eligibility

The BBC Young Writers Awards is open to all Netherlands secondary school students in full-time education between 12 and 20 years of age (i.e. the oldest possible competitor would have their 21st birthday on the day after the prize-giving event on 9 April 2005). Each school may nominate a maximum of six students to submit their texts to www.bbcawards.com. Preliminary selection is the responsibility of the schools.

2. Topics

Competitors are required to write a piece of prose, poetry or dialogue, in a maximum of 600 words. The English text should be typed on A4 paper using double spacing. The topics for the BBC Public Speaking Awards 2005 are based on the themes of active citizenship and identity and are:

1. The environment
2. Belonging
3. Democracy
4. Security
5. Spirituality
6. Responsibility
7. Justice
8. Peace

3. Judging

At the prize-giving event, to be held at the Peace Palace in The Hague on 9 April 2005, the texts of the short-listed candidates selected by the Judges will be read out. The winner and runner-up will then be announced. The Judges' decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
By submitting their texts, the competitors automatically relinquish their copyrights. The texts will become property of Stichting Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards and will not be returned.

4. Prizes

The winners of the BBC Young Writers Awards will be invited to accompany the winners of the BBC Public Speaking Awards to London in May 2005. Should the winners be unable to attend the prize-giving event, they will automatically forego their right to any prizes.
The winning school will be awarded the prestigious BBC Writers Trophy.

5. Participation

Participating schools register a maximum of six applicants by completing the forms online at www.bbcawards.com. The preliminary registration date for the BBC Young Writers Awards is 15 December 2004, and the closing date for submitting the texts is 31 January 2005.