Last chance for students in Louth to enter national speech writing competition

Friday 13 January is the final day for students from Louth to enter the ActionTalks national speech writing competition.

The competition, now in its ninth year, is an opportunity for young people to explore the root causes of local and global injustices and inequalities. This year’s themes focus on the climate emergency, unpaid care work and economic injustice.  

Entries to the competition can be submitted to ActionAid by email in written form and fifteen successful entrants will go forward to the regionals final, with six regional winners winning a €50 voucher each. At the national final in March, the six finalists will be asked to present their speech to a panel of esteemed judges. The national prize is a €500 voucher for the winner and a €100 voucher for their teacher. 

ActionAid is hoping entrants will come up with innovative, well-researched, and creative speeches, using their own unique perspective. The competition is designed to build students’ skills such as researching, writing, critical thinking and public speaking.

Karol Balfe, CEO of ActionAid Ireland said: “We’ve heard from teachers across the country that students have been writing speeches on economic and climate justice.

"We’re excited to read the speeches and to hear what young people have to say on important issues like unpaid care work, how we can promote education as a human right, and on climate loss and damage. Today we are reminding students to be sure to enter their speeches before the deadline of Friday 13th January.”  

ActionAid works with women and children, as they take the lead in claiming their human rights to build a more just world. ActionAid’s Women’s Rights programme, funded by Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, works to eliminate violence against women and girls. Irish Aid programmes are funded by Irish citizens and are part of Ireland’s important global role.  

To enter, students can ask their teacher for details or visit https://actionaid.ie/speech- writing-competition/