Unexpected Voices Youth Speech Competition Canada - Competition Rules

1. The Competition 

This competition is run by Power of Words Academy in collaboration with World Speech Day (the “Competition”). The Competition aims to: 

  • Increase the knowledge of SDGs amongst young people and their teachers;

  • Improve young peoples’ writing and speaking skills;

  • Increase awareness of World Speech Day;

The Competition will be open to four age categories (age as at December 31, 2023): 

  • 7-8 years old

  • 9-10 years old

  • 11-12 years old

  • 13-15 years old


2. Eligibility

The Competition is open to students ages 7 to 15 who reside in Canada. The Competition will open on September 1, 2023 and will close on December 15, 2023. 

3. What Does the Competition Involve? 

It is important that students are given a platform to express what they think, believe and are passionate about. This speech writing competition gives that opportunity to youth across the country to work on the following United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal themes: 

  • No Poverty

  • Zero Hunger

  • Good Health and Wellbeing

  • Quality Education

  • Gender Equality

  • Clean Water and Sanitation

  • Affordable and Clean Energy

  • Reduced Inequality

  • Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Climate Action

  • Life Below Water

  • Life on Land  

By doing so, students can articulate their thoughts, ideas and concerns about such topics, present us with new ways of thinking and promote taking action.

The Competition involves the students selecting one of the themes and writing a speech (no more than 300 words for the 7-8 and 9-10 age categories and no more than 500 words for the 11-12 and 13-15 age categories). Teachers/parents are responsible for submitting entries by December 15, 2023 via our online form. 

The written speeches will be assessed. 15 students from each age group will be selected to proceed to Round 2 and present their speeches before a panel of judges. 

To help with this exercise, the United Nations has created a number of resources to provoke thought and inspire action on the SDGs. These resources will give tools to students to develop their awareness of the UN Sustainability Goals. 

Students will also be able to develop a variety of skills, such as communication and collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking, to name a few. The resources have a specific short task which is to write a speech to draw attention to the impact that the UN sustainability goals have in the world. You can also find the following resources around speech writing on the World Speech Day website.

Schools will submit their speeches by entering the information into the online application form by the given deadline. All entries must be submitted by the student’s teacher or school, who will also be responsible for authenticating it as the student’s work and not plagiarised. 

The theme of the speech must be one of the aforementioned Sustainability Goals. 

The speech must be written in English. 

The maximum word limit of the speeches is: 

  • 300 words for the 7-8 and 9-10 age categories

  • 500 words for the 11-12 and 13-15 age categories

Entry to the Competition is free of charge, although entrants are responsible for any costs associated with entry. All entries must be submitted online. 

4. Competition dates 

Round 1 

The opening date of the Competition is September 1, 2023, and the closing date is December 15, 2023. Any submission received before the opening date or after the closing date will not be entered into the Competition. Power of Words Academy accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any technical failure or malfunction or any other problem with any system, server, provider or otherwise that may result in any entry being lost, delayed or not properly registered. 

Round 2 

Fifteen students from each of the age categories will be invited to deliver their speeches (in person or via webcam) before a panel of judges on March 2, 2024, at The Aga Khan Museum located in Toronto. A notification will be sent to the email address provided by the winning entrant when registering for the Competition in accordance with the rules set above. First, second and third place speeches for each age category will be ranked and students will be presented with medals and prizes.

5. How to enter 

The Competition will be promoted through the Power of Words Academy and the World Speech Day websites. 

https://www.powerofwordsacademy.ca/contests 

http://www.worldspeechday.com/competition 

To enter, entrants must complete the entry form and upload their submission via the online form. Competition Rules. 

6. Selection of winning entries 

The judging of the speeches of Round 1 (which will be announced within one month of the closing date referred to in section 3) and Round 2 (which will be announced on March 2, 2024) will be judged by a panel of judges appointed by Power of Words Academy and World Speech Day. The judges’ decision is final and binding. 

No correspondence will be entered into with the unsuccessful participants. 

7. Prizes 

All contestants that proceed to Round 2 will receive Certificates of Distinction and medals. First, second, and third place for each age category and will receive cash prizes, certificates, medals and trophies. 

8. Personal data 

Power of Words Academy will collect and store the names and email addresses of all entrants and the additional contact details of winners. Power of Words Academy will use this personal data for the following purposes: 

  • managing the relationship between the entrants and Power of Words Academy;

  • communicating with entrants to answer their queries about the Competition;

  • communicating with winners; and

  • marketing and publicity in accordance with section 9 below.

By participating in the Competition, participants consent to their personal data being processed by Power of Words Academy in accordance with, and for the purposes set out in, this section. 

9. Publicity and rights 

Power of Words Academy intends to publish the names and photographs of the winners on the Power of Words Academy websites, Facebook pages, Twitter pages, press releases and in other promotional and marketing material. In addition, Power of Words Academy may write and publish articles about the winners’ enjoyment of their prize. By entering the Competition, each entrant agrees to the use of their name and image and agrees to co-operate with any such publicity or marketing if they win a prize. 

Entrants will retain copyright in the entry material that they submit to Power of Words Academy. By entering the Competition, each entrant grants Power of Words Academy, free of charge, permission to use the entry material (including, without limitation, modifying and adapting it for operational and editorial reasons) in any media worldwide for purposes connected with the Competition. Entrants grant Power of Words Academy further permission to publish and exhibit their entry material (including, without limitation, modifying and adapting it for operational and editorial reasons) in print and any media worldwide. Each entrant confirms that the entry material is their original work, is not defamatory and does not infringe any Canadian laws, that they have the right to give Power of Words Academy permission to use it for the purposes specified above, and that all necessary consents for the submission of the entry material have been obtained. 

10. General 

Power of Words Academy may disqualify or refuse to accept the entry of any entrant who does not meet the eligibility criteria in section 2 or does not otherwise comply with these Competition Rules. 

11. Acceptance of Competition Rules 

By participating in this Competition, entrants are deemed to have accepted these Competition Rules Items.