Toronto Toastmasters takes bronze at World Championship of Public Speaking

TORONTO - Aug. 30, 2021 - PRLog -- Toronto's Roger Caesar placed third in the World Championships of Public Speaking, held Aug. 28 as part of the Toastmasters International Convention 2021.
This is the fourth time Caesar competed at the annual event — and was his best showing so far.
The 2021 world champion is Verity Price, from South Africa.  Nitay-Yair Levi, from Australia, placed second.
This year's world championship offered new challenges for Caesar, as he presented his speech "Is it in You."
Instead of travelling to a convention stage and delivering his speech in person, he performed online using the Zoom video conferencing software.
Here's a link to Caesar's speech: https://youtu.be/pIT_Nhao53M


It's the second time the Toastmasters International championships ran online.  It was Caesar's first time competing against 27 other finalists on zoom.
While Caesar earned bronze in what amounts to an online Olympics, he employed communications skills and tactics that Toastmasters helps anyone practice and master. Every competitor at the world championship started by winning a public speaking contest at one of 16,800 Toastmasters clubs around the globe, then advancing round-by-round through area, division and district competitions to reach the finals.
Caesar is a 10-year member of the Brampton Toastmasters club.  He co-founded Raising Champions Advanced Toastmasters club, helping members practice and master their speaking and leadership skills. He also coaches people to elevate their communication skills.
"Roger's amazing performance showcases the power of Toastmasters in building the communication and leadership skills of its members," said Myrna Barthe, Director of District 86 of Toastmasters International, overseeing 157 clubs and more than 2,400 members in south-central Ontario.
"Roger's performance made me feel so proud, so happy, so excited— and reminded me of the opportunities Toastmasters offers every one of our members for personal growth and success."
Delivering a competition speech online wasn't easy. The basic challenge, however, wasn't much different from the daily communication problems confronting hundreds of millions of people worldwide working remotely through a pandemic, Caesar says.
It's difficult to consistently connect with someone when using a webcam on a laptop computer, Caesar says. Instead of building audience excitement with big gestures and stage movement at the world championships, he was wedged into a little video window on a computer screen.

About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a worldwide non-profit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 358,000 in more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org