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.RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The results are in: 82 contestants from a pool of 30,000 participants from 116 countries have earned their spot in the Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. The contest is a highlight of the organization's 2011 International Convention, held Aug. 17-20, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Bally's Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. The semifinals take place Aug. 18, where nine finalists will emerge to compete again two days later for the title of Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking (@Toastmasters: #TI11).

"The globally diverse talent pool in the International Speech Contest creates a challenging and inspiring atmosphere," says Pat Johnson, Toastmasters 2010-2011 International President. "The contest gives members the opportunity to realize their full speaking potential. It cultivates their confidence by helping them build on the skills they've already learned in the club."

The 2011 semifinalists hail from major cities around the world. See the complete list, here.

During the days leading up to the Speech Contest, several exciting events will take place. The opening ceremonies will feature comedian Dan Nainan, a stand-up comedian and Toastmaster, and keynote speaker Dave Logan, also a Toastmaster, best known for his leadership expertise.

Dave Logan (www.davelogan.com)

Dave Logan is an expert on cultural transformation in the workplace and senior partner at CultureSync, a consulting firm specializing in strategy and high performance. In addition, he is a lecturer at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and co-author of the New York Times' best-seller, Tribal Leadership. He will speak on the topic, "Tribal Leadership: How to Build a Thriving Organization."

"Good leaders listen to people and they combine the various aspirations they hear into a vision that speaks for the whole," says Logan. "Then, when people hear the vision, they say, 'That person speaks for me!'"

Dan Nainan (www.comediandan.com)

Dan Nainan is an American comedian of Indian and Japanese heritage. Before becoming a comedian, Nainan worked as a demonstration engineer for Intel. During his tenure, Nainan traveled the world with CEO Andy Grove to demonstrate the latest technologies. Today, the professional entertainer performs for audiences throughout the world, including U.S. President Barack Obama and his staff.

To learn more about Toastmasters' 2011 International Convention, and obtain a complete schedule of events, including keynote presentations, skill-building seminars and international speech contests, visit www.toastmasters.org/Members/Convention.aspx.

About Toastmasters

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. The organization currently has more than 260,000 members in 12,500-plus clubs in 113 countries. Since its founding in October 1924, the organization has helped more than 4 million men and women give presentations with poise and confidence. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org.

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Pat Johnson

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SOURCE Toastmasters International