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ENGLEWOOD, Colo., May 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toastmasters International Speech Contest began in January with more than 30,000 contestants giving presentations in local clubs. They then polished their oratory skills while advancing to area, division and district levels. The district-level competitions are taking place throughout the month of May, where 106 semifinalists are chosen to represent their districts and compete in the semifinals in August.

The competition culminates with the World Championship of Public Speaking® on Aug. 25 in Chicago, Ill., with 10 finalists out-speaking each other in attempts to become the next Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking.

"Competing with and against the best speakers in the world was a challenging and enriching experience," says Manoj Vasudevan from Singapore, who is Toastmasters' 2017 World Champion of Public Speaking. "Winning the contest and becoming the World Champion of Public Speaking fulfilled a long-cherished dream."

To be eligible for the competition, participants must be age 18 or older, and present a five-to seven-minute speech in English on any topic. Judging criteria include speech content, delivery and language.

"The World Championship of Public Speaking is the most exciting event of the year," says Toastmasters International President Balraj Arunasalam. "Contestants from around the world rehearse their speech for months in hopes of becoming the next World Champion."

Click here to watch Vasudevan's winning speech from the 2017 World Championship of Public Speaking. For more information about the World Championship of Public Speaking, visit http://www.toastmasters.org/About/World-Championship-of-Public-Speaking.  

To visit a local district-level contest, contact pr@toastmasters.org.

About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization's membership exceeds 352,000 in more than 16,400 clubs in 141 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. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.

SOURCE Toastmasters International