World speaking champion: Persistence is key to success

World public speaking champion Morgan John McArthur stole the limelight at the 9th annual Toastmasters conference, where he mesmerized audiences with his remarkable speaking skills.
Toastmasters is a worldwide organization that helps people improve on their public speaking and leaderships skills.
McArthur said that “Persistence is the key to successful public speaking.”
“The main highlights of the conference were the speech contests in various categories such as humorous speech, table topics, speech evaluation and international speech,” said Rashid Ali, marketing manager of the ALJ Group.
Mosleh Al-Emrani of the Eagle Toastmasters Club was declared champion in the humorous speech category while Ashraf Meleveettil of HOPE Toastmasters Club and Bobby Ensomo of OMG Advanced Toastmasters Club won second and third place respectively.
Ben Consolacion of OMG bagged the championship trophy for the table topics contest while club mate Tauseefuddin of HOPE came in at second place.
Consolacion was also declared champion in the speech evaluation contest with Gino Ruperez of the KaMFi Toastmasters Club, winning second place and Peer Muhammad of HOPE third place.
In the highly competitive international speech contest, Samia Aqeel of VOICE Toastmasters Club emerged as the champion. Marciano Par Jr. of the Council Toastmasters Club won second place while Riyaz Sarang of the ALJ Talk Masters Club bagged third place.
“Contestants performed exceptionally well through excellent speech delivery in front of Toastmaster members, guests and other dignitaries,” Ali told Arab News.
“All those declared champions across categories will represent Division G in the District 79 speech competition, which will be held in the second week of April in Dammam,” said Ali.
Division G Governor Reggie Maga and Conference Chairman Saifuddeen KM were widely commended for the event’s success.
Philippine Consul General Uriel Norman Garibay, District 79’s Ben Guerra, IPDG’s Khaled Matlagaitu, IP Division G Governor Tess Villanueva, PDG’s Art De Leon, PDG’s Mohammed Jameel Sayed, PDG’s Danny Abenes, IP Division D Governor Abdullah Filimban and Division H Governor Mohammed Ilyas Momin graced the occasion.
District 79’s Joey Villanueva, a former Division G governor, was the conference’s Master of Ceremonies.
Gavelier Rana Mae Dizon delivered a showcase speech entitled “The Significance of Laughter”.