Commemorative Speech Writing Guide

Speech writing is vital to speech giving in an event, hence the need to write a speech. Giving a speech is an act everyone must learn. Since interaction is essential in society, giving speeches should also be a core attribute of everyone.

There are so many reasons to give a speech. We give a speech to communicate displeasure; to celebrate; to commemorate; to facilitate. One way or the other, any of the listed reasons can happen to you. Therefore, you need to learn the art of writing and giving speeches, especially commemorative speeches.

What is a Commemorative Speech?

The most common speech is commemorative, after political elites’ acceptance and congratulations speech. A commemorative speech is a speech given to celebrate or pay tribute to something.

It might be an attempt to celebrate a cause, a person, an event, a place, or an organization. Often, a commemorative speech is given during the convocation ceremony of schools.

This kind of speech essentially seeks to celebrate an accomplishment. Hence, it must entail the fact about the accomplishment and how important it is to society. The speech is expected to be clear, meaningful, exciting, and courteous.

How to choose Commemorative Speech Topics

Choosing the write commemorative speech topic has to be an intentional act. It involves you expecting to deliver the best speech to your audience.

You must remember the speech is not about you or the subject matter but the audience. While honing your public speaking skills and seeking to deliver the most accurate speech, you must understand that audience acceptability matters a lot.

Before choosing a topic, you must accept that the ability of the audience to accept the speech matters a lot. Your paramount aim must be to carry your audience along. Hence you will choose topics with the following attributes;

• Relevance

In writing a commemorative speech, relevance is a core attribute. The relevance of the subject matter is non-negotiable. Your audience must be able to relate to what you are talking about.

• Simplicity

A commemorative presentation must be as simple as possible. You must understand that the audience is people of different classes. As such, you must present yourself most simply for a layman to understand.

• Concise and clear

A celebratory speech must be concise and clear. It should not be ambiguous. Also, it must be as brief as possible.

Tips for Writing a Commemorative Speech Outline Example

Writing a commemorative speech best for your audience requires that you follow some tips. One of those tips deals with crafting the best outline. Others seek to address the details and the presentation of the speech. The following are tips for crafting the best ceremonial speech;

• Choose a theme

In writing a commemorative speech, it is essential to have a theme. The speech must be consistent with this theme all through. The speech’s theme should reflect the impact of the subject on you and the environment.

• Develop your contents

Brainstorming and coming up with content ideas is the next most important step. You must come up with points and information you want to pass across to your audience. This point must include the significance of subject matters, key memories, and exciting stories.

• Develop your outline

After highlighting your content idea, you must outline them in perfect order. The introduction comes first, and then you can arrange the ideas in order of their importance of following a format you would like to use. Ensure you fine-tune the whole piece to make up what an audience will like to hear. This act is easy when you consider yourself an audience and ask questions about what could excite you if you listen to such a speech.

• Write a catchy introduction

The introduction is the selling point of every speech. If it is poor, the audience might likely deny their attention throughout your speech. Meanwhile, an excellent introduction can keep your audience on their toes throughout the delivery. The introduction must therefore be straightforward, assertive, relatable, and captivating.

• Share facts and details

In writing a commemorative speech, you must learn to share critical details in your presentation. You must present your speech with facts and figures if possible. If you celebrate a person, it would be good to quote such a person. If it is a day, talk about spectacular things about the day that people can all relate with.

• Naturally, conclude your speech

While writing a commemorative speech, writing a reasonable conclusion is inevitable. Your conclusion should reiterate every accomplishment and fact you have mentioned in your speech. Further, express the impact of the subject matter in your conclusion. Likewise, you can include a call to action challenging people to become a replica of such accomplishment.

How to Start a Commemorative Speech

It is not enough to have a commemorative speech outline. You must equally know how to start your speech. When you deliver an accurate speech, the person you celebrate has just been well represented.

Hence, to start your commemorative speech, you must master the following;

• Use clear and simple words. Avoid using jargon so ask not to throw your audience off-balance.
• You are permitted to be slightly informal. You can use limited colloquial words and crack jokes about the person.
• Be careful not to talk down to your audience. Every word in your speech must be relatable to the audience. Don’t try to show off your knowledge; instead, seek to communicate.
• Practice your speech before the day of the presentation. Seek to perfect your speech by practicing and seeking evaluations from people. Remember, you are representing yourself and the person you are celebrating.

Common Commemorative Speech Examples

A ceremonial speech outline can celebrate a person, a thing, an event, or an organization. As such, the topics can vary depending on the circumstances.

In celebrating people, commemorative speeches are usually delivered to celebrate a superior at work, a colleague, a friend, parents, and someone who just died. Therefore, the subject matter determines the outline and the format of the speech.

Generally speaking, there are typical examples of commemorative speeches. You can find topics similar to these;

• A commemoration speech given at the retirement of Mr. XYZ of ABC corporation.
• Speech presented at the graduation ceremony and the conferment of the award of Diplomas and Degrees at ABC university.
• A eulogy given in honor of late XYZ.
• Farewell speech delivered at the farewell ceremony of Dr. ABC of faculty of Education, XYZ college.
• The anniversary speech delivered on the 20th anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.
• Commemoration speech delivered at the industry award ceremony given to XYZ group of companies.
• Speech delivered to show gratitude to parents or a loved one for their support in an endeavor.

Final Word

Writing a commemorative speech is quite simple but requires adequate concentration. Your speech must be well crafted to suit the occasion and excite your audience. You must follow all the tips listed above to develop the best commemorative speech. If you still find it difficult to craft your speech, you can reach out to us, and our experts will help you.