Thomas K. Bellehchili of France outshined more than 8 local contestants to win the district-level competition of the Toastmasters International Speech Contest. Bellehchili advances to the semifinal rounds of the contest, vying for one of 10 spots in the World Championship of Public Speaking® to be held at the Toastmasters International Convention Saturday, Aug. 25 in Chicago, Ill.
Bellehchili, a member of Saigon Toastmasters Club, https://www.facebook.com/saigontoastmasters, in Vietnam, surpassed fierce competition to win over the judges with his speech, “That’s Me” The speech touched on the theme of being true to yourself. When it comes to connecting with an audience, he said, “The key is to accept who we are, be true to yourself, no matter who that person might be. Do not be afraid to show the real you to others.”
Bellehchili will compete with 105 other winners from districts around the world who advanced to the 2018 semifinal round after a six-month process of elimination through club, area, division and district speech competitions. Their five- to seven-minute speeches were judged on content, organization, gestures and style.
“Toastmasters speech contests are another way to build your confidence, sharpen your skills and speak to many different audiences,” says Bellehchili. “I am looking forward to competing on a much larger stage in Chicago!” Bellehchili is an entrepreneur, running a startup in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He is also a speaker/trainer. He joined Toastmasters to become a better speaker and leader at work and in the community.
The Toastmasters International Speech Contest began in 1938 and is the world’s largest speech contest, involving 30,000 participants from 141 countries. It culminates with the popular World Championship of Public Speaking held annually at the organization’s International Convention.
To interview Bellehchili, learn more about the contest or Toastmasters club membership, contact the District Public Relations Manager, District 97P Toastmasters. Follow @Toastmasters International on Twitter to track Bellehchili’s progress.
About District 97P
District 97P is one of 106 districts, which comprises more than 50 corporate and community clubs in Region 13. To learn more about District 97P, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/ToastmastersD97/
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.
