Building bridges

Write a speech and take part in Leicester Libraries public speaking event on the theme ‘Building Bridges’

Further information

Since the tragic murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, Stephen’s family and many others have worked tirelessly to challenge racism, to help us learn and build a positive message from this tragedy. In recognition of Stephen Lawrence Day 2024, Leicester Neighbourhood Services (libraries and community centres) invite children, young people, and adults in Leicester to write and submit a speech of up to three minutes on the theme, Building Bridges.

Selected speeches will be presented at a free public event to take place at Leicester Central Library on Saturday 27 April (the Saturday after Stephen Lawrence Day) between 2 and 6pm.

Event places will be reserved for families or guests of speech makers and other places will be open for public booking via the library by emailing central-library@leicester.gov.uk or by phoning 0116 299 5401.

Building Bridges is about helping different communities to live well together in our shared city and our shared world. When writing your speech on Building Bridges consider…

• What are the things all people have in common?
• How do the differences we have add variety and make the world a more interesting and beautiful place to live?
• What can each of us do to make connections with people from other social or cultural groups than our own?

You may write a speech focussing on just one of these questions or try tackling them all. It’s up to you but remember, speeches must be no more than 3 minutes long.

Submission guidelines and terms & conditions

• Speeches must be handed in at your local city library or submitted to libraries-childrens-team@leicester.gov.uk by Friday 12 April.
• Submissions from schools, we will send invitations to your school.
• Submissions direct to libraries will need to include your contact details or, if under 16 years, parent/carer contact details – name plus phone number and/or email.
• By Friday 19 April we will send out invitations to selected speech writers to speak at our event. The invitation will include an event programme.
• Speeches may be submitted in writing or as a video or audio file and must be no more than 3 minutes long.
• Speeches to be given on the night will be selected ‘blind’ by a committee of library staff.
• Our selection decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding this.
• There will be 4 speaker categories at the event and book prizes for a winner and runner up in each category:
  • Older KS2 – 9, 10, 11-year-olds
  • KS3 – 11 to 14-year-olds
  • KS4 & 5 – 14 to 18 -year-olds
  • Adults – over 18-year-olds
• All our speakers will receive a certificate of acknowledgement from Leicester Neighbourhood Services (libraries and community centres).
• There will be a winner in each category selected by anonymous audience vote at the event.
• Each winner will receive a voucher to claim a book to the value of £15 from the library.

Attachments

• Building bridges - public speaking invitation and submission guide [pdf – 271 Kb]