ActionTalks Speech Writing Competition 

Aoife Bentout, Fifth Year student, has reached the regional final in the ActionTalks speech writing competition. 

Aoife Bentout qualified as a regional finalist in the ActionTalks speech writing competition. The competition, run by ActionAid Ireland and now in its  ninth year, was open to all students aged 14 to 17 across Ireland. ActionAid Ireland works with women and children, as they take the lead in claiming their human rights to build a more just world. 

 This year ActionAid received 143 entries from 40 schools across 16 counties. This year’s topics were on climate justice, economic barriers to accessing education and valuing unpaid care  work.  Aoife’s speech was on how current efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt are not enough to tackle the speed and scale of climate change, meaning that some losses and damages from climate change are inevitable. Women and children in particular are on the front line. Rich countries should pay their fair share for the loss and damage their energy consumption has caused in poorer nations.

Regional finalists are asked to provide a video of themselves reading their speech. This will be graded on the quality of the speech and also on delivery. Two winners from each of the five  regional finals will win a €50 voucher and proceed on to the final which will be held in Dublin in March. This year the overall prize is a €500 voucher for the winner and a €100 voucher for their teacher.  

 CEO of ActionAid Ireland Karol Balfe said: “Choosing the regional finalists was extremely difficult this year. The quality was very high across the country, and we were heartened by the  students’ passion and interest in women’s rights, climate and economic justice, and also by how hard they worked on crafting their speeches. We hope those who didn’t make the final continue their interest in social justice. And my very best of luck to Aoife  in the regional finals.” 

 This competition is supported by Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, as part of a women’s rights programme in Kenya, Nepal and Ethiopia.