ENGLISH SPEAKING UNION

  

   About the ESU

 

The English-Speaking Union is an international educational charity founded in 1918 to promote "international understanding and friendship through the use of the English language." That has never been so important and never so possible. The world desperately needs international understanding and the reach of English provides a way of achieving it.

 

• English has official or special status in at least seventy five countries with a total population of over two billion
• English is spoken as a second language by around 375 million speakers in the world
• Around 750 million people are believed to speak English as a foreign language
• One out of four of the world's population speak English to some level of competence. See the British Council website for more information.
  

 

With almost 40 branches in the UK, and over 50 overseas ESUs in countries in every part of the world, the ESU's mission to bring people together and share their experiences has never been more relevant.

Ali Hussein Saleh Mohammed, from Yemen, winner of the 2007 ESU international event, collecting his certificate from HRH Prince Philip.

The main objectives of the ESU are to:

• Provide a forum for international friendship and understanding through our support of the worldwide network of ESUs and the provision of secretariat facilities for the International Council at our headquarters at Dartmouth House, London
• Facilitate and assist the establishment and recognition of ESUs worldwide
• Focus on key current affairs issues through regular international conferences, seminars and meetings
• Promote English in international public speaking and debate for the support of worldwide communication and dialogue
• Encourage the enjoyment and constructive use of English through educational programmes
• Initiate and administer international youth exchange and work experience schemes
• Provide and create cultural activities
• Ensure the coordination and coherence of our activities through the skill and dedication of our staff and voluntary helpers
• Work in close and innovative partnership with our corporate members and sponsors

 

International Public Speaking Competition

The ESU International Public speaking Competition is one of the most successful and far-reaching international programmes. It has three overall objectives:

• To give young people practical experience in the fundamental skills of public speaking.
• To provide a focus for the learning of effective English and communication skills among young people in countries where English is not the first language.
• To give students from a variety of countries and backgrounds a chance to meet, exchange views and form friendships.

The first competition was held in 1981 and included speakers from three countries. Since then the competition has expanded rapidly, especially since the early 1990s in East and Central Europe and more recently in Asia, where the competition has proved to be an extremely popular way of promoting English.