Meus amores, muito obrigada pelo apoio. O discurso da manhã não me correu muito bem, em comparação ao dos outros gajos que tinham isto tudo decorado, andavam a treinar para isto há meses e eu só fiz isto numa hora sexta-feira de manhã... ah, e andavam no St. Julian's, St. Dominic's e na Carlucci International American School... portanto até que foi bom. Contando que andei a dormir três horas por noite esta semana, fiz isto às 5 da manhã de sexta-feira e treinei na meira hora antes do concurso, foi giro. Ser a quinta added up to my stress.
Os concorrentes eram todos óptimos, tinham tudo preparadíssimo e decoradíssimo, mas continuo a achar que o meu tema era o com mais substâcia...
Milagre dos milagres passei para a final dos 10 melhores, o que não estava à espera que acontecesse porque fiquei mesmo desmotivada de me ter esquecido de coisas que me iam dar muitos pontos perante o juri! (YAY!)
Fui a segunda pesso à tarde e, estranhamente, esse facto tirou-me por completo os nervos. Nem tive tempo para absorver, tal foi o meu espanto de de facto estar entre os melhores. O discurso da tarde não foi perfeito (o escrito estava muito melhor mas como não tive mesmo tempo de decorar nem um bocadinho, foi go with the flow)... however, fui de facto e de longe a melhor das raparigas, fui para o podium mas olhem... não vou a Londres (porque só o 1st e runnerup é que vão). Irónico, não?
É indiferente, estava óptimo e gostei imenso de ter participado. I faced some serious competition mesmo e mesmo assim fui das melhores e com o melhor tema.. se me tivesse preparado mais um bocadinho, tinha vencido aquilo tudo LOL. Whatever.
Obrigada outra vez por tudo, e aqui fica o discurso (escrito - claro que o falado foi improvisadíssimo). Espero que gostem... e depois quero feedback.
First of all I’d like to thank you for this opportunity. This is my first time speaking at a Public Speaking competition and, as you might imagine, my debut speaking in English in public. I’d like to introduce myself: my name is Maria Francisca, I am 17 years old and this will be my final year as a high school student… or so I hope. I intend to take the PPE undergraduate course at Oxford and I think that is a good indicator of what I’m about to talk to you.
My religious and political views have all to do with my upcoming speech – it would be misleading to tell you otherwise. Religion and Politics have all to do with the theme presented and, in the 21st century it would make no sense to dissociate them from Regeneration and Renewal.
Although our serious Economical and Environmental problems aren’t solved at all, an underlying issue is of bigger importance. I'm talking about the irresponsible behaviour that leads us to taking selfish actions and enrol only in profit-seeking campaigns. Where is our consciousness amidst all of this? Are we blinded by this false sensation of comfort and security bestowed by a consumer society?
In truth our grandfathers have set the international cooperation in motion, bearing in mind “peace” and socio-economical union. Our parents have began a non-stopping engine of technological development that almost feeds itself. How about us? What is our mission and obligation towards this World and entwined multiracial and multicultural society?
Beyond the philosophical aspect hidden, there is a much real meaning closeted. We need to aim at a spiritual improvement, a mandatory regeneration and implied renewal that entails every other developing sector that we seek to enhance.
The hasty way of dealing with everyday problems is certainly not very “forward thinking”. This deficiency in long-term planning is tangible in almost every line of human conduct, and not because we have an utterly careless behaviour. Instead, we find it easier to neglect the issues for as long as it is politically correct to do so, and only then do we begin trying to make up for our past mistakes.
Let’s start with the environmental issue. Our ecological awareness awoke in the 70’s and, since then, the eco-balance has been a recurring topic. In fact, it is an in vogue subject that goes along with the New Age feel nowadays proliferating. Nevertheless, prevention is lacking.
For instance, what do you know about carbon compensation? It is supposedly a good set of measures, right? But the principle is utterly wrong. The whole idea is based on compensating for the carbon emissions resulting from previous airplane flights by funding a proportionate amount of sustainable energy and reforestating a determinate area. Does it sound okay to you? Compensation, is it really the way to go?
And how about the “Three R’s” campaign that we got word of throughout the 90’s? I don’t know about you, ladies and gentleman in the audience, but I think the Governments only seemed to take notice of the Recycling “R”. At least no relevant measures were taken regarding Reusing and Reducing. How’s that for discrimination?
It would surely be better if we all just reduced our personal human footprint and lowered carbon emissions. Then there would be less to compensate and recycle. It’s overall a smart economical move.
Other scary aspect of our society is the inversion that we have made, out of the blue, in defending human rights. How is it possible that almost every developed country has legislation protecting the practice of abortion?
Think about it. No one should be forced into having a child against their will. Specially not young women starting their adult lives, specially not when they lack support from their families, friends, and including the parent of the unborn baby. The plot thickens when you sometimes add AIDS and financial problems to the equation.
Instead of turning into murderous and irreversible actions, we might quote the WHO HIV approach: it is as simple as Abstaining, Being Faithful and Condomizing.
But we could do better. If we dwell on Kant’s categorical imperative, freedom of will is only sustainable when you become fully aware of the consequences that come with your actions. Thus, in a heterosexual relation, you only should have sex if you are mindful of the fact that you might get pregnant or get your partner pregnant.
The third vector of my speech is more polemic than the others, and is deeply involved in the Metaphysics of Morals. Abraham Lincoln once called democracy “The government of the people, by the people and for the people”, hence the political changes operated in one’s country rely on the full and willing participation of its citizens. Enrolling in the national political scene is almost something we owe our predecessors for having fought for our freedom (and sometimes giving their life in the process). Freedom is not a given right, with it come major obligations. We need to rise to the occasion and enjoy freedom in its every dimension the best possible way.
Ending my speech, I would like to have convinced this audience that my generation has an onus of reinvigorating our society and impregnating it with a higher sense of morality. Indeed, when using the tools the contemporary World provides us with, we need to act with an irrevocable conduct – in order to exceed our past achievements.
I could perhaps call this exertion the Three P’s: Provoke, Politicize and Prevent. Needless to say, to attain this grail all of us must surpass ourselves time and again, in a continuous endeavour to oil the human machine.
Thank you so much for your attention.
