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100 Reported Speech Examples: How To Change Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is a way of communicating what someone else has said without quoting their exact words. For example, if your friend said, “ I am going to the store ,” in reported speech, you might convey this as, “ My friend said he was going to the store. ” Reported speech is common in both spoken and written language, especially in storytelling, news reporting, and everyday conversations.

Reported speech can be quite challenging for English language learners because in order to change direct speech into reported speech, one must change the perspective and tense of what was said by the original speaker or writer. In this guide, we will explain in detail how to change direct speech into indirect speech and provide lots of examples of reported speech to help you understand. Here are the key aspects of converting direct speech into reported speech.

Reported Speech: Changing Pronouns

Pronouns are usually changed to match the perspective of the person reporting the speech. For example, “I” in direct speech may become “he” or “she” in reported speech, depending on the context. Here are some example sentences:

• Direct : “I am going to the park.” Reported : He said he was going to the park .
• Direct : “You should try the new restaurant.” Reported : She said that I should try the new restaurant.
• Direct : “We will win the game.” Reported : They said that they would win the game.
• Direct : “She loves her new job.” Reported : He said that she loves her new job.
• Direct : “He can’t come to the party.” Reported : She said that he couldn’t come to the party.
• Direct : “It belongs to me.” Reported : He said that it belonged to him .
• Direct : “They are moving to a new city.” Reported : She said that they were moving to a new city.
• Direct : “You are doing a great job.” Reported : He told me that I was doing a great job.
• Direct : “I don’t like this movie.” Reported : She said that she didn’t like that movie.
• Direct : “We have finished our work.” Reported : They said that they had finished their work.
• Direct : “You will need to sign here.” Reported : He said that I would need to sign there.
• Direct : “She can solve the problem.” Reported : He said that she could solve the problem.
• Direct : “He was not at home yesterday.” Reported : She said that he had not been at home the day before.
• Direct : “It is my responsibility.” Reported : He said that it was his responsibility.
• Direct : “We are planning a surprise.” Reported : They said that they were planning a surprise.

Reported Speech: Reporting Verbs

In reported speech, various reporting verbs are used depending on the nature of the statement or the intention behind the communication. These verbs are essential for conveying the original tone, intent, or action of the speaker. Here are some examples demonstrating the use of different reporting verbs in reported speech:

• Direct: “I will help you,” she promised . Reported: She promised that she would help me.
• Direct: “You should study harder,” he advised . Reported: He advised that I should study harder.
• Direct: “I didn’t take your book,” he denied . Reported: He denied taking my book .
• Direct: “Let’s go to the cinema,” she suggested . Reported: She suggested going to the cinema .
• Direct: “I love this song,” he confessed . Reported: He confessed that he loved that song.
• Direct: “I haven’t seen her today,” she claimed . Reported: She claimed that she hadn’t seen her that day.
• Direct: “I will finish the project,” he assured . Reported: He assured me that he would finish the project.
• Direct: “I’m not feeling well,” she complained . Reported: She complained of not feeling well.
• Direct: “This is how you do it,” he explained . Reported: He explained how to do it.
• Direct: “I saw him yesterday,” she stated . Reported: She stated that she had seen him the day before.
• Direct: “Please open the window,” he requested . Reported: He requested that I open the window.
• Direct: “I can win this race,” he boasted . Reported: He boasted that he could win the race.
• Direct: “I’m moving to London,” she announced . Reported: She announced that she was moving to London.
• Direct: “I didn’t understand the instructions,” he admitted . Reported: He admitted that he didn’t understand the instructions.
• Direct: “I’ll call you tonight,” she promised . Reported: She promised to call me that night.

Reported Speech: Tense Shifts

When converting direct speech into reported speech, the verb tense is often shifted back one step in time. This is known as the “backshift” of tenses. It’s essential to adjust the tense to reflect the time elapsed between the original speech and the reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how different tenses in direct speech are transformed in reported speech:

• Direct: “I am eating.” Reported: He said he was eating.
• Direct: “They will go to the park.” Reported: She mentioned they would go to the park.
• Direct: “We have finished our homework.” Reported: They told me they had finished their homework.
• Direct: “I do my exercises every morning.” Reported: He explained that he did his exercises every morning.
• Direct: “She is going to start a new job.” Reported: He heard she was going to start a new job.
• Direct: “I can solve this problem.” Reported: She said she could solve that problem.
• Direct: “We are visiting Paris next week.” Reported: They said they were visiting Paris the following week.
• Direct: “I will be waiting outside.” Reported: He stated he would be waiting outside.
• Direct: “They have been studying for hours.” Reported: She mentioned they had been studying for hours.
• Direct: “I can’t understand this chapter.” Reported: He complained that he couldn’t understand that chapter.
• Direct: “We were planning a surprise.” Reported: They told me they had been planning a surprise.
• Direct: “She has to complete her assignment.” Reported: He said she had to complete her assignment.
• Direct: “I will have finished the project by Monday.” Reported: She stated she would have finished the project by Monday.
• Direct: “They are going to hold a meeting.” Reported: She heard they were going to hold a meeting.
• Direct: “I must leave.” Reported: He said he had to leave.

Reported Speech: Changing Time and Place References

When converting direct speech into reported speech, references to time and place often need to be adjusted to fit the context of the reported speech. This is because the time and place relative to the speaker may have changed from the original statement to the time of reporting. Here are some examples to illustrate how time and place references change:

• Direct: “I will see you tomorrow .” Reported: He said he would see me the next day .
• Direct: “We went to the park yesterday .” Reported: They said they went to the park the day before .
• Direct: “I have been working here since Monday .” Reported: She mentioned she had been working there since Monday .
• Direct: “Let’s meet here at noon.” Reported: He suggested meeting there at noon.
• Direct: “I bought this last week .” Reported: She said she had bought it the previous week .
• Direct: “I will finish this by tomorrow .” Reported: He stated he would finish it by the next day .
• Direct: “She will move to New York next month .” Reported: He heard she would move to New York the following month .
• Direct: “They were at the festival this morning .” Reported: She said they were at the festival that morning .
• Direct: “I saw him here yesterday.” Reported: She mentioned she saw him there the day before.
• Direct: “We will return in a week .” Reported: They said they would return in a week .
• Direct: “I have an appointment today .” Reported: He said he had an appointment that day .
• Direct: “The event starts next Friday .” Reported: She mentioned the event starts the following Friday .
• Direct: “I lived in Berlin two years ago .” Reported: He stated he had lived in Berlin two years before .
• Direct: “I will call you tonight .” Reported: She said she would call me that night .
• Direct: “I was at the office yesterday .” Reported: He mentioned he was at the office the day before .

Reported Speech: Question Format

When converting questions from direct speech into reported speech, the format changes significantly. Unlike statements, questions require rephrasing into a statement format and often involve the use of introductory verbs like ‘asked’ or ‘inquired’. Here are some examples to demonstrate how questions in direct speech are converted into statements in reported speech:

• Direct: “Are you coming to the party?” Reported: She asked if I was coming to the party.
• Direct: “What time is the meeting?” Reported: He inquired what time the meeting was.
• Direct: “Why did you leave early?” Reported: They wanted to know why I had left early.
• Direct: “Can you help me with this?” Reported: She asked if I could help her with that.
• Direct: “Where did you buy this?” Reported: He wondered where I had bought that.
• Direct: “Who is going to the concert?” Reported: They asked who was going to the concert.
• Direct: “How do you solve this problem?” Reported: She questioned how to solve that problem.
• Direct: “Is this the right way to the station?” Reported: He inquired whether it was the right way to the station.
• Direct: “Do you know her name?” Reported: They asked if I knew her name.
• Direct: “Why are they moving out?” Reported: She wondered why they were moving out.
• Direct: “Have you seen my keys?” Reported: He asked if I had seen his keys.
• Direct: “What were they talking about?” Reported: She wanted to know what they had been talking about.
• Direct: “When will you return?” Reported: He asked when I would return.
• Direct: “Can she drive a manual car?” Reported: They inquired if she could drive a manual car.
• Direct: “How long have you been waiting?” Reported: She asked how long I had been waiting.

Reported Speech: Omitting Quotation Marks

In reported speech, quotation marks are not used, differentiating it from direct speech which requires them to enclose the spoken words. Reported speech summarizes or paraphrases what someone said without the need for exact wording. Here are examples showing how direct speech with quotation marks is transformed into reported speech without them:

• Direct: “I am feeling tired,” she said. Reported: She said she was feeling tired.
• Direct: “We will win the game,” he exclaimed. Reported: He exclaimed that they would win the game.
• Direct: “I don’t like apples,” the boy declared. Reported: The boy declared that he didn’t like apples.
• Direct: “You should visit Paris,” she suggested. Reported: She suggested that I should visit Paris.
• Direct: “I will be late,” he warned. Reported: He warned that he would be late.
• Direct: “I can’t believe you did that,” she expressed in surprise. Reported: She expressed her surprise that I had done that.
• Direct: “I need help with this task,” he admitted. Reported: He admitted that he needed help with the task.
• Direct: “I have never been to Italy,” she confessed. Reported: She confessed that she had never been to Italy.
• Direct: “We saw a movie last night,” they mentioned. Reported: They mentioned that they saw a movie the night before.
• Direct: “I am learning to play the piano,” he revealed. Reported: He revealed that he was learning to play the piano.
• Direct: “You must finish your homework,” she instructed. Reported: She instructed that I must finish my homework.
• Direct: “I will call you tomorrow,” he promised. Reported: He promised that he would call me the next day.
• Direct: “I have finished my assignment,” she announced. Reported: She announced that she had finished her assignment.
• Direct: “I cannot attend the meeting,” he apologized. Reported: He apologized for not being able to attend the meeting.
• Direct: “I don’t remember where I put it,” she confessed. Reported: She confessed that she didn’t remember where she put it.

Reported Speech Quiz

Thanks for reading! I hope you found these reported speech examples useful. Before you go, why not try this Reported Speech Quiz and see if you can change indirect speech into reported speech?

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Changes in place, time and person in indirect speech

No changes are made to words referring to place, time or person if we report something at the same place, around the same time, or involving the same people:

Dimitrios: I'll meet you here . Dimitrios said he would meet me here . (reported at the same place)

Cara: My train leaves at 9.30 tomorrow . Cara says her train leaves at 9.30 tomorrow . (reported on the same day)

Richard: I can help you , Stephanie . I told you I could help you . (reported by Richard to Stephanie) I told Stephanie I could help her. (reported by Richard to a third person)

Changes are made if there are changes in place, time or people:

Dimitrios : I'll meet you here . Dimitrios said he would meet me at the café . (reported at a different place)

Cara: My train leaves at 9.30 tomorrow . Cara said her train leaves at 9.30 today . (reported on the next day)

Richard: I can help you , Stephanie. Richard told me he could help me . (reported by Stephanie) Richard told Stephanie he could help her . (reported by a third person) I told Stephanie I could help her . (reported by Richard to a third person)

The following table shows some typical changes of time expressions in indirect speech. Bear in mind that the changes are not automatic; they depend on the context:

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Reported speech – statements with expressions of time – Exercise

Task no. 2313.

Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Always change the tense, although it is sometimes not necessary.

Peter, "I cleaned the black shoes yesterday." Peter told me (that)  

Peter told me (that) he had cleaned the black shoes the day before .

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Reported Speech (Indirect Speech) in English – Summary

• Emily, "Our teacher will go to Leipzig tomorrow." Emily said (that) .
• Helen, "I was writing a letter yesterday." Helen told me (that) .
• Robert, "My father flew to Dallas last year." Robert told me (that) .
• Lisa, "Tim went to the stadium an hour ago." Lisa said (that) .
• Patricia, "My mother will celebrate her birthday next weekend." Patricia said (that) .
• Michael, "I am going to read a book this week." Michael said to me (that) .
• Jason and Victoria, "We will do our best in the exams tomorrow." Jason and Victoria told me (that) .
• Andrew, "We didn't eat fish two days ago." Andrew remarked (that) .
• Alice, "I spent all my pocket money on Monday." Alice complained (that) .
• David, "John had already gone at six." David said (that) .
• You are here:
• Grammar Exercises
• Reported Speech

• ESL Speaking Activity — Give me advice [set 1]
• ESL Discussion Topic — Guilty Pleasure
• ESL Speaking Activity — Present Perfect Find Someone Who [set 1]
• ESL Speaking Activity — Problem Solving Scenarios [set 1]
• ESL Discussion Topic — Procrastination
• Reported speech — Time and Place conversion in sentences

Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 1

Task: Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Pay special attention to changing pronouns and time phrases where necessary.

Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 2

Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 3

Task: Finish the sentences using Reported speech. Pay special attention to changing pronouns where necessary.

Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 4

Reported statements — mixed tenses — Exercise 5

Time and Place in Reported Speech

When we report something, we may need to make changes to:

• time (now, tomorrow)
• place (here, this room)

If we report something around the same time, then we probably do not need to make any changes to time words . But if we report something at a different time, we need to change time words. Look at these example sentences:

• He said: "It was hot yesterday ." → He said that it had been hot the day before .
• He said: "We are going to swim tomorrow ." → He said they were going to swim the next day .

Here is a list of common time words, showing how you change them for reported speech:

Place words

If we are in the same place when we report something, then we do not need to make any changes to place words . But if we are in a different place when we report something, then we need to change the place words. Look at these example sentences:

• He said: "It is cold in here ." → He said that it was cold in there .
• He said: "How much is this book ?" → He asked how much the book was.

Here are some common place words, showing how you change them for reported speech:

Contributor: Josef Essberger

Reported speech

Tense changes in reported speech

Indirect speech (reported speech) focuses more on the content of what someone said rather than their exact words.  In indirect speech, the structure of the reported clause depends on whether the speaker is reporting a statement, a question or a command.

Normally, the tense in reported speech is one tense back in time from the tense in direct speech: She said, "I  am  tired." = She said that she  was  tired.

You do not need to change the tense if the reporting verb is in the present, or if the original statement was about something that is still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the tense) , e.g.

• He says  he has missed  the train but  he'll catch  the next one.
• We explained that  it is  very difficult to find our house.
• Direct speech: The sky is blue.
• Reported speech: She said (that) the sky  is/was  blue.

These modal verbs do not change in reported speech:  might, could, would, should, ought to :

• We explained, "It  could  be difficult to find our house." = We explained that it  could  be difficult to find our house.
• She said, "I  might  bring a friend to the party." = She said that she  might  bring a friend to the party.

Course Curriculum

• Direct and indirect speech 15 mins
• Tense changes in reported speech 20 mins
• Changing time and place in reported speech 20 mins
• Reported questions 20 mins
• Reporting verbs 20 mins
• Reporting orders and requests 15 mins
• Reporting hopes, intentions and promises 20 mins

Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

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• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

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Changes in the Expression of Time and Place with Examples

Back to: Direct and Indirect Speech (Narration)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Changing the time and place of reported clause is necessary while converting the speech. Just like the pronouns, verbs change in relation to tense change, time and place of the reported clause also change depending on the tense. So while converting the directed speech to indirect speech or vice versa, give attention to words like ‘today’, ‘tomorrow’, ‘yesterday’, ‘here, ‘there’, etc. and change the words accordingly. 

Changes of Time 

If the time, place, names of the days are specifically mentioned instead of using adverbial phrases of time like, no changes should be made.   

• Tom said to Jones, “I was hunting yesterday .” Tom said to Jones that he was hunting the previous day .
• She said, “I slept well last night .” She said that she had slept well the night before .
• Mother said to me, “Clean your room now .” Mother ordered me to clean my room then . 
• Shraddha said, “I am not going to work today .” Shraddha said that she was not going to work that day .
• She said to me, “I will be going back home on Monday .” She told me that she would be going back home on Monday .   

Changes of Place

• The children said, “We live here .” The children said that they lived there .
• The guide said to the tourist, “We are going to stop to rest at this place .” The guide told the tourists that they were going to stop to rest at that place .’’ 
• The epitaph said, “ Here lies the one whose name is written in water.” The epitaph said that there lay the one whose name was written in the water. 
• The exorcist said, “These places are haunted by spirits.” The exorcist said that those places were haunted by spirits. 

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REPORTED (Indirect) SPEECH - Time and Place

How to replace time and place words when changing from direct speech to reported speech..

• “I am leaving tonight ” said Emma. → Emma said she was leaving that night .

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16 Most Life-Changing Motivational Speeches & What You’ll Gain from Them

It’s all very well reading about ways to get ahead in life, but no account will ever reach you in quite the same way as hearing someone speak about their own experiences. While these people may be household names now, it wasn’t always that way, and this collection of some of the best motivational speeches will move you and inspire you to make your own dreams come true.

From Arnold Schwarzenneger talking about how he filled every moment of every day with steps to fulfil his ambition of becoming Mr. Universe, to J.K. Rowling’s life as an impoverished single mother, these speeches will fill you with the drive and determination to reach your full potential, and not let anything stand in your way.

Some are long, and some last just a few minutes, but each one will make you want to grab life with both hands and go for what you want, whatever it is.

“Most people have done all that they’re ever going to do – they raise a family, they earn a living, and then they die.”

That’s what we’re supposed to do, right? Wrong! Life is made for greater things, and you are meant for greater things.

When Les Brown was a child, he was labeled ‘educable mentally retarded’, and until a chance encounter with another teacher, he believed that he would amount to nothing. But this one teacher planted the seeds in Les’ head which would blossom and grow, and eventually make him one of the best motivational speakers of all time.

This speech will give you permission to rise above other people’s opinions, to break free of their prejudices, and make a success of whatever you do. Watch ‘It’s Not Over Until You Win! Your Dream is Possible’ and take those first steps towards following your passion and making your dream come true.

“Stress doesn’t come from the facts, stress comes from the meaning that we give the facts.”

Life is about choices. Every day we’re faced with hundreds of choices, and this speech by Tony Robbins will help you see that it’s the choices, not the conditions, which shape our lives.

Take a moment during this speech to pause and reflect on some choices you have made in the past, and really think about the direction your life took because of them, both good and bad. Tony Robbins explains in his inimitable way that we have the choice to focus on what we want, and that when we focus, we can achieve whatever we want.

Part of Tony’s speech explains how, when the economy is down, some people thrive and some people crash and burn, and the COVID 19 pandemic is the perfect example. Small businesses took a huge hit, and while some of them threw up their hands in despair and said ‘that’s it, it’s over for us’, others adapted, and saw it as an opportunity to expand, diversify, and turn the situation to their advantage.

And that’s the cornerstone of this video – how we react, how we adapt, and how we choose is the difference between success and failure.

“So every rep that I do gets me closer to accomplishing the goal to make this goal – this vision – into reality.”

Be inspired by Arnold Schwarzenneger as he talks about his goal of becoming Mr. Universe. Never wasting a second of his day, Arnie worked in construction, spent 5 hours in the gym, and went to acting classes, all of which took him further along his journey to making his dream come true.

We all have a propensity to waste time, but if you have a goal, if you have a passion that smolders away, take a leaf out of Arnie’s book and make sure that everything you do propels you forward.

And don’t be afraid to fail.

“Your conviction and your convenience don’t live on the same block.”

If you are a fan of The Secret, you will be familiar with Lisa Nicholls. In this video, Lisa tells Tom Bilyeu how she was willing to leave everything and everyone behind in order to grow into the version of herself that she knew she wanted.

Lisa explains how, as a young mother, she was forced to wrap her baby in a towel for two days because she had no money for diapers, and how it was at that moment that she vowed never to be that broke or that broken again.

Change, success, drive…they’re all inconvenient and disruptive, and Lisa Nicholls demonstrates that wonderfully in this emotional and highly motivating interview in which she declares “your story is not meant to be your fortress, your story is meant to be your fuel.”

Eric Thomas had a dream, a goal, and that goal was to be the best motivational speaker in the world. He didn’t achieve this by giving 70%, or 80%…he didn’t achieve it by staying in bed late in the mornings. He achieved it by giving 100% every minute of every day.

Listen to Eric’s words, hear the passion in his voice, and feel the lessons he is giving to you if you want to be the best at whatever you do.

“If we don’t take control of our environment, it takes control of us.”

This short piece by Tony Robbins has been designed to show you that you are in control of your own environment. Whether you realize it or not, what goes on around you has a massive influence on the way you feel and the way you act.

By taking leadership of your own life, you can defy outside influences and set your own tone for the day ahead, regardless of whatever or whoever is exerting pressure from the outside.

Follow Tony’s example of taking 10 minutes for yourself at the start of every day – for gratitude, prayer or wishes for family and friends, and a recap of what you want to accomplish that day, and your day will continue on that same path of thankfulness, hope, and goals.

“Your mind doesn’t know the difference between something you vividly imagined and something that’s real, literally!”

If you want to emulate the way successful people behave, take these 10 billionaires’ habits and adopt them yourself for 21 days.

Billed by Jim Kwik as being ‘like a magic pill’, these habits will rewire your brain into thinking and behaving like some of the world’s most successful people.

In this 8 minute clip, Jim shares how, for instance, your brain reacts the same way when you imagine your dog walking in as it does when your dog actually walks in, and this can apply to anything. What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

As much as this applies to positive things, it also can be applied to negative things, so if you imagine failure, that’s what you will get. Fill your mind with thoughts of success and that’s what will happen.

None of these habits are difficult to accomplish, but in doing so you will change your entire mindset into one of a hugely successful person, no matter what you want to achieve in life.

“Don’t leave crumbs.”

If this sounds more like a housekeeping hint and less like a motivational affirmation, you’re 50% right. Our lives do need housekeeping, and not leaving crumbs – i.e. regrets – which will come back and rob your tomorrow of joy, is one of the chores you need to do on a daily basis.

Matthew McConaughey delivers a powerful speech in a gentle way at the University of Houston Commencement Address.

Discussing the five rules he lives by, he will show you how to avoid falling into a trap of entitlement, and why ‘Unbelievable’ is the stupidest word in the dictionary.

With some invaluable life lessons contained inside a highly watchable speech, Matthew McConaughey is an unlikely but very inspiring speaker who has stayed humble despite all his successes.

“There are a lot of sharks in the world; if you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them. So if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.”

Spoken with eloquence and quiet assuredness, this six-minute speech draws on US Navy Admiral William McRaven’s experience of survival in the Navy Seals.

He explains how making your bed, while seemingly insignificant and even pointless, will set a series of tasks in motion which will ensure that at best, the first job of the day is done, and at worst, you have a neat, tidy bed to fall into at the end of a trying day.

The world is full of people who want to bring you down (the sharks) but if you stand your ground, they will eventually swim away, leaving you to go on to bigger and better things.

“Sometimes life’s gonna hit you in the face with a brick…don’t lose faith.”

Steve Jobs, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Apple Inc. was hit in the face with more than one brick during his 56 years on earth. From being given up for adoption as a baby, to being fired from the very company which he founded, he never let anything get in his way.

In this commencement speech at Stamford University in 2005, Steve explained how his love for what he did spurred him on to rebuild his life in spectacular fashion.

Life dealt a further blow when, in 2003, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

This speech focuses on three stories which, when combined, show how life offers opportunities for change and growth, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Steve Jobs never graduated college, but when he died in 2011, aged just 56, he had a net worth of US$7 billion. He achieved this by doing what he loved, and in this speech he will inspire you to do the same.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously than you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you fail by default.”

Let J. K. Rowling inspire you with this 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University. Extolling the virtues of failure and imagination, she tells the graduates how being at rock bottom set her free to pursue her dreams of being an author.

As poor as it is possible to be without being homeless, she created the world of Harry Potter and went on to amass a fortune of £795 million, but that without her failures in life, she would never have had the opportunity to do so.

Let her words become your own mantra, and view every failure in your life as a future success.

“We shine, because baby you just can’t dim the sun.”

A beautiful antidote for anyone who has ever felt or been told that they are ‘too much’, Gina Hatzis’ winning Speaker Slam speech of 2018 will give you permission to be unashamedly you.

Although written by a woman for women, this powerful and sometimes humorous speech about being your own authentic self will inspire anyone – man or woman – to shine and never dim their own light to suit other people.

“The first step you need to take is just that…step.”

If you are in need of a short, sharp burst of motivation, listen to this speech by ex Navy Seal, Jocko Willink.

Running for less than three minutes, this recording will inspire you to take a step into whatever you want to achieve. Awarded both the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for service, Jocko Willink is no stranger to taking those brave steps, having come face to face with Iraqu insurgents in Ramadi. He will spur you on to put one metaphorical foot in front of the other, and will leave you in no doubt as to what you need to do to achieve your goals.

“On the other side of your maximum fear are all of the best things in life.”

If you like your motivation with a side order of laughter, watch Will Smith as he talks about fear. Agreeing to skydive on a night out with friends, Will realizes that he actually has to go through with it.

Discussing how fear ruins things (he couldn’t sleep or eat before the jump), Will also discloses that beyond fear was the most blissful experience of his life, and how that principle can be applied to anything in life.

“Only those that can see the invisible, can do the impossible.”

Tyrese Gibson knows success, and in this speech he talks about how it can be achieved, by anyone who wants it.

Actor, singer, author, model…Tyrese seems to have the Midas touch, but he didn’t get it by luck. Follow his words as he gently but passionately guides you along the path you need to take if you have goals and dreams in life.

“I refuse to be another man who lived and died, and wasn’t significant’”

“If it is written, so shall it be.”

When Steve Harvey’s teacher crushed his dreams of being on TV, the one person who believed in him was his father. He told him to put a piece of paper with his dreams on in his drawer, and to read it every morning and every night.

His dreams came true.

It didn’t always come easy for Steve Harvey though – he spent years living in his car when he had nowhere else to go, but the one thing he never lost was his ambition and determination to see his dreams through to fruition.

A firm believer in the Law of Attraction, Steve still has vision boards and still commits his dreams to writing, and encourages you to do the same in this speech that made Obama cry.

These motivational speeches, and many more like them, show how having guts, determination, and a vision will get you anywhere you want to go, no matter your beginnings in life. These inspirational speakers have suffered loss, sickness, and unbelievable hardships, but the one thing that got them through was their desire to win and their belief that they could.

Immerse yourself in their words of wisdom, and take that next step into your best life.

More on Motivation

• 8 Rituals to Cultivating True Self-Motivation That Lasts
• 10 Monday Morning Habits for a Successful Week
• Motivational Quotes

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How to Master the Art of Speech on Time: Tips and Examples

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : November 16, 2020

Reading Time :

Time is something we can’t discontinue after it passes the clock. However, speeches on how time was underrated, unlike money and school, can be remembered through a beautiful speech on time.

People like me have distractions and stressors in life; dealing with these all day is not just time-devouring but makes your day meaningless. Time is free. 

Everyone can experience the power of time; however, people waste it all.  People fail to take the objective of time and try to avoid that mistake.

 I will share some essential tips on how to write a speech on the importance of time management.

Do you ever wonder why time is so underrated yet important? Let me tell you. First, time is irreplaceable; you can’t bring back the time and vice versa; you can’t take back what you have done. 

Second, time teaches you life lessons. And lastly, it connects you to other people.

Importance of Giving Speech on Time 

Time is undervalued by some people nowadays. But did you know that this can help you do better and be more than who you are now?

Giving yourself and others 10 minutes to discuss your wounds and thoughts could change your life. Lending a hand and a minute to strangers could also be a powerful help.

Speak to a homeless man in a minute; indeed, they may feel more human and not outsiders and realize that any amount of time can be called a “time well spent.”

Every inch of time you spend with other people shows the significance of time. Furthermore, way back before the Christ era, time was also debatable. Here are some philosophers. 

For philosophers like Plato, time is celestial motion. That means time is divine and goes around repeatedly.  For Aristotle, time is appealing and striking but vague. It shows that time has no beginning and end; it depends upon the person who will begin the first moment and set the time.

Like those philosophers, you can also bring about the value, idea, and concept of time to open, not solely the eyes and ears. But even the youth’s minds can waste no time on unnecessary things through a beautiful speech and an eye-awakening speech on the importance of time management.

Things You Should Understand About Time

Writing a speech on time may seem challenging and demanding with the fast-changing life phases. Most people care more about worldly things, luxury, and other symbols of success in life, such as big houses, fancy clothes, cars, and jewelry.

By that, they waste their youth and days to finish workloads, not enjoying their time left. 

Moreover, people must value time and understand how it works. It is better to respect it and have more tasks done than waste less time.

 Let me discuss the following vital things you need to know about time. And learn to write a speech on the importance of time management.

Punctuality

First, time helps you and allows you to be punctual and reliable. Not to get things neither too early nor too late. But to get it and be there in that perfect time than others. 

Apart from that, you are showing respect to other people you have to meet. It teaches us how to meet people, greet people, and get people at the same time without hassling and stress. 

Time is Valuable

Are you the person likely looking most at their money, savings, and bank accounts? So, someone who exhausts too much on spending money to buy 24k things and other stuff?

 If you do, you are wasting your time. 

We all know that money can buy everything in this world; however, money can’t buy time and can’t bring back time. Also, money can’t buy affection and memories. 

Meaning that time holds fondness, admiration, appreciation, and more that people need to complete themselves and feed their spirits. It is something you feel in your heart and melts you, and that’s speech on time.

Importance of Time Management

Time allows you to be flexible according to your phase and teaches you to accomplish and attain more based on time management. This teaches you to take more opportunities and encourages you to surpass your limits.

Did you hear India Time, Filipino Time, and American Time? If not, these ideas came from taking the power of time for granted. Instead of arriving at 6 pm, they will come late or early. 

However, even if it sounds disrespectful, it becomes a tradition as people normalize. Respecting other people’s time shows courtesy.

Value their time as much as you handle your time to build good relationships and useful connections. 

Unpredictable Future 

“Gone too soon” is the phrase we are more likely to hear after a young individual dies. “This man does not enough bond with his children to give them a comfortable life,” while this one we can hear after a father died. 

The future is not ours to control; you should try to avoid regrets before your time comes. 

Furthermore, people should stop the habit of laziness and try to do things and workloads on time to bond more with their loved ones.

The Best Medicine

Time can mend all the pain, wounds, and scars you have in your heart. It heals our soul and past. Through time, you become mature and glow like sunshine after the storm. 

Apart from medical treatments, people intake to heal, and taking time for a break can be a huge factor for your healing or recovery. 

How to Write a Speech on Time

After defining what time and its value are, you should now inform yourself of the pointers you need to write a good speech on time. 

Time is fair to all people. Thus, people make it unfair. Since this topic is relatable to all ages, here are other tips on writing or giving a speech about time. 

1. Know Your Limits

Speeches can be formal, informal, semi-formal, and casual. But on this topic, you must contemplate your language and medium. 

Consider your audience’s sensitivity to slang and words that may trigger your listeners. Know how long your speech can be and always stick to your purpose. 

What stage of time do you want to tackle? Teenage days? Adulthood? or do you want them to be ready as they enter parenthood? Clear it to your audience.

2. Calculate Your Words

There are different speech lengths: a 1-minute speech , a 3-minute, 5 to 7, and a 10-minute speech . To avoid mistakes, always write according to the scope of the topic and purpose. If you can be precise, do it. 

• 100 to 300 words for a 1-2 minute speech
• 500 words for a 2-3 minute speech
• One thousand words for a 4-5 minute speech .     

  Be specific and straightforward. It would be best if you avoided word-by-word speeches.   

3. Tell Stories Not Facts

Speeches on time didn’t need to be based on science, facts, and history. To grab your listeners’ attention and heart, tell them warm stories, life lessons, and motivational stories to inspire them to live great, not waste time. 

Make them cry, laugh, and sad through your stories; with that, they will realize the value of your speech on time.

4. Know Your Purpose

Imparting your motive and objective should be seen in the first sentence of your first paragraph. Knowing your purpose helps you drive your speech quickly and smoothly. 

If you want a flawless speech on time, you should point out your purpose quickly. 

5. Write for Ears, Not for the Eyes

Presence and posture are the most striking in delivering a speech . But apart from these elements, you must also write effortlessly to feed your audience’s ears. 

Make them listen to you, let them think of you, and believe in your short speech on time.

Mistakes in Writing Speech on Time 

To balance the idea of how to write a speech on time, you should start avoiding these things so that you can do more and better.

1. Out of Purpose

Talking about time is not as heavy as the financial crisis, fatalities, violence, and other enormous topics. But people tend to deliver its purpose hard, forcing their audience to listen to every pointer.

Some public speakers and students are swayed by putting unnecessary details in the opening remarks of their speeches. 

In speeches on time, grasp the purpose tightly until the very end. The delivery method matters; if you speak casually but gently and with a soft voice, go for it up to the end. 

Sometimes, the purpose is there, but the delivery method can affect your goal and objective. 

2. Using Repetitive Words and Phrases

Stop delivering obvious and clichè meanings of time. Your audience will leave you if you say things usually said every day about time.

However, speak about what you think they were lacking and elaborate on it.

3. Not Sorting it Out to Parts

Vague speeches on time is a waste of time. Considering that “time” is ambiguous, you can chop your speech into five parts. You can have an introduction, pointers one to three, and a conclusion. 

With this, your audience can listen to you throughout your speech .

4. Wasting the Opening

Don’t start your opening speech on time with vague phrases and with “hi” and “hello.” Start it with a dynamic and robust statement that will capture your audience’s attention. 

5. Too Long

Most speakers write long speeches on time, believing the longer, the better. But it’s not, people nowadays want instant food, transportation and such.

 It is also correlated to speech on time. If you can bring the best about “time,” show it. 

6. Giving Facts Than Life Lessons

People are more in touch, hearing warm stories and stories that will boost their motivation. Instead of telling what the meaning of time is in science,

Tell stories of what is time for a 70-year-old war veteran, a teen, and a parent who loses her or his youth after entering parenthood. It makes sense to science. 

Steps To Follow for a Good Speech 

I know you are confused about starting a speech . Here are the steps for creating a short speech on time and the recommended speech coach app to achieve a fair and high-quality speech . 

Step 1: Know Your Audience

If your audience is older than you, make your words polite but striking. But if your listeners are younger than you, make it simple yet interactive. 

Know their ages and interests. It will help you have an engaging speech . But if you are not confident in filtering your words.

 The Orai speech coach can boost your confidence and help you clarify your choice of words.

Step 2: Collect Warm Stories

If you hesitate to add these types of information, Welcome and farewell speeches need warm stories to captivate your listeners’ hearts. 

Orai can listen first to your speech and help you handle your short speech on time, not too cheesy but not too gloomy.

Step 3: Create and Know Your Purpose

Having a purpose is the most critical element of a speech . Always stick to it. Dig it. Imparting a clear objective to your listeners can make you a good speaker.

Not all speakers can do that. To avoid it and achieve quality speech , get a speech coach like Orai to guarantee you deliver an address at its finest. 

You can watch free speech lessons and how to analyze speeches according to the topic. 

Step 4: Define Your Topic

Speakers should avoid plagiarism to define the topic of speech . To have your definition of the subject, collect facts and information connected to it, and interpret those pieces of information in your own words and knowledge.

A speech coach , like Orai, can define terms that may help you interpret your speech . You will save time and escape stress since Orai exists hassle-free. 

Step 5: Develop Your Outline

Before speaking to Orai, ensure you have an outline for your speech . With that, you can easily distinguish your pointers and which parts need emphasis. 

Step 6: Write! Write! Write!

Along with using Orai, continuously improving your speech can make it more extraordinary. There are some circumstances in which we forget or overlook good ideas in our minds. 

Also, developing your topic can make it concrete and tangible.

5 DO’s and Don’ts on Speech

Let’s sort things shortly with a table; you can also do your table, which will help you to have a heads up anytime. 

Evaluate Your Speech On Time

To deliver a good speech , you must ensure it is quality, well done, and has clear pointers. Apart from the mandatory purpose in speech , try to check your works through this.

You can also create one and try to answer it to others to get a unique result. Here is a template to rate your speech on the importance of time management. (1-5.)

Examples of Speech on Time  

Speeches can be long and short, depending on the setting and schedule.  To be more motivated in public speaking and to deliver a speech on time, you can get assistance from a speech coach , Orai. 

Let me give you a speech on the importance of watching time management videos. Enjoy!

• Speech on Time of a Kid

Raising kids confidently and not letting them have stage fright is vital for all parents. 

To inspire you and your kids, watch this one-minute speech on time by Prithvi Hedge.

• Motivational Speech On Time

Are you feeling down about how time flies so fast? Get this motivational speech on time video to help yourself. Lift your head. Here is The Value of Time.

Insert video: https://youtu.be/5e6VriahPsQ

• A Striking Speech on Time:  The Value of Time

Are you searching for a simple speech on time for your kid? It will suit you—the importance of Time.

• A Video Presentation About Time

If you want to write a memorable and provoking speech on time, get a grip on this one. Don’t waste your time. 

• Engageable Speech on Time

Try to be more motivated and inspired by watching this fantastic video with fast phases and changing video effects.

 You can also share this with your friends who want to write about time. Stop Wasting Time

How can one practice and improve their speaking pace using exercises and tools like metronomes and practice scenarios?

Practice speaking at varying paces using tools like metronomes and online scenarios. Don’t be a robot; use the rhythm to emphasize key points and keep your audience engaged. Adapt your pace to different contexts through simulated practice, receive feedback, and improve your overall presentation skills. Remember, a dynamic pace is key!

What role does culture play in determining the natural speaking pace of individuals?

From bustling cities to quieter countryside, individuals’ speaking pace reveals hidden influences. Cultural norms, regional speed, and even language fluency all shape how quickly people talk, creating a fascinating symphony of speech rhythms across the globe.

How does speaking quickly or slowly affect audience engagement and comprehension?

Speaking quickly can generate enthusiasm, urgency, and emotions in the audience. However, if prolonged, it can overwhelm listeners and reduce their engagement. On the other hand, speaking slowly may indicate importance, sadness, or seriousness, capturing the audience’s attention and allowing them to understand each word better. Yet, an entire presentation at a slow pace risks boring the audience, leading to disinterest as they await the main point. Striking a balance between speaking quickly and slowly is crucial to maintaining audience engagement and ensuring effective communication.

Why is it recommended to vary your speaking rate throughout a speech?

Spice up your speech ! Varying your pace isn’t just engaging; it’s impactful. Faster speeds convey excitement; slower ones add weight to key points. This emotional rollercoaster keeps your audience hooked and helps your message land deep. Ditch the monotone, speak dynamically, and connect with your listeners on a new level.

Is speaking rate important in delivering a speech effectively?

Slow down to emphasize, speed up to excite, but keep it clear! Speaking rate matters, but so does clarity . Even Tony Robbins, the fast-talker, relies on understandable language and pronunciation. Find the balance between pace, clarity , and articulation to connect with your audience and make your message stick truly.

Who holds the world record for the fastest speaking rate, and what is the rate?

Steven Woodmore, a British electronics salesman and comedian, holds the world record for the fastest speaking rate. He is known for his remarkable ability to articulate at a rate of 637 words per minute, four times faster than the average person. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Woodmore as the world’s fastest talker, a title he held for five years after surpassing the previous record holder, John Moschitta, Jr.

What is the average speaking rate for presentations, conversations, audiobooks, radio hosting, auctioneers, and commentators?

The average speaking rate varies depending on the situation: presentations stay between 100-150 words per minute for clarity , conversations land in the 120-150 range, and audiobooks hit an upper limit of 150-160 for comfortable listening. Radio hosts and podcasters match that pace while auctioneers fire off about 250 words per minute, and sports commentators can even reach a lightning-fast 250-400 words per minute!

How can I calculate my speaking rate in words per minute (wpm)?

Want to know your speaking speed? Record yourself for a few minutes, count the words in the transcript (or use a speech -to-text tool), and then divide that number by the recording time in minutes. Boom! The speaking rate was revealed! Remember, comfortable conversation speeds are around 120-150 words per minute, but presenters, hosts, and even auctioneers can fly higher!

How do the speaking rates of popular TED Talks compare, and what is the average speaking rate for these talks?

The analysis of five popular TED Talks revealed a range of speaking rates, with the average rate calculated to be 173 words per minute. This average was derived from presentations varying in duration, from shorter speeches to ones lasting up to 22 minutes. The study included the time dedicated to speaking and moments like audience applause and transitions between slides. The analysis found a diverse spectrum of speaking rates among the talks, ranging from 154 to 201 words per minute.

Delivering a short speech on time can be an eye-opener for people who don’t care about time. It also practices your public speaking with a purpose. Practice your speech on the Orai app,  an AI powered speech app, it offers interactive lessons and detailed analysis of recorded speech to help you ace any speech topics!

Catch the tips and steps on how to make a short speech on time management. All in all, make yourself proud and use your time wisely. Have a good day!

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• Speech on Value Of Time

Speech on Value of Time

We all have heard the aphorism, “Time and tide wait for none”. Undoubtedly, it is the most precious thing in our lives. Every life on earth is for a short period of time; everyone has to utilise it productively and enjoy it to the most. Do you want to know more about the value of time? Go through the article and prepare a thought-provoking speech on the topic.

Table of Contents

Top quotes to use in a speech on value of time, value of time speech for students, value of time speech in english, one-minute speech on the value of time, frequently asked questions on value of time.

• “Never leave ’till tomorrow, which you can do today.” – Benjamin Franklin.
• “Don’t spend a dollar’s worth of time on a ten-cent decision.” – Peter Turla.
• “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” – William Penn.
• “People often complain about lack of time when lack of direction is the real problem.” – Zig Ziglar.
• “It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.” – Steve Jobs.
• “It’s not that we have little time, but more that we waste a good deal of it.” – Seneca.
• “Do we need more time? Or do we need to be more disciplined with the time we have?” – Kerry Johnson.
• “Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination; Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” – Lord Chesterfield.
• “Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.” – Rodin.
• “A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.” – Charles Darwin.

Sample Speeches on Value of Time

A couple of sample speeches on the value of time are given below. Go through them and utilise the resource to better understand the topic.

We all are familiar with the proverb, “We cannot step into the same river twice”, right? Everything is continuously changing over time. We cannot retrieve lost time in our lives; once lost, it is lost forever. So the necessity to value it more than anything is really high. We should seize the opportunities we have and utilise it for the betterment of others.

Just like the words told by Stephen R. Covey, “The key is in not spending time, but in investing it”. People have to value and manage time wisely. To effectively utilise time, one has to set goals and work for them. We have to understand the situation and apply time accordingly. Setting long-term and short-term goals will drive us to accomplish great heights and to understand the purpose of our lives. Time management is another crucial skill needed for the smooth sailing of human life. We have to prioritise our tasks and complete them accordingly. Following such a plan will favour an individual in multiple ways. People will stop procrastinating and stay updated in their lives. Such a regular update boosts the confidence of the individuals and will help them to encounter all troubles in their lives.

Even though we are well aware of all these points, we keep on repeating the same mistake – we think we have enough time left with us. Buddha once said, “The trouble is, you think you have time.” This is the only reason why we disparage time and procrastinate. It’s high time to realise the value of time in our lives. Start valuing your time; you will eventually start valuing your life.

The power of time is boundless; it can rule over all material things. No human power can control its journey or defeat it.

“And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

These are the words from the poem ‘Ozymandias’, written by P. B. Shelley. With these lines, the poet is trying to depict the power of time and shows how human energy is ultimately lost in the battle with time. No matter how powerful a human being is, time will always win in the battle of life. People have to accept the reality that, by living, we all are playing a game in which the winner is already decided. Time is doubtlessly a powerful force that has an overwhelming effect on human life. Let’s remember the words told by Mother Teresa, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” So let’s realise the value of time and start living. Seize the day.

Time is the most valued limited resource on earth. We only have a finite amount of time in our lives. Every single one has the same 24 hours of time in a day. The productive utilisation of it determines the success of a person. Do you know what our life is made up of? It’s made of time, so losing time means losing a life. Everything that we enjoy today is the gift of time, still, many people prioritise money over time. Money can be made by anyone who has got time in their life. According to the words of Jim Rohn, “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time”. People do not realise the fact that it’s time that provides the opportunity to earn it. Just like how wealth is brought, time brings happiness, sorrows, success, and depression into our lives. And this is how our lives are made of time.

What is the value of time in life?

Time is the most valued limited resource on earth. The productive utilisation of it determines the success of a person. We only have a finite amount of time in our lives. Every single one has the same 24 hours of time in a day.

How can we effectively utilise our time?

To effectively utilise time, one has to set goals and work for them. We have to understand the situation and apply time accordingly. Setting long term and short term goals will drive us to accomplish various heights in our lives and to understand the purpose of our lives. Time management is another crucial skill needed for the smooth sailing of human life. We have to prioritise our tasks and complete the list accordingly.

List some quotes to use in a speech on the value of time.

• “The trouble is, you think you have time.” – Buddha.

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Speech about Change in the World [1,2,3,5 Minutes]

This tutorial will cover the speech in two different contexts;

• 1 Speech about Change in the World (changes that already occur)
• 4 Speeches about Change in the World (How we can change the world )

You can select speech context according to your requirements.

Short Speech about Change in the World

The world has changed a lot in the last few years with the emergence of new technologies.

The change in the world has been rapid and it is not slowing down. The pace of change is increasing and it will only get faster in the coming years.

The world is changing in many ways. Some of the changes are happening for the better, others for the worse. The reason for these changes is not always clear and it is hard to predict what will happen in the future.

The world we live in has undergone a lot of changes over time. Some of these changes have been positive, while others have been negative. These changes are not always clear and it is hard to predict what will happen in the future.

The world is changing and it is happening faster than ever. The advent of technology has brought about a revolution in the way we live our lives. With the help of AI, we can now automate a lot of tasks that used to require human labor in the past.

The rapid changes in technology have transformed people’s lives and they are now able to create content at scale. It has also helped them to generate more content with ease, which was not possible before.

In recent years, many people have asked what will happen to humans when they are replaced by machines? How long will it take for machines to replace humans completely? Will there be a time when we can live without human intervention? Will there be a time when we are no longer needed?

The 21st century has seen a huge change in the world. It is not just about the technological advancements and innovations but also about how humans are changing as a whole. The impact of these changes cannot be ignored, which brings us to the topic of this paper – what can we expect from our future?

The changes in technology have brought about many innovations which have changed our lives and society as a whole. The advancement of technology has made it possible for people to communicate with one another from across the globe, opening up opportunities for people to work together towards common goals.

In the past, society has always been based on a certain set of rules and morals. With the advancement of technology, society is changing, and new ideas are being explored.

Our world is changing rapidly with the invention of new technologies, but that doesn’t mean that we should give up our old ways. We need to keep both old and new values in mind and work together for a better future for everyone.

Short 1 Minute Speech about Change in the World

Social media has made it easy to share our thoughts and opinions. We can change the world by sharing our knowledge, insights and experiences with others.

The social media platforms are a great way for people to share their thoughts, opinions, and ideas. However, the platforms are also an easy way for people to spread hate speech and propaganda.

It is important that we take action against these types of content on social media platforms before it goes viral. It is also important that we try to educate those who are spreading these types of content about why these ideas are wrong or why they should be changed in order to make them more productive in society.

We can Change the World by spreading positivity.

Positive thinking has been scientifically proven to improve your health, happiness, and well-being. It also helps you to achieve more in your life.

The Change the World by spreading positivity is a campaign that encourages people to spread kindness and positivity in their everyday lives. The campaign was initiated by the founder of the charity organization Big World Small World, David Bornstein.

2 Minutes Speech about Change in the World (Bringing Change)

The world is changing at a very fast pace, and it is very difficult to keep up with the changes.

The future of our society looks uncertain and chaotic. It would be great if we could change the world for the better by using our creativity, emotions, and knowledge.

We can Change the World by being more mindful of what we consume. We can also Change the World by being more aware of how we consume media and what messages are being delivered to us as consumers.

It’s not easy to change the world. We need a lot of people to come together and work towards a common goal.

But there are ways we can make our voices heard. We can start by making small changes in our daily lives, like recycling and turning off the lights when we leave a room.

The world is becoming more and more competitive and it is hard to keep up with the pace. It seems like everyone is always on the move. But there is still hope in humanity.

We can change the world by spreading positivity. We can live a life where we are not constantly thinking about what we have lost or what we need to do to get ahead in life.

3 Minutes Speech about Change in the World (Bringing Change)

The world is changing so rapidly that it can be difficult to keep up. There are many new technologies that have yet to be discovered and used in the world.

We are entering a time of change where we will see more change than ever before. It is important for us to stay optimistic and hopeful about our future because it will only get better from here on out.

There are many ways in which we can change the world. We can change it by being a good people, by donating to charity, or by making a difference in society.

Changing the world starts with changing ourselves and our own lives. It is important that we improve our skills and knowledge so that we can help others who may be struggling with the same problems that we have faced in life

The way we feel about the world has a direct impact on our lives and the future of humanity. The more positive we are, the better we feel. We should always be conscious of how our actions have an impact on others around us.

This is why spreading positivity is such a powerful tool for change in today’s world. There are so many ways to spread positivity, but some people might not know what it entails or how to do it themselves. This article will provide you with some great ideas on how you can spread positivity in your everyday life and make a difference in someone else’s life too!

5 Minutes Speech about Change in the World (Bringing Change)

Wisdom is a valuable and important feature of a human being. A wise person has the ability to make good decisions, understand and learn from past experiences, and have a deep understanding of the world around him/her. Wisdom is not something that can be measured or acquired overnight. Earning wisdom is a continuous process and requires a sufficient amount of time. Earning wisdom requires openness, patience, and hard work with previous experiences. Especially we must have the willingness to learn and grow.

One of the most important ways to cultivate wisdom is through education and learning. We can seek out new experiences and knowledge, and challenge ourselves to think critically and deeply about the world around us. Earning wisdom involves being open your mind to different perspectives and listening to others with an open mind, as this can help us to gain new insights and understanding.

Another key aspect of earning wisdom is the ability to reflect and learn from our mistakes. We all make mistakes in life, but it is how we handle them and learn from them that can help us to become wiser. It is important to take responsibility for our actions instead of blaming others. We must try to understand the root causes of our mistakes so that we can avoid these mistakes in the future.

Wisdom is about making good choices and living a fulfilling life. It is about finding balance and harmony in our lives and being able to navigate the challenges and opportunities that come our way. So let us all strive and hard work with our best actions to cultivate wisdom in our own lives, and be a source of wisdom for others as well.

Examples of sentences that can be used in starting of this speech

Examples of sentences that can be used in closing of this speech, speeches in english.

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Here Are the Main Takeaways From Fed Rate Decision and Powell’s Briefing

Jerome Powell, chairman of the US Federal Reserve

Here are the key takeaways for the Federal Open Market Committee ’s rate decision and Fed Chair Jerome Powell ’s news conference Wednesday.

To access the full TOPLive blog click here to read on the Terminal and here online.

Uncategorized

40 famous persuasive speeches you need to hear.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

Across eras of calamity and peace in our world’s history, a great many leaders, writers, politicians, theorists, scientists, activists and other revolutionaries have unveiled powerful rousing speeches in their bids for change. In reviewing the plethora of orators across tides of social, political and economic change, we found some truly rousing speeches that brought the world to their feet or to a startling, necessary halt. We’ve chosen 40 of the most impactful speeches we managed to find from agents of change all over the world – a diversity of political campaigns, genders, positionalities and periods of history. You’re sure to find at least a few speeches in this list which will capture you with the sheer power of their words and meaning!

1. I have a dream by MLK

“I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification – one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”

Unsurprisingly, Martin Luther King’s speech comes up top as the most inspiring speech of all time, especially given the harrowing conditions of African Americans in America at the time. In the post-abolition era when slavery was outlawed constitutionally, African Americans experienced an intense period of backlash from white supremacists who supported slavery where various institutional means were sought to subordinate African American people to positions similar to that of the slavery era. This later came to be known as the times of Jim Crow and segregation, which Martin Luther King powerfully voiced his vision for a day when racial discrimination would be a mere figment, where equality would reign.

2. Tilbury Speech by Queen Elizabeth I

“My loving people, We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you on a word of a prince, they shall be duly paid. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.”

While at war with Spain, Queen Elizabeth I was most renowned for her noble speech rallying the English troops against their comparatively formidable opponent. Using brilliant rhetorical devices like metonymy, meronymy, and other potent metaphors, she voiced her deeply-held commitment as a leader to the battle against the Spanish Armada – convincing the English army to keep holding their ground and upholding the sacrifice of war for the good of their people. Eventually against all odds, she led England to victory despite their underdog status in the conflict with her confident and masterful oratory.

3. Woodrow Wilson, address to Congress (April 2, 1917)

“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them. Just because we fight without rancor and without selfish object, seeking nothing for ourselves but what we shall wish to share with all free peoples, we shall, I feel confident, conduct our operations as belligerents without passion and ourselves observe with proud punctilio the principles of right and of fair play we profess to be fighting for. … It will be all the easier for us to conduct ourselves as belligerents in a high spirit of right and fairness because we act without animus, not in enmity toward a people or with the desire to bring any injury or disadvantage upon them, but only in armed opposition to an irresponsible government which has thrown aside all considerations of humanity and of right and is running amuck. We are, let me say again, the sincere friends of the German people, and shall desire nothing so much as the early reestablishment of intimate relations of mutual advantage between us—however hard it may be for them, for the time being, to believe that this is spoken from our hearts. We have borne with their present government through all these bitter months because of that friendship—exercising a patience and forbearance which would otherwise have been impossible. We shall, happily, still have an opportunity to prove that friendship in our daily attitude and actions toward the millions of men and women of German birth and native sympathy who live among us and share our life, and we shall be proud to prove it toward all who are in fact loyal to their neighbors and to the government in the hour of test. They are, most of them, as true and loyal Americans as if they had never known any other fealty or allegiance. They will be prompt to stand with us in rebuking and restraining the few who may be of a different mind and purpose. If there should be disloyalty, it will be dealt with with a firm hand of stern repression; but, if it lifts its head at all, it will lift it only here and there and without countenance except from a lawless and malignant few. It is a distressing and oppressive duty, gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other.”

On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the USA delivered his address to Congress, calling for declaration of war against what was at the time, a belligerent and aggressive Germany in WWI. Despite his isolationism and anti-war position earlier in his tenure as president, he convinced Congress that America had a moral duty to the world to step out of their neutral observer status into an active role of world leadership and stewardship in order to liberate attacked nations from their German aggressors. The idealistic values he preached in his speech left an indelible imprint upon the American spirit and self-conception, forming the moral basis for the country’s people and aspirational visions to this very day.

4. Ain’t I A Woman by Sojourner Truth

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman? … If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”

Hailing from a background of slavery and oppression, Sojourner Truth was one of the most revolutionary advocates for women’s human rights in the 1800s. In spite of the New York Anti-Slavery Law of 1827, her slavemaster refused to free her. As such, she fled, became an itinerant preacher and leading figure in the anti-slavery movement. By the 1850s, she became involved in the women’s rights movement as well. At the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention held in Akron, Ohio, she delivered her illuminating, forceful speech against discrimination of women and African Americans in the post-Civil War era, entrenching her status as one of the most revolutionary abolitionists and women’s rights activists across history.

5. The Gettsyburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

“Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

President Abraham Lincoln had left the most lasting legacy upon American history for good reason, as one of the presidents with the moral courage to denounce slavery for the national atrocity it was. However, more difficult than standing up for the anti-slavery cause was the task of unifying the country post-abolition despite the looming shadows of a time when white Americans could own and subjugate slaves with impunity over the thousands of Americans who stood for liberation of African Americans from discrimination. He urged Americans to remember their common roots, heritage and the importance of “charity for all”, to ensure a “just and lasting peace” among within the country despite throes of racial division and self-determination.

6. Woman’s Rights to the Suffrage by Susan B Anthony

“For any State to make sex a qualification that must ever result in the disfranchisement of one entire half of the people is to pass a bill of attainder, or an ex post facto law, and is therefore a violation of the supreme law of the land. By it the blessings of liberty are for ever withheld from women and their female posterity. To them this government has no just powers derived from the consent of the governed. To them this government is not a democracy. It is not a republic. It is an odious aristocracy; a hateful oligarchy of sex; the most hateful aristocracy ever established on the face of the globe; an oligarchy of wealth, where the right govern the poor. An oligarchy of learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon rules the African, might be endured; but this oligarchy of sex, which makes father, brothers, husband, sons, the oligarchs over the mother and sisters, the wife and daughters of every household–which ordains all men sovereigns, all women subjects, carries dissension, discord and rebellion into every home of the nation. Webster, Worcester and Bouvier all define a citizen to be a person in the United States, entitled to vote and hold office. The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not. Being persons, then, women are citizens; and no State has a right to make any law, or to enforce any old law, that shall abridge their privileges or immunities. Hence, every discrimination against women in the constitutions and laws of the several States is today null and void, precisely as in every one against Negroes.”

Susan B. Anthony was a pivotal leader in the women’s suffrage movement who helped to found the National Woman Suffrage Association with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and fight for the constitutional right for women to vote. She courageously and relentlessly advocated for women’s rights, giving speeches all over the USA to convince people of women’s human rights to choice and the ballot. She is most well known for her act of righteous rebellion in 1872 when she voted in the presidential election illegally, for which she was arrested and tried unsuccessfully. She refused to pay the $100 fine in a bid to reject the demands of the American system she denounced as a ‘hateful oligarchy of sex’, sparking change with her righteous oratory and inspiring many others in the women’s suffrage movement within and beyond America.

7. Vladimir Lenin’s Speech at an International Meeting in Berne, February 8, 1916

“It may sound incredible, especially to Swiss comrades, but it is nevertheless true that in Russia, also, not only bloody tsarism, not only the capitalists, but also a section of the so-called or ex-Socialists say that Russia is fighting a “war of defence,” that Russia is only fighting against German invasion. The whole world knows, however, that for decades tsarism has been oppressing more than a hundred million people belonging to other nationalities in Russia; that for decades Russia has been pursuing a predatory policy towards China, Persia, Armenia and Galicia. Neither Russia, nor Germany, nor any other Great Power has the right to claim that it is waging a “war of defence”; all the Great Powers are waging an imperialist, capitalist war, a predatory war, a war for the oppression of small and foreign nations, a war for the sake of the profits of the capitalists, who are coining golden profits amounting to billions out of the appalling sufferings of the masses, out of the blood of the proletariat. … This again shows you, comrades, that in all countries of the world real preparations are being made to rally the forces of the working class. The horrors of war and the sufferings of the people are incredible. But we must not, and we have no reason whatever, to view the future with despair. The millions of victims who will fall in the war, and as a consequence of the war, will not fall in vain. The millions who are starving, the millions who are sacrificing their lives in the trenches, are not only suffering, they are also gathering strength, are pondering over the real cause of the war, are becoming more determined and are acquiring a clearer revolutionary understanding. Rising discontent of the masses, growing ferment, strikes, demonstrations, protests against the war—all this is taking place in all countries of the world. And this is the guarantee that the European War will be followed by the proletarian revolution against capitalism”

Vladimir Lenin remains to this day one of the most lauded communist revolutionaries in the world who brought the dangers of imperialism and capitalism to light with his rousing speeches condemning capitalist structures of power which inevitably enslave people to lives of misery and class stratification. In his genuine passion for the rights of the working class, he urged fellow comrades to turn the “imperialist war” into a “civil” or class war of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. He encouraged the development of new revolutionary socialist organisations, solidarity across places in society so people could unite against their capitalist overlords, and criticised nationalism for its divisive effect on the socialist movement. In this speech especially, he lambasts “bloody Tsarism” for its oppression of millions of people of other nationalities in Russia, calling for the working class people to revolt against the Tsarist authority for the proletariat revolution to succeed and liberate them from class oppression.

8. I Have A Dream Speech by Mary Wollstonecraft

“If, I say, for I would not impress by declamation when Reason offers her sober light, if they be really capable of acting like rational creatures, let them not be treated like slaves; or, like the brutes who are dependent on the reason of man, when they associate with him; but cultivate their minds, give them the salutary, sublime curb of principle, and let them attain conscious dignity by feeling themselves only dependent on God. Teach them, in common with man, to submit to necessity, instead of giving, to render them more pleasing, a sex to morals. Further, should experience prove that they cannot attain the same degree of strength of mind, perseverance, and fortitude, let their virtues be the same in kind, though they may vainly struggle for the same degree; and the superiority of man will be equally clear, if not clearer; and truth, as it is a simple principle, which admits of no modification, would be common to both. Nay, the order of society as it is at present regulated would not be inverted, for woman would then only have the rank that reason assigned her, and arts could not be practised to bring the balance even, much less to turn it.”

In her vindication of the rights of women, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the pioneers of the feminist movement back in 1792 who not only theorised and advocated revolutionarily, but gave speeches that voiced these challenges against a dominantly sexist society intent on classifying women as irrational less-than-human creatures to be enslaved as they were. In this landmark speech, she pronounces her ‘dream’ of a day when women would be treated as the rational, deserving humans they are, who are equal to man in strength and capability. With this speech setting an effective precedent for her call to equalize women before the law, she also went on to champion the provision of equal educational opportunities to women and girls, and persuasively argued against the patriarchal gender norms which prevented women from finding their own lot in life through their being locked into traditional institutions of marriage and motherhood against their will.

9. First Inaugural Speech by Franklin D Roosevelt

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. … More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment. Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. There are many ways in which it can be helped, but it can never be helped merely by talking about it. We must act and act quickly. … I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures that a stricken Nation in the midst of a stricken world may require. These measures, or such other measures as the Congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, I shall seek, within my constitutional authority, to bring to speedy adoption. But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis — broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.”

Roosevelt’s famous inaugural speech was delivered in the midst of a period of immense tension and strain under the Great Depression, where he highlighted the need for ‘quick action’ by Congress to prepare for government expansion in his pursuit of reforms to lift the American people out of devastating poverty. In a landslide victory, he certainly consolidated the hopes and will of the American people through this compelling speech.

10. The Hypocrisy of American Slavery by Frederick Douglass

“What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mock; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy – a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour. Go search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.”

On 4 July 1852, Frederick Douglass gave this speech in Rochester, New York, highlighting the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while slavery continues. He exposed the ‘revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy’ of slavery which had gone unabolished amidst the comparatively obscene celebration of independence and liberty with his potent speech and passion for the anti-abolition cause. After escaping from slavery, he went on to become a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York with his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. To this day, his fierce activism and devotion to exposing virulent racism for what it was has left a lasting legacy upon pro-Black social movements and the overall sociopolitical landscape of America.

11. Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.”

With her iconic poem Still I Rise , Maya Angelou is well-known for uplifting fellow African American women through her empowering novels and poetry and her work as a civil rights activist. Every bit as lyrical on the page, her recitation of Still I Rise continues to give poetry audiences shivers all over the world, inspiring women of colour everywhere to keep the good faith in striving for equality and peace, while radically believing in and empowering themselves to be agents of change. A dramatic reading of the poem will easily showcase the self-belief, strength and punch that it packs in the last stanza on the power of resisting marginalization.

12. Their Finest Hour by Winston Churchill

“What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.””

In the darkest shadows cast by war, few leaders have been able to step up to the mantle and effectively unify millions of citizens for truly sacrificial causes. Winston Churchill was the extraordinary exception – lifting 1940 Britain out of the darkness with his hopeful, convicted rhetoric to galvanise the English amidst bleak, dreary days of war and loss. Through Britain’s standalone position in WWII against the Nazis, he left his legacy by unifying the nation under shared sacrifices of the army and commemorating their courage.

13. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

“Life for both sexes – and I looked at them (through a restaurant window while waiting for my lunch to be served), shouldering their way along the pavement – is arduous, difficult, a perpetual struggle. It calls for gigantic courage and strength. More than anything, perhaps, creatures of illusion as we are, it calls for confidence in oneself. Without self-confidence we are babes in the cradle. And how can we generate this imponderable quality, which is yet so invaluable, most quickly? By thinking that other people are inferior to oneself. By feeling that one has some innate superiority – it may be wealth, or rank, a straight nose, or the portrait of a grandfather by Romney – for there is no end to the pathetic devices of the human imagination – over other people. Hence the enormous importance to a patriarch who has to conquer, who has to rule, of feeling that great numbers of people, half the human race indeed, are by nature inferior to himself. It must indeed be one of the great sources of his power….Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size. Without that power probably the earth would still be swamp and jungle. The glories of all our wars would be on the remains of mutton bones and bartering flints for sheepskins or whatever simple ornament took our unsophisticated taste. Supermen and Fingers of Destiny would never have existed. The Czar and the Kaiser would never have worn their crowns or lost them. Whatever may be their use in civilised societies, mirrors are essential to all violent and heroic action. That is why Napoleon and Mussolini both insist so emphatically upon the inferiority of women, for if they were not inferior, they would cease to enlarge. That serves to explain in part the necessity that women so often are to men. And it serves to explain how restless they are under her criticism; how impossible it is for her to say to them this book is bad, this picture is feeble, or whatever it may be, without giving far more pain and rousing far more anger than a man would do who gave the same criticism. For if she begins to tell the truth, the figure in the looking-glass shrinks; his fitness in life is diminished. How is he to go on giving judgment, civilising natives, making laws, writing books, dressing up and speechifying at banquets, unless he can see himself at breakfast and at dinner at least twice the size he really is?”

In this transformational speech , Virginia Woolf pronounces her vision that ‘a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’. She calls out the years in which women have been deprived of their own space for individual development through being chained to traditional arrangements or men’s prescriptions – demanding ‘gigantic courage’ and ‘confidence in oneself’ to brave through the onerous struggle of creating change for women’s rights. With her steadfast, stolid rhetoric and radical theorization, she paved the way for many women’s rights activists and writers to forge their own paths against patriarchal authority.

14. Inaugural Address by John F Kennedy

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility–I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it–and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

For what is probably the most historically groundbreaking use of parallelism in speech across American history, President JFK placed the weighty task of ‘asking what one can do for their country’ onto the shoulders of each American citizen. Using an air of firmness in his rhetoric by declaring his commitment to his countrymen, he urges each American to do the same for the broader, noble ideal of freedom for all. With his crucial interrogation of a citizen’s moral duty to his nation, President JFK truly made history.

15. Atoms for Peace Speech by Dwight Eisenhower

“To pause there would be to confirm the hopeless finality of a belief that two atomic colossi are doomed malevolently to eye each other indefinitely across a trembling world. To stop there would be to accept helplessly the probability of civilization destroyed, the annihilation of the irreplaceable heritage of mankind handed down to us from generation to generation, and the condemnation of mankind to begin all over again the age-old struggle upward from savagery towards decency, and right, and justice. Surely no sane member of the human race could discover victory in such desolation. Could anyone wish his name to be coupled by history with such human degradation and destruction?Occasional pages of history do record the faces of the “great destroyers”, but the whole book of history reveals mankind’s never-ending quest for peace and mankind’s God-given capacity to build. It is with the book of history, and not with isolated pages, that the United States will ever wish to be identified. My country wants to be constructive,not destructive. It wants agreements, not wars, among nations. It wants itself to live in freedom and in the confidence that the peoples of every other nation enjoy equally the right of choosing their own way of life. So my country’s purpose is to help us to move out of the dark chamber of horrors into the light, to find a way by which the minds of men, the hopes of men, the souls of men everywhere, can move forward towards peace and happiness and well-being.”

On a possibility as frightful and tense as nuclear war, President Eisenhower managed to convey the gravity of the world’s plight in his measured and persuasive speech centred on the greater good of mankind. Using rhetorical devices such as the three-part paratactical syntax which most world leaders are fond of for ingraining their words in the minds of their audience, he centers the discourse of the atomic bomb on those affected by such a world-changing decision in ‘the minds, hopes and souls of men everywhere’ – effectively putting the vivid image of millions of people’s fates at stake in the minds of his audience. Being able to make a topic as heavy and fraught with moral conflict as this as eloquent as he did, Eisenhower definitely ranks among some of the most skilled orators to date.

16. The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action by Audre Lorde

“I was going to die, if not sooner then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences. What are the words you do not have yet? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? Perhaps for some of you here today, I am the face of one of your fears. Because I am a woman, because I am black, because I am myself, a black woman warrior poet doing my work, come to ask you, are you doing yours?”

Revolutionary writer, feminist and civil rights activist Audre Lorde first delivered this phenomenal speech at Lesbian and Literature panel of the Modern Language Association’s December 28, 1977 meeting, which went on to feature permanently in her writings for its sheer wisdom and truth. Her powerful writing and speech about living on the margins of society has enlightened millions of people discriminated across various intersections, confronting them with the reality that they must speak – since their ‘silence will not protect’ them from further marginalization. Through her illuminating words and oratory, she has reminded marginalized persons of the importance of their selfhood and the radical capacity for change they have in a world blighted by prejudice and division.

17. 1965 Cambridge Union Hall Speech by James Baldwin

“What is dangerous here is the turning away from – the turning away from – anything any white American says. The reason for the political hesitation, in spite of the Johnson landslide is that one has been betrayed by American politicians for so long. And I am a grown man and perhaps I can be reasoned with. I certainly hope I can be. But I don’t know, and neither does Martin Luther King, none of us know how to deal with those other people whom the white world has so long ignored, who don’t believe anything the white world says and don’t entirely believe anything I or Martin is saying. And one can’t blame them. You watch what has happened to them in less than twenty years.”

Baldwin’s invitation to the Cambridge Union Hall is best remembered for foregrounding the unflinching differences in white and African Americans’ ‘system of reality’ in everyday life. Raising uncomfortable truths about the insidious nature of racism post-civil war, he provides several nuggets of thought-provoking wisdom on the state of relations between the oppressed and their oppressors, and what is necessary to mediate such relations and destroy the exploitative thread of racist hatred. With great frankness, he admits to not having all the answers but provides hard-hitting wisdom on engagement to guide activists through confounding times nonetheless.

18. I Am Prepared to Die by Nelson Mandela

“Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on colour, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one colour group by another. The ANC has spent half a century fighting against racialism. When it triumphs as it certainly must, it will not change that policy. This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live. During my lifetime I have dedicated my life to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realised. But, My Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Apartheid is still considered one of these most devastating events of world history, and it would not have ended without the crucial effort and words of Nelson Mandela during his courageous political leadership. In this heartbreaking speech , he voices his utter devotion to the fight against institutionalised racism in African society – an ideal for which he was ‘prepared to die for’. Mandela continues to remind us today of his moral conviction in leading, wherein the world would likely to be a better place if all politicians had the same resolve and genuine commitment to human rights and the abolition of oppression as he did.

19. Critique on British Imperialism by General Aung San

“Do they form their observations by seeing the attendances at not very many cinemas and theatres of Rangoon? Do they judge this question of money circulation by paying a stray visit to a local bazaar? Do they know that cinemas and theatres are not true indicators, at least in Burma, of the people’s conditions? Do they know that there are many in this country who cannot think of going to these places by having to struggle for their bare existence from day to day? Do they know that those who nowadays patronise or frequent cinemas and theatres which exist only in Rangoon and a few big towns, belong generally to middle and upper classes and the very few of the many poor who can attend at all are doing so as a desperate form of relaxation just to make them forget their unsupportable existences for the while whatever may be the tomorrow that awaits them?”

Under British colonial rule, one of the most legendary nationalist leaders emerged from the ranks of the thousands of Burmese to boldly lead them towards independence, out of the exploitation and control under the British. General Aung San’s speech criticising British social, political and economic control of Burma continues to be scathing, articulate, and relevant – especially given his necessary goal of uniting the Burmese natives against their common oppressor. He successfully galvanised his people against the British, taking endless risks through nationalist speeches and demonstrations which gradually bore fruit in Burma’s independence.

20. Nobel Lecture by Mother Teresa

“I believe that we are not real social workers. We may be doing social work in the eyes of the people, but we are really contemplatives in the heart of the world. For we are touching the Body Of Christ 24 hours. We have 24 hours in this presence, and so you and I. You too try to bring that presence of God in your family, for the family that prays together stays together. And I think that we in our family don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy to bring peace–just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world. There is so much suffering, so much hatred, so much misery, and we with our prayer, with our sacrifice are beginning at home. Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do. It is to God Almighty–how much we do it does not matter, because He is infinite, but how much love we put in that action. How much we do to Him in the person that we are serving.”

In contemporary culture, most people understand Mother Teresa to be the epitome of compassion and kindness. However, if one were to look closer at her speeches from the past, one would discover not merely her altruistic contributions, but her keen heart for social justice and the downtrodden. She wisely and gracefully remarks that ‘love begins at home’ from the individual actions of each person within their private lives, which accumulate into a life of goodness and charity. For this, her speeches served not just consolatory value or momentary relevance, as they still inform the present on how we can live lives worth living.

21. June 9 Speech to Martial Law Units by Deng Xiaoping

“This army still maintains the traditions of our old Red Army. What they crossed this time was in the true sense of the expression a political barrier, a threshold of life and death. This was not easy. This shows that the People’s Army is truly a great wall of iron and steel of the party and state. This shows that no matter how heavy our losses, the army, under the leadership of the party, will always remain the defender of the country, the defender of socialism, and the defender of the public interest. They are a most lovable people. At the same time, we should never forget how cruel our enemies are. We should have not one bit of forgiveness for them. The fact that this incident broke out as it did is very worthy of our pondering. It prompts us cool-headedly to consider the past and the future. Perhaps this bad thing will enable us to go ahead with reform and the open policy at a steadier and better — even a faster — pace, more speedily correct our mistakes, and better develop our strong points.”

Mere days before the 4 June 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising, Chinese Communist Party leader Deng Xiaoping sat with six party elders (senior officials) and the three remaining members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the paramount decision-making body in China’s government. The meeting was organised to discuss the best course of action for restoring social and political order to China, given the sweeping economic reforms that had taken place in the past decade that inevitably resulted in some social resistance from the populace. Deng then gave this astute and well-regarded speech, outlining the political complexities in shutting down student protests given the context of reforms encouraging economic liberalization already taking place, as aligned with the students’ desires. It may not be the most rousing or inflammatory of speeches, but it was certainly persuasive in voicing the importance of taking a strong stand for the economic reforms Deng was implementing to benefit Chinese citizens in the long run. Today, China is an economic superpower, far from its war-torn developing country status before Deng’s leadership – thanks to his foresight in ensuring political stability would allow China to enjoy the fruits of the massive changes they adapted to.

22. Freedom or Death by Emmeline Pankhurst

“You won your freedom in America when you had the revolution, by bloodshed, by sacrificing human life. You won the civil war by the sacrifice of human life when you decided to emancipate the negro. You have left it to women in your land, the men of all civilised countries have left it to women, to work out their own salvation. That is the way in which we women of England are doing. Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won’t do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death. Now whether you approve of us or whether you do not, you must see that we have brought the question of women’s suffrage into a position where it is of first rate importance, where it can be ignored no longer. Even the most hardened politician will hesitate to take upon himself directly the responsibility of sacrificing the lives of women of undoubted honour, of undoubted earnestness of purpose. That is the political situation as I lay it before you today.”

In 1913 after Suffragette Emily Davison stepped in front of King George V’s horse at the Epsom Derby and suffered fatal injuries, Emmeline Pankhurst delivered her speech to Connecticut as a call to action for people to support the suffragette movement. Her fortitude in delivering such a sobering speech on the state of women’s rights is worth remembering for its invaluable impact and contributions to the rights we enjoy in today’s world.

23. Quit India by Mahatma Gandhi

“We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery. Every true Congressman or woman will join the struggle with an inflexible determination not to remain alive to see the country in bondage and slavery. Let that be your pledge. Keep jails out of your consideration. If the Government keep me free, I will not put on the Government the strain of maintaining a large number of prisoners at a time, when it is in trouble. Let every man and woman live every moment of his or her life hereafter in the consciousness that he or she eats or lives for achieving freedom and will die, if need be, to attain that goal. Take a pledge, with God and your own conscience as witness, that you will no longer rest till freedom is achieved and will be prepared to lay down your lives in the attempt to achieve it. He who loses his life will gain it; he who will seek to save it shall lose it. Freedom is not for the coward or the faint-hearted.”

Naturally, the revolutionary activist Gandhi had to appear in this list for his impassioned anti-colonial speeches which rallied Indians towards independence. Famous for leading non-violent demonstrations, his speeches were a key element in gathering Indians of all backgrounds together for the common cause of eliminating their colonial masters. His speeches were resolute, eloquent, and courageous, inspiring the hope and admiration of many not just within India, but around the world.

24. 1974 National Book Award Speech by Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker, Audre Lorde

“The statement I am going to read was prepared by three of the women nominated for the National Book Award for poetry, with the agreement that it would be read by whichever of us, if any, was chosen.We, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, and Alice Walker, together accept this award in the name of all the women whose voices have gone and still go unheard in a patriarchal world, and in the name of those who, like us, have been tolerated as token women in this culture, often at great cost and in great pain. We believe that we can enrich ourselves more in supporting and giving to each other than by competing against each other; and that poetry—if it is poetry—exists in a realm beyond ranking and comparison. We symbolically join together here in refusing the terms of patriarchal competition and declaring that we will share this prize among us, to be used as best we can for women. We appreciate the good faith of the judges for this award, but none of us could accept this money for herself, nor could she let go unquestioned the terms on which poets are given or denied honor and livelihood in this world, especially when they are women. We dedicate this occasion to the struggle for self-determination of all women, of every color, identification, or derived class: the poet, the housewife, the lesbian, the mathematician, the mother, the dishwasher, the pregnant teen-ager, the teacher, the grandmother, the prostitute, the philosopher, the waitress, the women who will understand what we are doing here and those who will not understand yet; the silent women whose voices have been denied us, the articulate women who have given us strength to do our work.”

Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, and Alice Walker wrote this joint speech to be delivered by Adrienne Rich at the 1974 National Book Awards, based on their suspicions that the first few African American lesbian women to be nominated for the awards would be snubbed in favour of a white woman nominee. Their suspicions were confirmed, and Adrienne Rich delivered this socially significant speech in solidarity with her fellow nominees, upholding the voices of the ‘silent women whose voices have been denied’.

25. Speech to 20th Congress of the CPSU by Nikita Khruschev

“Considering the question of the cult of an individual, we must first of all show everyone what harm this caused to the interests of our Party. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin had always stressed the Party’s role and significance in the direction of the socialist government of workers and peasants; he saw in this the chief precondition for a successful building of socialism in our country. Pointing to the great responsibility of the Bolshevik Party, as ruling Party of the Soviet state, Lenin called for the most meticulous observance of all norms of Party life; he called for the realization of the principles of collegiality in the direction of the Party and the state. Collegiality of leadership flows from the very nature of our Party, a Party built on the principles of democratic centralism. “This means,” said Lenin, “that all Party matters are accomplished by all Party members – directly or through representatives – who, without any exceptions, are subject to the same rules; in addition, all administrative members, all directing collegia, all holders of Party positions are elective, they must account for their activities and are recallable.””

This speech is possibly the most famed Russian speech for its status as a ‘secret’ speech delivered only to the CPSU at the time, which was eventually revealed to the public. Given the unchallenged political legacy and cult of personality which Stalin left in the Soviet Union, Nikita Khruschev’s speech condemning the authoritarian means Stalin had resorted to to consolidate power as un-socialist was an important mark in Russian history.

26. The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

“It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism — the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for three thousand years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come. The development of the ideal of freedom and its translation into the everyday life of the people in great areas of the earth is the product of the efforts of many peoples. It is the fruit of a long tradition of vigorous thinking and courageous action. No one race and on one people can claim to have done all the work to achieve greater dignity for human beings and great freedom to develop human personality. In each generation and in each country there must be a continuation of the struggle and new steps forward must be taken since this is preeminently a field in which to stand still is to retreat.”

Eleanor Roosevelt has been among the most well-loved First Ladies for good reason – her eloquence and gravitas in delivering every speech convinced everyone of her suitability for the oval office. In this determined and articulate speech , she outlines the fundamental values that form the bedrock of democracy, urging the rest of the world to uphold human rights regardless of national ideology and interests.

27. The Ballot or The Bullet by Malcolm X

“And in this manner, the organizations will increase in number and in quantity and in quality, and by August, it is then our intention to have a black nationalist convention which will consist of delegates from all over the country who are interested in the political, economic and social philosophy of black nationalism. After these delegates convene, we will hold a seminar; we will hold discussions; we will listen to everyone. We want to hear new ideas and new solutions and new answers. And at that time, if we see fit then to form a black nationalist party, we’ll form a black nationalist party. If it’s necessary to form a black nationalist army, we’ll form a black nationalist army. It’ll be the ballot or the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death.”

Inarguably, the revolutionary impact Malcolm X’s fearless oratory had was substantial in his time as a radical anti-racist civil rights activist. His speeches’ emancipatory potential put forth his ‘theory of rhetorical action’ where he urges Black Americans to employ both the ballot and the bullet, strategically without being dependent on the other should the conditions of oppression change. A crucial leader in the fight for civil rights, he opened the eyes of thousands of Black Americans, politicising and convincing them of the necessity of fighting for their democratic rights against white supremacists.

28. Living the Revolution by Gloria Steinem

“The challenge to all of us, and to you men and women who are graduating today, is to live a revolution, not to die for one. There has been too much killing, and the weapons are now far too terrible. This revolution has to change consciousness, to upset the injustice of our current hierarchy by refusing to honor it, and to live a life that enforces a new social justice. Because the truth is none of us can be liberated if other groups are not.”

In an unexpected commencement speech delivered at Vassar College in 1970, Gloria Steinem boldly makes a call to action on behalf of marginalized groups in need of liberation to newly graduated students. She proclaimed it the year of Women’s Liberation and forcefully highlighted the need for a social revolution to ‘upset the injustice of the current hierarchy’ in favour of human rights – echoing the hard-hitting motto on social justice, ‘until all of us are free, none of us are free’.

29. The Last Words of Harvey Milk by Harvey Milk

“I cannot prevent some people from feeling angry and frustrated and mad in response to my death, but I hope they will take the frustration and madness and instead of demonstrating or anything of that type, I would hope that they would take the power and I would hope that five, ten, one hundred, a thousand would rise. I would like to see every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out, stand up and let the world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody could imagine. I urge them to do that, urge them to come out. Only that way will we start to achieve our rights. … All I ask is for the movement to continue, and if a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door…”

As the first openly gay elected official in the history of California, Harvey Milk’s entire political candidature was in itself a radical statement against the homophobic status quo at the time. Given the dangerous times he was in as an openly gay man, he anticipated that he would be assassinated eventually in his political career. As such, these are some of his last words which show the utter devotion he had to campaigning against homophobia while representing the American people, voicing his heartbreaking wish for the bullet that would eventually kill him to ‘destroy every closet door’.

30. Black Power Address at UC Berkeley by Stokely Carmichael

“Now we are now engaged in a psychological struggle in this country, and that is whether or not black people will have the right to use the words they want to use without white people giving their sanction to it; and that we maintain, whether they like it or not, we gonna use the word “Black Power” — and let them address themselves to that; but that we are not going to wait for white people to sanction Black Power. We’re tired waiting; every time black people move in this country, they’re forced to defend their position before they move. It’s time that the people who are supposed to be defending their position do that. That’s white people. They ought to start defending themselves as to why they have oppressed and exploited us.”

A forceful and impressive orator, Stokely Carmichael was among those at the forefront of the civil rights movement, who was a vigorous socialist organizer as well. He led the Black Power movement wherein he gave this urgent, influential speech that propelled Black Americans forward in their fight for constitutional rights in the 1960s.

31. Speech on Vietnam by Lyndon Johnson

“The true peace-keepers are those men who stand out there on the DMZ at this very hour, taking the worst that the enemy can give. The true peace-keepers are the soldiers who are breaking the terrorist’s grip around the villages of Vietnam—the civilians who are bringing medical care and food and education to people who have already suffered a generation of war. And so I report to you that we are going to continue to press forward. Two things we must do. Two things we shall do. First, we must not mislead the enemy. Let him not think that debate and dissent will produce wavering and withdrawal. For I can assure you they won’t. Let him not think that protests will produce surrender. Because they won’t. Let him not think that he will wait us out. For he won’t. Second, we will provide all that our brave men require to do the job that must be done. And that job is going to be done. These gallant men have our prayers-have our thanks—have our heart-felt praise—and our deepest gratitude. Let the world know that the keepers of peace will endure through every trial—and that with the full backing of their countrymen, they are going to prevail.”

During some of the most harrowing periods of human history, the Vietnam War, American soldiers were getting soundly defeated by the Vietnamese in guerrilla warfare. President Lyndon Johnson then issued this dignified, consolatory speech to encourage patriotism and support for the soldiers putting their lives on the line for the nation.

32. A Whisper of AIDS by Mary Fisher

“We may take refuge in our stereotypes, but we cannot hide there long, because HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human? And this is the right question. Are you human? Because people with HIV have not entered some alien state of being. They are human. They have not earned cruelty, and they do not deserve meanness. They don’t benefit from being isolated or treated as outcasts. Each of them is exactly what God made: a person; not evil, deserving of our judgment; not victims, longing for our pity ­­ people, ready for  support and worthy of compassion. We must be consistent if we are to be believed. We cannot love justice and ignore prejudice, love our children and fear to teach them. Whatever our role as parent or policymaker, we must act as eloquently as we speak ­­ else we have no integrity. My call to the nation is a plea for awareness. If you believe you are safe, you are in danger. Because I was not hemophiliac, I was not at risk. Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk. The lesson history teaches is this: If you believe you are safe, you are at risk. If you do not see this killer stalking your children, look again. There is no family or community, no race or religion, no place left in America that is safe. Until we genuinely embrace this message, we are a nation at risk.”

Back when AIDS research was still undeveloped, the stigma of contracting HIV was even more immense than it is today. A celebrated artist, author and speaker, Mary Fisher became an outspoken activist for those with HIV/AIDS, persuading people to extend compassion to the population with HIV instead of stigmatizing them – as injustice has a way of coming around to people eventually. Her bold act of speaking out for the community regardless of the way they contracted the disease, their sexual orientation or social group, was an influential move in advancing the human rights of those with HIV and spreading awareness on the discrimination they face.

33. Freedom from Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

“The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation’s development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences of desire, ill will, ignorance and fear. Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Famous for her resoluteness and fortitude in campaigning for democracy in Burma despite being put under house arrest by the military government, Aung San Suu Kyi’s speeches have been widely touted as inspirational. In this renowned speech of hers, she delivers a potent message to Burmese to ‘liberate their minds from apathy and fear’ in the struggle for freedom and human rights in the country. To this day, she continues to tirelessly champion the welfare and freedom of Burmese in a state still overcome by vestiges of authoritarian rule.

34. This Is Water by David Foster Wallace

“Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom all to be lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the centre of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it. But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the great outside world of wanting and achieving…. The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day. That is real freedom. That is being educated, and understanding how to think. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the rat race, the constant gnawing sense of having had, and lost, some infinite thing.”

Esteemed writer David Foster Wallace gave a remarkably casual yet wise commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005 on the importance of learning to think beyond attaining a formal education. He encouraged hundreds of students to develop freedom of thought, a heart of sacrificial care for those in need of justice, and a consciousness that would serve them in discerning the right choices to make within a status quo that is easy to fall in line with. His captivating speech on what it meant to truly be ‘educated’ tugged at the hearts of many young and critical minds striving to achieve their dreams and change the world.

35. Questioning the Universe by Stephen Hawking

“This brings me to the last of the big questions: the future of the human race. If we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy, we should make sure we survive and continue. But we are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history. Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill. But our genetic code still carries the selfish and aggressive instincts that were of survival advantage in the past. It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million. Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain inward-looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space. The answers to these big questions show that we have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space. That is why I am in favor of manned — or should I say, personned — space flight.”

Extraordinary theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author Stephen Hawking was a considerable influence upon modern physics and scientific research at large, inspiring people regardless of physical ability to aspire towards expanding knowledge in the world. In his speech on Questioning the Universe, he speaks of the emerging currents and issues in the scientific world like that of outer space, raising and answering big questions that have stumped great thinkers for years.

36. 2008 Democratic National Convention Speech by Michelle Obama

“I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history — knowing that my piece of the American dream is a blessing hard won by those who came before me. All of them driven by the same conviction that drove my dad to get up an hour early each day to painstakingly dress himself for work. The same conviction that drives the men and women I’ve met all across this country: People who work the day shift, kiss their kids goodnight, and head out for the night shift — without disappointment, without regret — that goodnight kiss a reminder of everything they’re working for. The military families who say grace each night with an empty seat at the table. The servicemen and women who love this country so much, they leave those they love most to defend it. The young people across America serving our communities — teaching children, cleaning up neighborhoods, caring for the least among us each and every day. People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters — and sons — can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher. People like Joe Biden, who’s never forgotten where he came from and never stopped fighting for folks who work long hours and face long odds and need someone on their side again. All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won’t do — that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack’s journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope. That is why I love this country.”

Ever the favourite modern First Lady of America, Michelle Obama has delivered an abundance of iconic speeches in her political capacity, never forgetting to foreground the indomitable human spirit embodied in American citizens’ everyday lives and efforts towards a better world. The Obamas might just have been the most articulate couple of rhetoricians of their time, making waves as the first African American president and First Lady while introducing important policies in their period of governance.

37. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

“I’m not talking about blind optimism here — the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don’t think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope — Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.”

Now published into a book, Barack Obama’s heart-capturing personal story of transformational hope was first delivered as a speech on the merits of patriotic optimism and determination put to the mission of concrete change. He has come to be known as one of the most favoured and inspiring presidents in American history, and arguably the most skilled orators ever.

38. “Be Your Own Story” by Toni Morrison

“But I’m not going to talk anymore about the future because I’m hesitant to describe or predict because I’m not even certain that it exists. That is to say, I’m not certain that somehow, perhaps, a burgeoning ménage a trois of political interests, corporate interests and military interests will not prevail and literally annihilate an inhabitable, humane future. Because I don’t think we can any longer rely on separation of powers, free speech, religious tolerance or unchallengeable civil liberties as a matter of course. That is, not while finite humans in the flux of time make decisions of infinite damage. Not while finite humans make infinite claims of virtue and unassailable power that are beyond their competence, if not their reach. So, no happy talk about the future. … Because the past is already in debt to the mismanaged present. And besides, contrary to what you may have heard or learned, the past is not done and it is not over, it’s still in process, which is another way of saying that when it’s critiqued, analyzed, it yields new information about itself. The past is already changing as it is being reexamined, as it is being listened to for deeper resonances. Actually it can be more liberating than any imagined future if you are willing to identify its evasions, its distortions, its lies, and are willing to unleash its secrets.”

Venerated author and professor Toni Morrison delivered an impressively articulate speech at Wellesley College in 2004 to new graduates, bucking the trend by discussing the importance of the past in informing current and future ways of living. With her brilliance and eloquence, she blew the crowd away and renewed in them the capacity for reflection upon using the past as a talisman to guide oneself along the journey of life.

39. Nobel Speech by Malala Yousafzai

“Dear brothers and sisters, the so-called world of adults may understand it, but we children don’t. Why is it that countries which we call “strong” are so powerful in creating wars but so weak in bringing peace? Why is it that giving guns is so easy but giving books is so hard? Why is it that making tanks is so easy, but building schools is so difficult? As we are living in the modern age, the 21st century and we all believe that nothing is impossible. We can reach the moon and maybe soon will land on Mars. Then, in this, the 21st century, we must be determined that our dream of quality education for all will also come true. So let us bring equality, justice and peace for all. Not just the politicians and the world leaders, we all need to contribute. Me. You. It is our duty. So we must work … and not wait. I call upon my fellow children to stand up around the world. Dear sisters and brothers, let us become the first generation to decide to be the last. The empty classrooms, the lost childhoods, wasted potential-let these things end with us.”

At a mere 16 years of age, Malala Yousafzai gave a speech on the severity of the state of human rights across the world, and wowed the world with her passion for justice at her tender age. She displayed tenacity and fearlessness speaking about her survival of an assassination attempt for her activism for gender equality in the field of education. A model of courage to us all, her speech remains an essential one in the fight for human rights in the 21st century.

40. Final Commencement Speech by Michelle Obama

“If you are a person of faith, know that religious diversity is a great American tradition, too. In fact, that’s why people first came to this country — to worship freely. And whether you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh — these religions are teaching our young people about justice, and compassion, and honesty. So I want our young people to continue to learn and practice those values with pride. You see, our glorious diversity — our diversities of faiths and colors and creeds — that is not a threat to who we are, it makes us who we are. So the young people here and the young people out there: Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you don’t matter, or like you don’t have a place in our American story — because you do. And you have a right to be exactly who you are. But I also want to be very clear: This right isn’t just handed to you. No, this right has to be earned every single day. You cannot take your freedoms for granted. Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part to preserve and protect those freedoms. … It is our fundamental belief in the power of hope that has allowed us to rise above the voices of doubt and division, of anger and fear that we have faced in our own lives and in the life of this country. Our hope that if we work hard enough and believe in ourselves, then we can be whatever we dream, regardless of the limitations that others may place on us. The hope that when people see us for who we truly are, maybe, just maybe they, too, will be inspired to rise to their best possible selves.”

Finally, we have yet another speech by Michelle Obama given in her final remarks as First Lady – a tear-inducing event for many Americans and even people around the world. In this emotional end to her political tenure, she gives an empowering, hopeful, expressive speech to young Americans, exhorting them to take hold of its future in all their diversity and work hard at being their best possible selves.

Amidst the bleak era of our current time with Trump as president of the USA, not only Michelle Obama, but all 40 of these amazing speeches can serve as sources of inspiration and hope to everyone – regardless of their identity or ambitions. After hearing these speeches, which one’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

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Fed Meeting Today

Follow live coverage of the march policy meeting and the chairman's press conference..

Last Updated: 

Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged, Maintains 3 Cuts This Year. Watch Powell.

The Federal Reserve opted to keep interest rates unchanged at the conclusion of this week’s policy-setting meeting. The call was widely expected.

Officials expect to cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point by the end of the year, sticking with an earlier forecast despite recent mixed economic data, including hotter readings on inflation over the past two months. However, they now see higher rates in coming years .

Chairman Jerome Powell's press conference is now underway. Watch his speech here and follow live coverage below.

The Fed Is Still on the Hunt for 'More Good Data'

Powell is watching for cracks in economy, but not seeing much evidence, recent higher inflation numbers haven’t ‘really changed the overall story’, fed is uncertain when housing inflation will decline, fed officials still see inflation easing, fed could slow pace of quantitative tightening 'fairly soon', fed officials are still in lockstep, fed officials increase forecasts for level of rates in 2025, 2026, policy statement sticks closely to fed’s earlier line, fed sees higher inflation, gdp growth in 2024, latest updates.

Megan Leonhardt

Federal Reserve officials are maintaining a cautious but confident approach.

The news from the latest meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee didn’t move the needle much in terms of expectations for rate cuts. But officials seem sure that during the course of the year, the U.S. will get to the point this year where inflation is moving sustainably toward the 2% target, making it appropriate to lower interest rates.

“Markets believe we will achieve that goal and they should believe that because that's what will happen over time, but we stress over time,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.

It is clear that Fed officials aren’t backing away from their view that rates will be able to come down, despite data showing inflation remains stubborn. Policymakers maintained their forecast of three rate cuts this year and the bank’s latest Summary of Economic Projections showed committee members’ forecasts of where rates will be at the end of the year were grouped more tightly around a median of 4.6%. Only two of the 19 Fed officials continue to see the central bank closing out the year without any rate cuts.

The Fed’s dot plot, however, was very close to being an even split between forecasts for two and three rate cuts this year. If the Fed had moved closer to two cuts from its December call of three moves, it could have sent markets spiraling.

“I think we dodged a bullet,” says Louis Navellier, chief investment officer at Navellier Private Client Group. “The FOMC statement was still very dovish.”

The timing of those cuts remains a sticking point. Although the hotter January and February inflation data haven’t caused officials to step back from cuts so far, Powell noted repeatedly during Wednesday’s press conference that the numbers didn’t exactly inspire more confidence either.

“We would, of course, love to get great inflation data,” Powell said. During the second half of 2023, the U.S. saw “really good inflation data,” but officials knew and warned that the path ahead would be “bumpy.” January and February proved that point.

“So now we're looking for more good data and we would certainly welcome it.”

The U.S. economy has been sending some mixed signals in the recent batches of economic data. In some instances, including the jobs data, there are divergent signals even within individual reports.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that while he is certainly watching for any signs of trouble that may emerge in the employment data, so far, the broader workforce trends look to be in “good shape.”

“We all monitor the labor market very, very carefully, and I don't see those cracks today,” Powell said. “And we follow all the possible stories that are out there about there being cracks, but the overall picture really is a strong labor market.”

He noted factors such as the low hiring rate, which has generated some concern. And he said that some economists and analysts have made the argument that if layoffs were to increase, that could lead to a “fairly quick increase” in unemployment.

“That's something we're watching, but we're not seeing it,” the Fed chair said.

Powell added that initial jobless claims–another area he said he is watching closely–remain very low. As of now, he said, he doesn’t see any unexpected weakening of the labor market.

The extreme imbalances seen within the labor market early in the pandemic have largely fallen away, Powell said. “Recovery has mostly been resolved,” he said, adding that wage growth, while still strong, is gradually coming back down to more sustainable levels.

“In many, many respects, things are returning more to their state in 2019, which we can think of as normal for this purpose,” Powell said. “The labor market is in good shape.”

Strong Labor Market Wouldn’t Preclude Rate Cuts, Powell Says

Federal Reserve officials still see interest-rate cuts ahead this year. And even if the U.S. labor market remains robust, that doesn’t take those cuts off the table.

“Strong hiring in and of itself would not be a reason to hold off on rate cuts. No, not all by itself,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.

If workers are getting paid and they're spending and driving up inflationary pressures, that would be one thing, Powell said. But that’s not really happening.

Last year, the U.S. labor market remained resilient, and yet inflation continued to cool.

“You saw last year, very strong hiring, hiring and inflation coming down quickly,” the Fed chair said. “We now have a better sense that a big part of that was supply side healing, particularly with growth in the labor force.”

“So in and of itself, strong job growth is not a reason for us to be concerned about inflation,” Powell said.

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Fed meeting recap: Everything Powell said during Wednesday's market-moving news conference

The Federal Reserve held steady on interest rates at the conclusion of its March meeting, and it's sticking with its forecast for three interest rate cuts. During a news conference Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that a strong jobs market wouldn't deter the central bank from cutting rates.

The Fed chair is looking for confirmation of last year's low inflation readings

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will continue to seek confirmation inflation is moving closer to the central bank's 2% target, even after a recent spate of hotter inflation readings.

"The other thing is, in the second half of the year, you had some pretty low readings, so it might be harder to make that 12 month window forward," Powell said.

"Nonetheless, we're looking for data that confirm the low readings that we had last year," Powell continued. "And give us a higher degree of confidence that what we saw was really inflation moving sustainably down to 2%."

— Sarah Min

Strong hiring wouldn't push Fed to delay rate cuts, Powell says

Continued strength in the labor market wouldn't be a reason to hold off lowering interest rates, said Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

"Strong hiring in and of itself would not be a reason to hold off on rate cuts," he said, adding that the job market by itself is not cause for concern around inflation. Earlier, Powell said "an unexpected weakening in the labor market could also warrant a policy response."

— Alex Harring

Higher inflationary data hasn't changed its overall trend downward, Powell says

Major inflationary data points — the consumer price index and personal consumption expenditure — rose for both January and February. Fed Chair Jerome Powell thinks this data is just further proof of inflation's nonlinear path downwards.

"I think they haven't really changed the overall story, which is that of inflation moving down gradually on a sometimes bumpy road toward 2%," he said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. "We're not going to overreact to these two months of data, nor are we going to ignore them."

— Lisa Kailai Han

Powell needs a 'good reason not to cut rates,' says Principal Asset Management's Seema Shah

In response to the Federal Reserve's decision to hold rates steady, Principal Asset Management's chief global strategist Seema Shah said, "Powell has perhaps shown his cards: he needs a good reason not to cut rates, rather than a reason to cut rates. Markets perhaps couldn't have asked for more from the Fed and equities will celebrate."

"The Fed really really wants its soft-landing ending. Stronger growth, lower unemployment, higher inflation–and yet still no change to the median dot," Shah continued. She emphasized that cutting rates before inflation is close to the Fed's 2% target, and while GDP growth is above trend, is a "risky path."

— Pia Singh

Market strategist: 'Investors are relieved to see three cuts stay in the dot plot'

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell and the central blank are not faltering as inflation proves to be sticky, said David Russell, global head of market strategy at investing platform TradeStation. And he said the continued expectation for three interest rate cuts this year is also promising.

"We had some inflation bumps this year but Jerome Powell's not blinking," Russell said. "Investors are relieved to see three cuts stay in the dot plot, supporting markets and risk appetite."

"The Fed might wake up with a hangover, but the punchbowl isn't going away yet," he said.  

No decision yet on balance sheet reduction, Powell says

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank has not yet come to a decision on how to change the pace of its balance sheet reduction, but he noted that an adjustment isn't far off.

"The general sense of the committee is that it will be appropriate to slow the pace of run-off fairly soon, consistent with the plans we've previously issued," Powell said.

The shape of the balance sheet run-off plan can impact supply in the bond market and is closely watched by fixed income traders.

— Jesse Pound

'Our policy rate is likely at its peak,' Powell says

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated on Wednesday that policymakers still intend to cut rates before the end of this year, assuming economic growth continues.

"We believe that our policy rate is likely at its peak for this type of cycle, and that if the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year," Powell said.

He also reiterated his confidence in the Fed's target inflation rate of 2%.

Details in Fed decision are dovish, strategist says

The Fed keeping its expectation of three interest rate cuts in 2024 can be taken as a positive sign, even as the central bank kept levels unchanged at its March meeting, according to Sonu Varghese, global macro strategist at Carson Group

"The details are quite dovish, because they're leaving rate cuts on the table even while projecting slightly higher inflation and more economic growth," Varghese said.

See what changed in the new Fed statement

The Federal Reserve's statement for its March meeting is out. Click here for CNBC's comparison of Wednesday's statement with the one from the most recent meeting in January.

Stocks rise modestly after Fed announcement

The major averages ticked higher Wednesday afternoon after the Federal Reserve issued its policy decision and rate forecast.

The S&P 500 gained 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 0.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced more than 140 points, or nearly 0.4%.

- Darla Mercado

Federal Reserve holds rates steady once more in March, sticks with call for 3 rate cuts

Central bank policymakers have decided to hold interest rates at their current target range of 5.25% to 5.50%. The move was widely expected by the markets.

The Fed also stuck with its earlier forecast for three rate cuts before the year is out, based on its dot plot. Read more from CNBC's Jeff Cox on the Fed's rate decision and where policymakers see rates going .

Where markets stand before the Fed's rate decision

The three major averages hovered near the flatline as investors braced themselves for the Federal Reserve's rate decision.

The S&P 500 inched downward by 0.06%, while the Nasdaq Composite ticked lower by 0.08%, as of 1:36 p.m. ET. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by roughly 6 points, or 0.02%.

Treasury yields also held steady in the lead up to the Fed's announcement. The rate on the 2-year Treasury ticked down by less than 2 basis points to 4.675%. The 10-year yield also inched down by less than 2 points to 4.279%.

Never mind the interest rate policy. Focus on the Fed’s balance sheet

The central bank's stance on interest rates and how it will proceed are top of mind for investors, but don't forget about the Federal Reserve's wind-down of its balance sheet.

The central bank has been running off its $7.6 trillion in Treasury, mortgage-backed securities and other assets – and it may soon taper and ultimately end the shrinking of its balance sheet. Right now, the Fed is allowing up to $60 billion a month in Treasurys to roll off of its balance sheet without being reinvested, along with up to $35 billion in mortgage-backed securities.

Investors will be listening for details on how the Fed will go about winding down its balance sheet, an issue Fed Chair Powell may address during his news conference.

Read more here from CNBC's Jeff Cox about the Fed's balance sheet .

- Darla Mercado, Jeff Cox

Where consumer rates stand since the Fed began tightening policy

It's been two years since the Federal Reserve first raised interest rates in this latest cycle, and the move has had a significant impact on consumers' wallets.

Since the Fed began raising rates in March 2022, borrowers have had to shell out more in interest expenses. During the week of March 11, 2022, a 30-year fixed mortgage had a rate of 4.29%, compared to 7.09% as of March 15, 2024, according to MND.

Carrying debt on a credit card balance also became more costly, with the annual percentage rate rising to 20.75% from 16.34% since the Fed embarked on its tougher stance roughly two years ago, per Bankrate.

Even as times have become tougher for borrowers, savers and fixed income investors are reaping the benefits of higher rates.

For starters, the yield on the 2-year Treasury is now 4.67%, compared to 1.75% back in March 2022, according to Refinitiv. Parking cash in a certificate of deposit has also become more rewarding, with annual percentage yields on 6-month CDs rising to 3.298% from 0.22%, according to Lending Tree.

- Darla Mercado, Nick Wells

Fed’s dot plot of rate expectations will be key Wednesday

Central bank policymakers are widely expected to stand pat on interest rates at the conclusion of their March policy meeting, but the dot plot will be the main event for traders.

The policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee will issue its dot plot, a breakdown of individual members' expectations for interest rates moving forward.

Investors kicked off 2024 with a sanguine outlook on interest rate cuts, anticipating that the Fed would lower rates six or seven times in increments of quarter percentage points. But those expectations have come down to reality, as investors now anticipate rates first falling in June and they forecast only three cuts.

The shift in the Street's forecast comes as economic data shows that inflation is proving to be harder to quash than many had hoped.

Read more from CNBC's Jeff Cox on what to expect from the Fed's meeting .

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Schumer Urges New Leadership in Israel, Calling Netanyahu an Obstacle to Peace

The top Senate Democrat, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States, spoke from the Senate floor to condemn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and call for elections to replace him.

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By Annie Karni

Reporting from Washington

• March 14, 2024

Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, on Thursday delivered a pointed speech on the Senate floor excoriating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel as a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East and calling for new leadership in Israel, five months into the war.

Many Democratic lawmakers have condemned Mr. Netanyahu’s leadership and his right-wing governing coalition, and President Biden has even criticized the Israeli military’s offensive in Gaza as “over the top.” But Mr. Schumer’s speech amounted to the sharpest critique yet from a senior American elected official — effectively urging Israelis to replace Mr. Netanyahu.

“I believe in his heart, his highest priority is the security of Israel,” said Mr. Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States. “However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel.”

Mr. Schumer added: “He has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu Has ‘Lost His Way,’ Schumer says

Senator chuck schumer, the majority leader, called the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, a major obstacle to peace in the middle east..

I rise to speak today about about what I believe can and should be the path forward to secure mutual peace and lasting prosperity for Israelis and Palestinians. The fourth major obstacle to peace is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I have known Prime Minister Netanyahu for a very long time. While we have vehemently disagreed on many occasions, I will always respect his extraordinary bravery for Israel on the battlefield as a younger man. I believe in his heart he has his highest priority is, as is the security of Israel. However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take the precedence over the best interests of Israel. He has put himself in coalition with far right, far-right extremists like Minister Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. And as a result, he has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah. As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me. The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7. The world has changed radically since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past.

The speech was the latest reflection of the growing dissatisfaction among Democrats, particularly progressives, with Israel’s conduct of the war and its toll on Palestinian civilians, which has created a strategic and political dilemma for Mr. Biden. Republicans have tried to capitalize on that dynamic for electoral advantage, hugging Mr. Netanyahu closer as Democrats repudiate him. And on Thursday, they lashed out at Mr. Schumer for his remarks.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader, said on the Senate floor that it was “grotesque and hypocritical” for Americans “who hyperventilate about foreign interference in our own democracy to call for the removal of the democratically elected leader of Israel.” He called Mr. Schumer’s move “unprecedented.”

“The Democratic Party doesn’t have an anti-Bibi problem,” Mr. McConnell said, referring to Mr. Netanyahu by his nickname. “It has an anti-Israel problem.”

Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, called Mr. Schumer’s remarks “earth-shatteringly bad” and accused him of “calling on the people of Israel to overthrow their government.” And House Republicans, gathered in West Virginia for a party retreat, hastily called a news conference to attack Mr. Schumer for his comments and position themselves as the true friends of Israel in Congress.

Mr. Schumer’s remarks came a day after Senate Republicans invited Mr. Netanyahu to speak as their special guest at a party retreat in Washington. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 3 Republican, asked Mr. Netanyahu to address Republicans virtually, but he could not appear because of a last-minute scheduling conflict. Ambassador Michael Herzog, Israel’s envoy to the United States, spoke in his place and also addressed the House G.O.P. gathering on Thursday.

In his speech at the Capitol, Mr. Schumer, who represents a state with more than 20 percent of the country’s Jewish population, was careful to assert that he was not trying to dictate any electoral outcome in Israel. He prefaced his harsh criticism of Mr. Netanyahu with a long defense of the country, which he said American Jews “love in our bones.”

Mr. Schumer said there had been an “inaccurate perception” of the war that lays too much blame on Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza without focusing enough on how Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields. And he acknowledged how difficult it was for traumatized Israelis to contemplate the possibility of a two-state solution at this time.

But he was unsparing in his criticism of Mr. Netanyahu, calling the prime minister one of the top obstacles to achieving peace in the Middle East, along with Hamas, “radical right-wing Israelis” and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, who he also said should be replaced.

“The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after Oct. 7,” Mr. Schumer said, referring to the day of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. “The world has changed — radically — since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past.”

Mr. Schumer said the only solution to the decades-old conflict was a two-state solution: “a demilitarized Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in equal measures of peace, security, prosperity and dignity.” He said Mr. Netanyahu, who has rejected the idea of Palestinian statehood, was jeopardizing Israel’s future.

“At this critical juncture, I believe a new election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel, at a time when so many Israelis have lost their confidence in the vision and direction of their government,” Mr. Schumer said, adding that he believed a majority of the Israeli public “will recognize the need for change.”

“As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may,” he said. “But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after Oct. 7.”

Mr. Schumer gave White House officials advance notice that he would be making the speech.

“We fully respect his right to make those remarks and to decide for himself what he’s going to say on the Senate floor,” said John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman. “He obviously feels strongly about this. We understand and respect that. This wasn’t about approval or disapproval or anything in any way, but he did give us a heads-up that he was going to do it.”

Mr. Schumer’s speech was the second time since Oct. 7 that he has taken to the Senate floor to address the Israeli-Hamas war. The conflict has prompted him to think more deeply and speak more openly about his Jewish faith and heritage, as well as the moral and political dilemmas the war has presented for Jews in Israel and the United States.

In November, Mr. Schumer made a deeply personal speech condemning the rise of antisemitism in America that has flared since Israel began retaliating against Hamas for its attack. Those remarks appeared to be mostly directed at members of his own party; he warned that some liberals and young people were “unknowingly aiding and abetting” antisemitism in the name of social justice. Mr. Schumer has since spoken to publishers about writing a book on antisemitism.

On Thursday, his speech was aimed squarely at Mr. Netanyahu and far-right members of his governing coalition, who Mr. Schumer said were falling short of Jewish values.

Mr. Herzog had a stern response. “Israel is a sovereign democracy,” he wrote on social media. “It is unhelpful, all the more so as Israel is at war against the genocidal terror organization Hamas, to comment on the domestic political scene of a democratic ally.”

In his remarks, Mr. Schumer said that Mr. Netanyahu refused to “disavow Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir and their calls for Israelis to drive Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank.”

“He won’t commit to a military operation in Rafah that prioritizes protecting civilian life,” Mr. Schumer said. “He won’t engage responsibly in discussions about a ‘day after’ plan for Gaza, and a longer-term pathway to peace.”

Mr. Schumer said that if Mr. Netanyahu and his current coalition remained in power, “then the United States will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage to change the present course.”

Underscoring how contentious the issue of Israel is in American politics, Mr. Schumer’s speech was criticized by both the right and the left.

Layla Elabed, the campaign manager for Listen to Michigan, an antiwar group of activists who voted “uncommitted” in the state’s Democratic presidential primary, said that “Senator Schumer is beginning to shift but far too slowly and with little substance for what actions Biden can take now to stop the outrageous civilian death toll in Gaza.”

Nicholas Fandos and Peter Baker contributed reporting.

Annie Karni is a congressional correspondent for The Times. She writes features and profiles, with a recent focus on House Republican leadership. More about Annie Karni

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

The White House said that Israel had agreed to try to reschedule a canceled visit to Washington  to discuss alternatives to a ground offensive in Rafah, the southern Gaza city.

A new Gallup poll showed that a majority of Americans disapprove of Israel’s action in Gaza.

The latest exchange of fire  between Israel and Hezbollah across the Lebanon border has raised fears that the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas — a Hezbollah ally — could spiral into a wider conflict .

Israel has deployed an expansive facial recognition program in Gaza . The experimental effort, which has not been disclosed, is being used to conduct mass surveillance in the territory.

Palestinian Detainees: Israel has imprisoned more than 9,000 Palestinians suspected of militant activity . Rights groups say that some have been abused or held without charges.

A Hostage’s Account: Amit Soussana, an Israeli lawyer, is the first former hostage to speak publicly about being sexually assaulted  during captivity in Gaza.

A Power Vacuum: Since the start of the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has done little to address the power vacuum that would appear after Israeli forces leave Gaza. The risks of inaction are already apparent in Gaza City .

Chuck Schumer’s Speech:  Speaking to the U.S. Senate, the majority leader and highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States branded Netanyahu a major impediment to peace. In an interview, he explained why he felt obligated  to call for new leadership in Israel.

John Kerry’s Four Decades of Raising Climate Awareness on the World Stage

S itting in a taxi in Munich in February, stuck in traffic, John Kerry wrestled with an idea. The U.S. climate envoy was in southern Germany to attend an annual security conference, spending his days pushing world leaders to work together to fight global warming . But in a few hours, the former Secretary of State would receive an award named in honor of a well-known Nazi resister, Ewald von Kleist. As he ruminated on his remarks, he worked to connect what he called the “echoes of the 1930s” in today’s geopolitics with the need for unity on climate action.

By the time he took the stage to accept the award that night, Kerry had found the words to make the connection in a blunt speech lasting less than 15 minutes. “On climate, on Ukraine , and on so much more, the whole world needs to come together,” he told the dignitaries gathered in the ornate Bavarian palace where the ceremony was being held. “I hate to say it, and it’s not an exaggeration—but we do stand next to another abyss. It is the test of our own times, a test as acute and as existential as any previous one.”

Read More: It’s a New Era of Climate Geopolitics. And It’s Not Just For Policy Wonks

Over the past 40 years, Kerry has used his positions as U.S. Senator, Democratic nominee for President, and top American diplomat to bring climate action to the highest levels of international relations, using his stature and knack for persuasion to push the issue at home and abroad. As a Senator, he showed up at global climate meetings to keep the U.S. engaged. He would eventually piece together a bold, if ultimately unsuccessful, congressional effort to price carbon. Running for President, he leaned into the climate message with a commitment unlike any major-party nominee before him. And as Secretary of State he made the issue a State Department priority, created a global oceans conference that continues to this day, and helped broker the landmark Paris Agreement.

As the issue has risen on the global agenda in recent years, Kerry has been among the most influential voices shaping the tone and substance of the conversation. And despite the dark overtones of his Munich speech, devotees and critics alike often say Kerry’s defining characteristic is his optimism. He is able to look at the most dire situations , from climate change to the Middle East , and identify a path for everyone to come to their senses—often against the odds.

Read More: John Kerry’s Next Move

That optimism was tested from the start in his role as President Joe Biden’s climate envoy . Kerry entered the job in the middle of the pandemic and in the wake of an Administration that had effectively withdrawn the U.S. from international climate discussions. He immediately began hopping around the world calling on Presidents and princes to deliver the message that the U.S. could be trusted. By the end of the first year, he was launching coalitions and helping broker key international climate deals. “I know that people criticize the optimism,” says Amos Hochstein, a key international energy adviser to Biden who worked closely with Kerry. “I think it’s his superpower.”

That approach panned out at last year’s U.N. climate conference in Dubai , where Kerry held firm in his support of the oil CEO charged with leading the summit even as many climate advocates called for the executive to step down. “He sticks with his convictions,” says Sue Biniaz, a longtime adviser who served as his deputy climate envoy.

Kerry now begins a new chapter. He resigned from his role as climate envoy on March 6, but at the age of 80, after nearly 40 years in government, he is not retiring. Instead, he plans to join the private sector, drumming up money to finance climate efforts in the places that need it the most. It’s a fitting move. Kerry named his memoir Every Day Is Extra after a saying he and his buddies used as a touchstone during the Vietnam War. It’s a reminder to himself—and everyone else—not to sit on the sidelines when problems need solving.

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• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation

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Write to Justin Worland at [email protected]