Convention 2025: A Vision to Behold

Can you picture a new era of Toastmasters International? That’s exactly what online and onsite attendees did at the 2025 International Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Members from around the world gathered to visualize the future—both their own and the organization’s.

More than 1,200 people—from 82 countries—were onsite for the event, held at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown and the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

From inspiring speeches and informative education sessions to networking opportunities and the Toastmasters classic Sing-Along, members embraced the theme “Envision Your Next Move.” Read on for a recap of what you missed or a reminder of all this year’s convention had to offer.

 

 

World Championship of Public Speaking

After months of competition, beginning at the club level, eight speakers competed in the final round of the International Speech Contest on Saturday, August 23.

Sabyasachi Sengupta secured the title of World Champion of Public Speaking with his speech “Just Nod,” in which he shares his journey to discovering that performers don’t have to be Bollywood actors—they can perform in the boardroom, Toastmasters stage, and anywhere else in life. Representing District 59, he traveled to Philadelphia from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Mas Mahathir Bin Mohamad (District 51), from Malaysia, secured second place in his second time placing in the World Championship of Public Speaking^®. His speech was titled “... Raindrops.” Mahathir earned third place in the 2022 World Championship.

Allen Ang Boon Kiat, DTM (District 87), from Brunei, rounded out the winners, finishing in third place with his speech titled “Keep Dreaming.”

Annual Business Meeting

All eight proposed amendments to the Bylaws of Toastmasters International and the Club Constitution were adopted during the Annual Business Meeting. Members can read more about these amendments on the Toastmasters website.

The Golden Gavel Award

Lecturer, author, and podcaster Matt Abrahams is the 2025 recipient of Toastmasters’ illustrious Golden Gavel Award. In an engaging convention speech, he offered tips on how people can craft their message in a clear and compelling manner.

Abrahams, a onetime Toastmaster, lectures on organizational behavior at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, is the author of two books on public speaking and communication, and hosts an internationally popular podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart. You can view his speech via the On Demand access site and you can learn more about him in this Toastmaster profile.

Keynote Presentation

The Opening Ceremonies began with a Toastmasters favorite—the Parade of Flags. Countries from Antigua to Zimbabwe and everywhere in between were represented, with the Toastmasters International flag concluding the ceremony.

After the 2024–2025 International Directors and Officers were introduced, Anne Bonney, this year’s keynote speaker, took the stage and shared a story about a sticky situation involving a sea lion named Guthrie. She then grabbed her guitar for a song before launching into her presentation filled with advice to help Toastmasters learn to dance in the discomfort zone and embrace the constant of change.

After another song to wrap up, Bonney left attendees feeling energized and ready to dance and dive into the convention excitement at the Global Celebration Reception.

Education Sessions and Events

This year’s attendees were presented with five engaging education sessions designed to spark inspiration and creativity. All sessions are available On Demand with unlimited viewing. Click here.

Featured sessions:

• Dismantling Burnout – Cait Donovan
• The Story Finder: Speaking Tips From a World Champion – Ed Tate
• Futureboards Workshop – Sarah Centrella
• Lights, Camera, Impact: Mastering Video for Brand Building and Success – Forrest Tuff
• Shaping a New Era of Public Speaking: The NET Approach – Melinda Lee

New this year were four “Journey” workshops, led by Toastmasters and focused on topics geared toward members and clubs. Guided by an experienced Toastmasters leader, members shared their successful experiences and insights on a variety of topics. These workshops are also available On Demand. Click here.

Featured workshops:

• Corporate Club Clinic
• Value-Added Membership
• Club Growth on a Budget
• Becoming Distinguished

Hall of Fame

The annual Hall of Fame ceremony celebrated the successes of Distinguished Districts and individual members in the 2024–2025 program year. Below, winning Districts are listed by the highest percentage of Distinguished clubs within each Distinguished level.

1. Smedley Distinguished (12 Districts): 82, 116, 94^*, 104, 109, 130, 120, 59, 102, 129, 79, and Provisional District 122
2. President’s Distinguished (4 Districts): 105, 17, 93, and 46
3. Select Distinguished (8 Districts): 47, 89, 20, 119^*, 18, 54, 49, and 53
4. Distinguished (13 Districts): 121, 71, 88, 48, 34, 11, 107^*, 65, 42, 84, 9, 27, and 96

Presidential Citations were also presented to 15 members for exemplary service and dedication at the club, District, or international level.

^* Excellence in Leadership Award: Achieved Distinguished District for three or more consecutive years.

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