December 27-31, 2025 | Najaf, Iraq
December 27-31, 2025 | Najaf, Iraq
WISE Talks competition will be divided up into phases:
School level
The competition will have two rounds. All participants will deliver their speeches in the first round. The judges will use the provided rubric and judging criteria to select six participants who will proceed to the second round.
Global level
Finalists will attend the WISE international summit and present their WISE Talk. The judging panel will determine 3 winners from the finalists. Students will compete for the finals at the upcoming summit in December of 2023 in Najaf, Iraq
Our Mission
Topic Ideas
Topic suggestions are available for those with difficulty finding topics.
Rules
Before preparing to present, be sure to check the talk rules and regulations.
Application
Application for Internation Wise Competition is live now!
Prizes
brief information
The WISE Talks competition is divided into phases. In Year One, schools will host their own competitions, where students compete among their peers and first-, second-, and third-place winners are selected. First place boys and girls will advance to the regional competitions, while second- and third-place winners will serve as alternates. In addition, in Year One, Regional competitions will take place where 2nd and 3rd place winners can compete for another opportunity to advance. First place winners at regional will also advance to finals.
In Year Two, finalists will advance to compete in the International Finals, which will take place at the WISE International Summit in December 2025.
WISE Talks is a solution-oriented public speaking competition designed to empower students to become change-makers in their communities. Students are not only tasked with crafting a compelling speech but also with collaborating with local leaders to address real community challenges.
Participants will progress through school-level and regional-level competitions in Year One. Finalists will then present their WISE Talk on the international stage at the WISE Summit in December 2025.
This website provides the essential information students need to be fully prepared and confident throughout the competition.
All participants must be between the ages of 12–17 on September 1, 2025.
Each participant will have a maximum of 6 minutes to deliver their presentation.
Presentations must be delivered in English.
All presentations must include visual aids or visual presentation files.
Participants must seek approval to use video files in their presentations.
All participants must respect and adhere to the given dress code.
All participants must follow the official WISE Talks judging rubric.
The program’s leaders recommend business casual attire for all participants that reflect the presentation topic. All participants (males and females) must abide by the Islamic dress code and not wear any branded clothing except for WISE Talks.
As you begin to organize your WISE Talk topic and research, use the following guidelines and tips to help you build a stronger presentation. Also, it is highly recommended that you review the rubric.
- Research and understand your topic before building your argument.
- Consider your audience’s needs and connect with them.
- Start with a strong hook that peaks your audiences’ interests (a-ha! moment)
- Ensure your key points relate back to your topic
- Defend your position respectfully without attacking other beliefs, cultures, and values.
- Organize your slide shows to align with your topic and presentation
- Engage your audience and use the whole stage space
- Make eye contact with your audience and use appropriate gestures, body language, and voice intonation.
- Practice and have Tawakul (Faith)
