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Guidelines

Overview

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. Judges will choose one boy and one girl to advance directly to the next round. Additionally, each country will host a regional competition where second- and third-place winners can compete for another opportunity to advance. At regionals, one boy and one girl will be selected to participate in the international competition.

In Year Two, finalists will advance to compete in the International Finals, which will take place at the WISE International Summit from 27 – 31 December 2025 in Najaf, Iraq.

For Participants

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.

Rules

  • All participants must be between the ages of 12-17 years old on September 1st, 2025.
  • Each participant will have a maximum of 6 minutes to deliver their presentation.
  • The presentation must be 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 Solution Oriented Public Speaking Rubric.

Dress Code

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.

Topic Ideas

Controversial Topics

  • Should animals be kept in a zoo?
  • Impact of videogames on the brain and akhlaqh (character)
  • Impact and use of social media.

Environmental Issues

  • How to control water pollution
  • Impact of pollution and plastic on our environment.
  • Reducing our environmental footprint

Social Issues

  • Making friends versus socializing, what criteria should we have for each?
  • What has social media done to our personal and family life in the past few years?
  • Family, friends, and social media, how much of each?
  • What is the correct way to approach a rebellious youth?
  • Mending the broken trust, how to re-engage the youth.

Religion Focused

  • Does our God belong to our houses and centers only?
  • How can we enjoin the good and forbid the evil in our daily lives?
  • Religion and culture, which is which?
  • Indifferent or Responsible, a Muslim by our praying mat or for the whole world?
  • Being unapologetically Muslim.
  • Importance of creating family traditions.
  • How to create a Mahdavi society?

Global Issues

  • Current world events.
  • Community activism.

Leadership, Justice, & Diversity

  • Diversity, respect for people or their actions, or both?
  • Leadership in the eyes of Imam Ali (AS).
  • Empowering the youth.

Community Change

  • Lessons in community management.
  • Muslim community outreach
  • Building communities with exponential impact.
  • Service to the community is service to humanity.
  • Volunteer and community services.

Presentation Tips and Guidelines

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)

For Schools

All Islamic Schools and local Islamic centers have the opportunity to participate in the WISE Talks program and competition. Participants come from WISE Schools all over the world.

Phase 1: In-House & Regional Competition

The competition begins at the school level. The judging panel will select one boy and one girl to advance to the next round. Organizations can choose the rewards for their local winners. Schools can send their 2nd and 3rd place winners to the Regional competition for an additional chance to advance to the international stage.

Phase 2: Summit Competition

Finalists will attend the WISE International Summit in Najaf, Iraq, and present their WISE Talk. The judging panel will determine 3 winners from the finalists. First place will be awarded $1000, and the first and second runners-up will receive $400 and $300, respectively.

For School Judging Panels

The judges will grade all speakers according to the provided rubric. The grading will only consider the factors identified in the rubric to remain objective. While the number of judges for the international competition will be between three and five, on the in-house competition level there should be a minimum of three judges.

Requirements for Judges

  1. There should be at least one scholar on the judging panel (with education experience and strong English proficiency).
  2. A school administrator with classroom experience.
  3. A teacher of language arts/English for the age group being judged.
  4. A person who is experienced in public speaking on a professional level.

WISE Talks Finals

Students selected for the finals must submit their abstracts and presentations two months before the competition to ensure they are mission-aligned with the Islamic faith and WISE Talks mission.

  1. Participants submit abstracts two months prior for review.
  2. Upon approval, participants submit final materials one month before the competition:
    • Title of the presentation
    • Final abstract (150 – 800 words)
    • A photo of the participant
    • Visual presentation file (MS PPT, Prezi, or Google Slide)