Independence Day 2024: Tips and speech ideas to draft a memorable speech for your I-Day school function
Independence Day 2024: If you are planning to make a speech this I-DAY, here are five essentials tips that can help your speech stand out!
Are you planning to make a speech this Independence Day that should be both interesting and informative? Well, India’s Independence Day is most certainly a day to rejoice and celebrate. It is quite natural for educational institutions upholding the country's pride and glory to organize functions at different levels to sensitize the participants on issues concerning their motherland.
Speeches relating to the occasion should naturally form an important seminal place in the agenda of celebrations.
This article seeks to offer five essential tips for an Independence Day speech worth its salt.
1. Mention the freedom heroes
A good speech must necessarily include a brief account of the sacrifices of the great freedom fighters responsible for the nation’s independence. These may include the names of such great heroes of the freedom struggle like Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the great Bhagat Singh, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, to name a few. A reference to the ideals, beliefs, strategies, and modus operandi of all these figures must find a respectable mention. For instance, Gandhiji’s principles of non-violence and satyagraha or Netaji’s famous appeal –“Tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi dunga!” (Give me blood, and I promise you freedom!) should find a special mention in your Independence Day speech.
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2. Underlining the duties and responsibilities
While talking of the need to celebrate the country’s independence, the speech should also serve as an eye-opener of the duties and responsibilities that we as independent citizens of the nation owe to our motherland. While talking about unfurling the tri-colour, it is also important to talk about upholding the values of equality, justice, and brotherhood as a true mark of reverence to the national flag. A word or two may also be added to the tri-colour itself by way of explaining the significance of the three colours, the Ashok Chakra, and the order in which they ought to come.
3. Celebrating growth and development
No speech would be complete without any reference to the kind of growth and progress of the country in different fields since the days of the ‘British Raj’. For instance, an account of the progress made by the country in the field of education must be necessarily acknowledged. Similarly, the advancement in the field of science and technology must be accounted for. Likewise, the very important aspect of women empowerment and emancipation must be emphasised. Finally, the fact of economic growth and the concomitant features of per-capita income and the GDP need to be underscored.
4. Point out the challenges
True, the speech should focus on the country’s progress. But we should not lose sight of the fact that with every passing day, new challenges of different hues and restrictions are thrown before us in spite of the best efforts by people at the helm of affairs. These include the perennial problems of poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, health issues, price rise, etc., on the domestic front. Likewise, border disputes with neighbouring countries, international trade, balancing global relationships in the area of external affairs should also be dilated upon.
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5. Preserving unity in diversity
A good speech should necessarily include a narrative on the need to preserve the age-old glory of preserving the country’s unity amidst the manyfold diversities. Consequently, the speech should focus on how the tendency to dictate and restrict beliefs, traditions, customs, and practices from a majoritarian perspective from the corridors of power needs to be eschewed. Similarly, the speech should dwell on the necessity of respecting the cultural attitudes of regions across the country and the need to encourage sovereign narratives instead of embracing ideas built on the scaffold of Western perceptions.