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Speaker Instructions

Instructions & Added Information for Speakers

Style: Debates not speeches.

  • Please make sure you introduce yourself to the Sound Engineers 15 minutes before your panel, and ask to meet the session moderator.
  • Please spend a few minutes with the Moderator and other panelists to agree strategies.
  • Standing/sitting: All sessions are in dialogue format with little time for stand-up speeches. Please try to comply.
  • Sessions will start on time and live streamed as soon as the starting music ends, without paying attention to the number of people returning to the hall.
  • Each panel will start with a brief (3-4 minute) introduction by the moderator who will then pose an opening question to each panellist, in turns and in the order of the programme.
  • Each panellist will respond by giving a maximum 5 minute overview with a couple of key messages to communicate. Please do not try to cover all your points during the first opportunity. There will be at least two more protected opportunities to communicate other points.
  • After the first round, the moderator will come back to the first speaker, ask a new set of questions, giving them another 5 minutes to respond.
  • After the second round, the moderator will turn to the audience for questions, taking 3-4 questions at a time, before asking speakers to respond. The moderator should make sure the audience do not exceed two minutes in their interventions and focus on asking questions, not long speeches. Ideally, the moderator should leave enough time for two rounds of Q&A.
  • The Moderator will then turn to the speakers to make final comments, 2 minutes each.
  • Please adhere to the time allowed and cooperate with the moderator.
  • The moderators  are expected to keep the debate constructive and not allow dilution or drifting to side issues.
  • The session will end on time, and the ending music will start irrespective of whether the discussion has ended or not.