Good Commemorative Speech Topics And Examples

Every year, when Hogwarts started its new session, starting in September, Professor Dumbledore made the best welcome speech by beginning by welcoming the faces of the new wizards. But the event was more cheering when he said, "Let the Feast Begin!"

It's the positivity in Dumbledore's speech that brings out the value of the institution, more acceptable and motivating to the students, which is followed by encouragement to make the budding wizards the heroes of tomorrow.

This is nothing but the art of a commemorative speech. But since it's a commemorative speech, the topic must be well justified through - honor, motivation, information, and friendliness.

So, here is a detailed guideline on delivering a commemorative speech and explicit topic ideas. Check Below!

Factors of an Ideal Commemorative Speech

The term 'commemorative' itself makes it apparent that its purpose is to laud, celebrate, or remember various memories.

So, when you provide a commemorative speech, your goal must be to encourage listeners, bring them together, and help them recall the past. The events will include funerals, memorial services, reunions, dedications, and anniversaries as well.

Hence, for all of these, while delivering a commemorative speech topic, get prepared with the following factors -

Target Audience

Your speech can be for any type of important event, and as per the event, so will the audience.

So, before preparing a speech, get research done on your audience. For example, you can find answers to the following questions -

1. What drives your audience to the particle event?
2. What do the audiences have in common?
3. What is that one thing all of them 'do not support'?
4. What do they anticipate from you?
5. What do they hope for?
6. Do you have any background study on their morals and principles?
7. Do they have any concerns regarding your topic discussion?

When you overall find answers to the above questions, you can now modify your topic for the speech.

Learning the 'Purpose' of the Situation

You can learn more about the event for which you are preparing by speaking with the coordinators. For example, you can ask any volunteer or a manager to find out the previous reasons for conducting the event. Or, you can ask which important delegates that will witness your speech.

Learning about all these will make your speech 'occasion-related' rather than a generic speech. 

To learn more, consult our Guide on informative speech topics.

Skills You Need for a Commemorative Speech

A commemorative speech is no less than an important person presiding over a meeting or hosting an event. And to provide a speech on a topic like 'President's visit to the University,' you must certainly have some skills to keep listeners hooked to your words till the end.

And here are those skills to make your commemorative speech a success –

Engage listeners

A sentence like 'Good Morning, ladies & gentlemen!' may sometimes feel welcoming.

You can instead start with, “Ladies & gentlemen, it's an honor to find your presence…”

Instead, you provided them with importance from the start, and now they will be with you till the end of your speech.

You can try other methods like introducing some untold secrets (within reason), eliciting profound reflection and significant comprehension, or trying to be humorous while still paying tribute.

 For example, think of the particular person who had a certain childhood fetish of collecting pencils and never using them! 

Talk through the sound of inspiration

The popular quote of Swami Vivekananda, "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached," is, to date, one of the most inspirational words students hang up on their walls to bring back the urge to achieve goals.

Similar to such quotes, you must include certain inspiring words, slogans, stories, and even experiences that can stand as an example for the listeners. 

It is equally crucial that your speech emphasizes the holiness and worth of what you are discussing in addition to highlighting the principles you revere and want to impart. 

Shower the light of positivity in your speech

Delivering a positive message is a must to bring out the bright moments. Of course, an overly enthusiastic discourse can look unnatural, naive, or boring, so it is important to compromise wisely on this aspect. 

So, what you can do for such tactics is talk about how the person always challenges the obstacles and brings the best results. You can also talk about which qualities of the person felt fearless and how it can set a hope of positivity for the slides to never fear obstacles.

Show relevant context throughout

If you suddenly talk about a businessman based in Australia and talk about how his hard work brought him wealth, this will bring no connection to your listeners.

You need to bring a commonality in your speech with the listeners and then through some examples.

You can refer to some shared memories (even current events the US or your community have experienced) or any pertinent personal memories that can connect the audience and stay aware of what you talk about till the end.

Qualities of a Great Commemorative Speech

The above section precisely says how you must deliver a commemorative speech topic, but it doesn't tell you what qualities are necessary to have in your speech. And here they are -

Respect the standards of your listeners

If you are invited for a speech for the 25th year of the foundation of your school, you must talk about how the faculty is an inspiration for generations rather than sharing jokes about bunking classes.

To the point

Stretching a point to an extent is alright if it's informative. But you cannot divert from your actual cause of the topic. This can sometimes disturb the purpose of the commemoration. So, to balance the speech and talk to the point, prepare your speech in segments. This way, you will learn the order of your topic of discussion.

Genuineness

To be the speaker for an event, you cannot imitate yourself as a president out of nowhere.

Else, listeners might feel your speech is more about boasting. Hence, maintain the spirit of the event and talk about how the purpose of the event is motivation rather than talking about the grandeur.

Adding the narrative touch 

Unless your speech is a bit conversational, the audience will keep nodding their heads, and some might even start to leave the hall! To avoid such circumstances, maintain a connection with the audience and make your speech more of a narrative style rather than talking in a generic way.

Speech's ability to provide the feel of senses

If you are talking about your achievements of climbing a mountain, your words must have the caliber to provide a sense of the chills of the mountain breeze to your audience.

This will make your speech more realistic and keep the listeners engaged.

It will definitely help you learn persuasive speech topics if you follow this Guide!

Steps to Choose a Commemorative Speech Topic

Think of ideas

When choosing a topic, consider the details you would like to provide about the subject in order to make your speech and topic meaningful. Or the details regarding a circumstance or occurrence that you wish to impart to others.

When considering what stories to include, take into account the ones that you might like to hear in a speech commemorating a milestone. If you are speaking about a person, consider acceptable ways to describe them without offending them or anybody else.

Transmit a Deep Message

An instructive speech's goal is to inform the audience on a specific subject in a commemorative address. Even though the primary objective of the speech is to honor or remember something, the rest of the speech must clearly and purposefully convey your point.

Gather Info

When giving a speech, it's crucial to keep in mind that it's not simply about your thoughts or memories. In order for those things to truly resonate with individuals who hear them, it has to incorporate the metaphorical language you use, which creates stories and gives meaning.

Topic Ideas for Good Commemorative Speech

Influential Commemorative Speech Topics

1. Paying homage to influential American presidents
2. Remembering Martin Luther King's life and its effects on democracy
3. The Background of the American Constitution
4. Honoring civil rights movement pioneers
5. A tribute to the first lunar landing participant
6. Barack Obama's economic impact on the United States
7. Keeping in mind the first World Cup champions
8. Honoring the families of those who lost loved ones in the 9/11 assault
9. Successful and motivational examples of environmental advocacy
10. Keeping in mind the veterans who valiantly fought for America's independence
11. Examples of both men and women who have devoted themselves selflessly to children
12. The work of a specific environmental activist 

Topics on Comedy for Commemorative Speech 

1. A celebration of Mr Bean and his role in fostering happiness in the world
2. Recalling the initial broadcast of cartoons on television
3. A celebration of Charlie Chaplin and his contribution to the world of comedy
4. "Reminiscing about the first time I made chocolate pancakes."
5. "How I initially meet my high school best friend?"
6. "The first day, I presided over a birthday celebration."
7. Celebrating SpongeBob's contribution to human humor
8. Respecting the brains behind the Cartoon Network
9. Recollecting some of Abraham Lincoln's humorous remarks
10. Recognizing the value of characters from action films
11. Remembering the first woman who tore your heart out

Topics Ideal for College Students for Commemorative Speech 

1. Honoring one of the university's top academics
2. Reminiscing about your first day in college
3. The importance of significant scientific advancements to the modern world
4. A breakthrough in the classroom that altered your outlook on life
5. We can learn values and virtues from George Washington's life.
6. Recalling medical professionals who valiantly fought the coronavirus epidemic
7. Milestones achieved in the field of medicine by medical engineers

Examples of Commemorative Speech

Follow these examples and find out how to prepare a commemorative speech for a certain topic –

Example 1

A Tribute to My Perfect Place

Everyone has had a bad day. Maybe you lost your job, maybe you got into a car accident, or maybe your boyfriend/girlfriend broke up with you. Whatever the case may be, perhaps somehow you needed to get the bad thoughts out of your head. Everyone has their own way of getting rid of the bad thoughts. My way is by thinking about my perfect place, the place that makes me smile just by thinking about it. That place is Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
Fergus Falls is a small, country town in the northwestern corner of Minnesota. To most people, it is a town they have never heard of. To most people, it is a town too small to be exciting in any way. To most people, it is just another country town with "nothing to do". But I am not most people, and I am here to pay tribute to this small, country town.
My mother grew up in Fergus Falls. After college she moved to LaCrosse, Wisconsin, for work, leaving behind her two sisters and her dad. This meant that she would travel back to Fergus Falls for holidays bringing along my father, my brother and myself. To my mother, going back to Fergus Falls was horrible. She has never been happier than the day she left that town and moved to WI. To my father, visiting the relatives was something we had to do, regardless of whether we wanted to or not. To my brother, going to Fergus Falls was just another 6 hours drive of "pure boringness". But to me, going to Fergus Falls was the greatest treat in the world.
Fergus Falls has a population of 13,471 people. But this town is not just about its population; it's about the people. The people, who without ever meeting you, smile and wave when you walk past; the people, who without knowing anything about you, greet you like they have known you for years; the people, who without any judgement at all, welcome you into their town and into their lives.
Fergus Falls is a town that is split into two sections: the city area and the country area. While the town is mainly country, the city is like any other city. It has a mall, movie theater, bowling alleys, and a roller skating rink. So this town with "nothing to do", is just like any other town that has "nothing to do". 

FAQs

Q.1. Can a tribute be called a commemorative speech?

Speeches in remembrance of a special occasion, person, event, item, or idea are called tribute speeches. So, yes, you can definitely consider a tribute as a commemorative speech.  

Q.2. Which types of speeches are used for important occasions?

Following are the types of speeches valuable for occasions -

1. Speeches introducing topics
2. The presentation speeches
3. Speeches of acknowledgment
4. Dedication speeches, toasts, roasts, and eulogies
5. Speech for farewell

Q.3. What is defined as commemorative speeches?

Addresses of praise, homage, or celebration are referred to as commemorative speeches. Commemorative speeches honor a person, family, organization, object, occasion, or notion.

Q.4. How do you begin a commemorative speech?

To start a memorial speech, adhere to the following steps:

1. Tell them a great tale or relate a personal experience.
2. Cite a moving passage or a metaphor
3. Raise them a question
4. Begin with an intriguing fact
5. Laugh with the audience
6. Imagine a situation in your head and then see it. 
7. Give a strong remark.
8. Provide your own take on it

Q.5. How long do commemorative speeches last?

Keep your ceremonial speech brief—between one and five minutes—except when you are the main speaker. Due to the shortness of your speech, pick concepts and words that will have an impact, and practice your delivery so that you can accurately transmit the meaning and emotion of your speech.

Q.6. What are the top three speech categories?

Despite the fact that there are many different kinds of public speeches, they may generally be divided into three groups based on their intended outcome: instructive, persuasive, and entertaining.

Q.7. What do commemorative speeches aim to accomplish?

A commemorative speech's main goal is to arouse the audience's enthusiasm for the individual, organization, event, thing/monument, or concept being honored. A commemorative speech differs from an informational speech despite typically presenting information on its subject.

Q.8. How do you end a commemorative speech?

The conclusion should restate key principles and express optimism for the future. So, use a transitional phrase to indicate to your listeners that your speech is coming to an end. 

Q.9. Why is commemoration essential?

Commemoration distinguishes the exceptional from the commonplace or the remarkable from the everyday. So, with commemorative acts like speeches and homage ceremonies, people can understand the value of the issue.

Q.10. In a commemorative speech, how do you honor someone?

To honor someone in a commemorative speech, write about the person's best traits and life accomplishments in a tribute.