Kölner Sprechbar | Review of our club meeting on April 1, 2026
On April 1, 2026, Kölner Sprechbar in Cologne held its first club meeting with the new schedule: room set-up from 6:30 pm and meeting start at 7:00 pm. Six members, guest speaker Lien, and two additional guests came together for an evening that Meral rightly described as cosy — but it was also full of rhetoric, communication, and the joy of public speaking. 🎤✨
The word of the evening, “to fool somebody”, chosen by Christian K., was a perfect match for April Fool’s Day. It was used especially well by Aleksandr, who also served as Table Topics Moderator. His topic, “April Fool’s Day”, led to lively spontaneous speaking about pranks, fake news, jokes, renaming the day, or even cancelling it altogether. These table topics showed exactly how a Toastmasters meeting helps people speak freely, build self-confidence, and improve their communication skills in front of an audience. For his strong moderation, Aleksandr not only guided the session with humour and structure, but also received the Hammer of the Evening award.
A special highlight of the evening was the prepared speech by guest speaker Lien from Düsseldorf Toastmasters. In her speech, “The Afterlife Package,” she spoke about a cruise that at first seemed likely to become a dull trip, but instead turned into a rich experience through the stories, energy, and Lebenslust of the older people on board. Her speech was engaging, heartfelt, and memorable — and deservedly won Best Prepared Speech. 🌟
The evening also showed what makes a speaking club so valuable for personal development. New member Geniya stepped in as timer, while Meral motivated the audience with her Toastmasters success story and encouraged everyone to overcome obstacles on the journey to becoming a better speaker and to take part in speech contests. Julia supported the meeting by collecting and counting the ballots and won Best Table Topics Speech with her story about pranking her mother with a plastic spider in a salad. Christian K. evaluated Lien’s speech with insight and clarity and received the award for Best Evaluation Speech.
All in all, the evening combined laughter, strong speeches, spontaneous speaking, and a warm atmosphere. It was a fine example of how Toastmasters International helps people in Cologne improve presentation skills, reduce speaking anxiety, and grow through regular practice and feedback.
And one more reminder: since April 1, Kölner Sprechbar starts with set-up at 6:30 pm and the official meeting begins at 7:00 pm. The club looks forward to welcoming members and guests again very soon. 😊
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