An invitation to speak at an international forum is an honour and an opportunity. It is also a particular challenge: your audience may include people from dozens of countries, many of whom are listening in their second or third language. A few adjustments to how you prepare will make your message clearer for everyone.

Start with one clear message

Before you write a single slide, finish this sentence: "If the audience remembers only one thing, it should be..." Build your talk around that message and cut anything that does not support it. A focused talk is easier to follow, easier to interpret and easier to remember.

Use plain, international English

  • Choose short sentences and common words over complex vocabulary.
  • Avoid idioms, sports metaphors and slang that may not translate, such as "a home run" or "a ballpark figure".
  • Explain acronyms the first time you use them, or avoid them altogether.
  • Be careful with humour: jokes that rely on wordplay or local references rarely travel well.

Design slides that support, not compete

Slides should help the audience follow you, not repeat everything you say. Use large fonts, high-contrast colours and one idea per slide. Written keywords help listeners who find spoken English harder to follow, and they help interpreters if the session is interpreted. Make sure your charts can be read from the back of the room.

Respect the clock

International programs run on tight schedules, and moderators will hold you to your time. Rehearse your talk aloud with a timer and plan to finish a little early: it leaves room for questions and shows respect for the speakers who follow you. Prepare a shorter version in case your session starts late.

Deliver at an international pace

Speak more slowly than feels natural and pause after key points. Pauses give listeners time to process, and they make you sound confident. Look at different parts of the room, and if there are interpreters, share your slides and notes with them in advance and avoid reading quickly from a script.

Prepare for questions

List the five questions you are most likely to be asked and prepare short answers. When a question comes, repeat or rephrase it so that everyone in the room has heard it, then answer concisely. If you do not know the answer, say so and offer to follow up after the session.

Check the practical details

Send your slides to the organizers by the deadline, in the format they request, and bring a backup copy. Arrive early to test the microphone, the clicker and any videos. Those few minutes prevent most of the problems that speakers fear.

The best international speakers are not necessarily the most polished. They are the ones who make complex ideas simple, respect their audience's time and leave the room with a message that everyone understood.