an eloquence contest in Paris to fight prejudice

Even if it means doing everything differently, for this eloquence contest which takes place this Tuesday, June 20 in Paris on the stage of the Grand Rex Jeanne has chosen a rap and beatbox intro on the theme of routine. ” is completely awesome, I said to myself why not me, Down syndrome or not, I’m happy to be here”, enthuses the young woman of 25 years.

>> “Speaking in front of everyone is safe”: high school students test their “speaker skills” during eloquence workshops at the Sorbonne

While waiting to go up to the main stage of the Grand Rex, rehearsals take place on the platform of an amphitheater at Paris Dauphine University (16th century). “the pleasuresir to be on stage and especially to speak in front of an audience. I love to talk, always“, smiles Jeanne.

Accept your difference

The one who created these workshops four years ago is Mounah Bizri, himself a stutterer. “a stutter which ten years ago prevented me say two words in a row. And in the first year of business school, I took part in an eloquence contest. I was terrified, but it allowed me to show that I could do it“, he recalls.

“We work on accepting our difference and we see that it has a long-term impact on mental health and professional integration.”

Mounah Bizri, organizer of eloquence workshops

at franceinfo

These are real challenges for those who often suffered from their difference when they were little, like Ulrich.” At school, they called me the snake because I stutter a lot on the if, it tends to go ssssssss. I can laugh about it now, but it was very hard…. It builds personality “.

“In my work, I always inform my interlocutors that I am a person who stutters without apologizing or anything. The person is patient and the exchanges go perfectly“, continues Ulrich. And proof of the confidence given and the talents thus revealed: Jeanne has just been hired in a private radio station, when Maxence, who is autistic, is about to enter a theater school.