English-Speaking Union
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| Abbreviation | ESU |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1918 |
| Type | Educational charity |
| Headquarters | Dartmouth House |
| Location |
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Region served
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International |
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Official language
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English |
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Chairman
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The Rt Hon The Lord Boateng of Akyem PC DL |
| Website | www.esu.org |
The English-Speaking Union (ESU) is an international educational charity which was founded by the journalist Sir Evelyn Wrench in 1918 that aims to bring together and empower people of different languages and cultures, by building skills and confidence in communication, such that individuals realise their potential. With 35 branches in the United Kingdom and over 50 international ESUs in countries around the world, the ESU promotes a variety of activities such as debating, public speaking and student exchange programmes, runs conferences and seminars, and offers scholarships, to encourage the effective use of the English language around the globe.
The Aims of the English-Speaking Union (as stated on its website) are as follows:
The Union promotes:
1. The mutual advancement of education of the English-speaking world, respecting the traditions and heritage of those with whom we work whilst acknowledging the current events and issues that affect them.
2. The use of English as a shared language and means of international communication of knowledge and understanding,
provided always that these are at all times pursued in a non-political and non-sectarian manner.
These aims are taken from the ESU's Royal Charter.
The ESU was established in 1918 through the efforts of Sir Evelyn Wrench. In 1957 it received a Royal Charter, with Queen Elizabeth II as the royal patron. Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, has been President since 2013, having taken over from her father Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh who served from 1952 to 2012. Headquartered at Dartmouth House, Mayfair, London, its many activities are coordinated by the Director-General. The seventeen-member Board of Governors meets four times a year.
The ESU believes oracy – speaking and listening skills – should be at the centre of the school curriculum, and actively encourages the development of these skills through education and competition.
The ESU’s education department runs the John Smith Memorial Mace for university students (named after the former Labour party leader John Smith who was a member of the winning team of the competition in 1962), and The ESU Schools Mace, the oldest and largest debating competition for schools in England. Several alumni have gone on to be part of Team England or Team Wales (both funded and managed by the ESU) at the annual World Schools Debating Championships – a two-week tournament whose recent venues include Peru, Cape Town, Turkey and Thailand.
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