HAU Athens Toastmasters Club

Challenge Accepted. 💪✨

Every great speaker started uncomfortable. Growth doesn't happen when we stay safely in our comfort zones; it happens when we step up to the microphone, take a breath, and speak our minds.

This Wednesday at HAU Athens Toastmasters, we are mixing things up. Along with our usual meeting elements, we are hosting an extended Table Topics section.

What does that mean for you? It means more opportunities than usual for everyone in the room to participate. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to practice impromptu speaking, this is a rare, low-stakes, and incredibly supportive environment to push yourself just a little bit further.

Whether you are a seasoned speaker or looking to overcome stage fright, your seat is waiting. Come for the challenge, stay for the community.

📅 When: Wednesday, 27 May
⏰ Time: Networking from 18:45 | Meeting from 19:00 – 21:00
📍 Where: ArtConnect (Ilia Poulopoulou 21, Athens)

🎟️ How to join us: Spaces are limited. DM us directly or send an email to [email protected] to secure your spot as a guest!

Step up. Speak out. Grow together. 🚀

🚫 S*x, religion, politics... and some cursing and death. We went there.

Last Wednesday, HAU Athens Toastmasters threw out the standard rulebook for a special "Forbidden Topics" Speak-athon. 🎙️✨

Instead of playing it safe, 7 courageous speakers stepped up to share raw, vulnerable stories about their political beliefs, their relationship with God, s*x, and mortality. It wasn’t just about public speaking—it was about tearing down walls and building real community. 🫂

Huge applause to our lineup: 🎤 Giovanni (who crushed his very first Icebreaker speech! 🎉) 🎤 Roula, Konstantinos, Vasiliki, Alexandra, Ioannis, & Melody

Additionally, Dimitris Livas kept us completely entertained as our charming Toastmaster of the Evening, and our Area Director Katarina Ioannidou joined as General Evaluator to share her expert feedback. 🌟

This night proved that magic happens when we step outside the box. We’re already planning our next unconventional event—stay tuned! 🚀

⏳ LAST CALL: The "Forbidden Topics" Night is Tomorrow!

The countdown is on. In 24 hours, the filters come off. We have officially reached the "final few seats" stage for our most provocative event of the year.

Once these last spots are claimed, we are strictly at capacity—no exceptions.

🔥 THE UNFILTERED STAGE

This isn't your typical Toastmasters evening. We aren't here for polite small talk; we are here for raw, powerful speeches on the topics usually left at the door:

S*X

POLITICS

RELIGION

Come witness our speakers navigate the intense feelings and raw perspectives of the "Big Three" in a way you’ve never heard before. These are unfiltered speeches, delivered straight from the heart.

📍 LOGISTICS & RSVP

WHEN: Tomorrow, Wednesday, 13 May | 19:00–21:00 (Arrive at 18:45 to network)

WHERE: Athens Meeting Rooms — Sofokleous 7-9

STATUS: ALMOST FULL.

📩 SECURE YOUR SEAT BEFORE THEY’RE GONE

Don't be the one hearing about it afterward. To claim one of the final remaining spots, DM us immediately or email us at [email protected].

When the doors close tomorrow, the "Forbidden Topics" stay inside. Will you be there to hear them?

The secret is out, and the stakes just got higher. 🤐🔥

We’re lifting the veil on our "Forbidden Topics" night, but there’s a catch: Space is limited. The room we’ve secured is intimate, which means once we hit capacity, the doors are staying shut.

📍 THE REVEAL: WHERE WE’RE MEETING

We are heading to: Athens Meeting Rooms — Sofokleous 7-9

⚠️ WHY YOU NEED TO HURRY

At Toastmasters, we usually steer clear of the "Big Three." But on Wednesday, the 13th of May, the HAU Athens Toastmasters Club is stripping away the filters for a special event featuring speeches on:

🔥 S*X

🔥 POLITICS

🔥 RELIGION

Expect raw perspectives, extra speeches, and a side of our club you’ve never seen before. Because of the nature of this event and the venue size, spots are filling up fast.

📅 THE DETAILS

WHEN: Wednesday, 13 May | 19:00–21:00 (Networking at 18:45)

STATUS: Limited Seating – RSVP Required.

📩 CLAIM YOUR SPOT NOW

Don’t get left out in the hallway. DM us immediately or email [email protected] to get your name on the list before we're fully booked.

We finally met our "Digital Mentor" in the flesh! 💙

If you’ve been to an HAU Athens Toastmasters meeting lately, you know Yannis Kanlis. He’s the voice of wisdom and supportive mentor whose charm and positive energy radiate through the screen, infusing our meetings with warmth all the way from France. 🇫🇷✈️🇬🇷

Last night, the pixels became a reality! We gathered to welcome Yannis back to Athens, and the energy was electric. It’s one thing to hear someone’s advice through a speaker, but it’s another thing entirely to share a laugh and a conversation in person.

This gathering reminded us of the incredible community we’ve built. HAU Athens is home to such a wide range of voices, personalities, and strengths. When we get together, that diversity is our greatest asset.

We spent the evening bonding over shared ideas and "dreaming big" about the future of our club. We’re already planning:

More frequent meet-ups to keep the momentum going.

Experimental themes and formats to keep our skills sharp and our meetings fresh.

New ways to collaborate, drawing on the unique talents every member brings to the table.

We’re walking away from last night inspired and ready for the next chapter. See you at the next meeting: The Forbidden Topics—S*x, Politics & Religion on 13 May (Wednesday)! 🎤✨

DM or message [email protected] to join us. 

The topics you were told to avoid... are now MANDATORY. 🚫🗣️

At Toastmasters, we usually steer clear of the "Big Three." But on Wednesday, May 13th, the HAU Athens Toastmasters Club is breaking the rules.

We’re stripping away the filters for a special event featuring speeches on:
🔥 S*X
🔥 POLITICS
🔥 RELIGION

Expect extra speeches, raw perspectives, and our club completely exposed.

📍 WHERE? It’s so exclusive, the location is still under wraps. Stay tuned for the big reveal—we’re keeping this one a mystery for just a little longer. 🤫

📅 WHEN: Wednesday, 13 May | 19:00–21:00

📩 JOIN US: DM us or email [email protected] to get on the list.

SpeakYourTruth

What does resilience actually look like?

Sometimes it’s standing up for your very first speech. Sometimes it’s pushing past self-doubt. At HAU Athens Toastmasters, it looks like "falling down seven times and standing up eight." 🌱

Our recent meeting was a masterclass in perseverance! Here are the highlights:

🎤 The Brave First Steps: Huge kudos to Thanos Liakos and Ero Lefa for delivering their Icebreaker speeches. Stepping onto the stage for the first time takes guts, and you both crushed it! A special shout-out to Ero Lefa for taking home Best Speaker of the Night.

📈 Leveling Up: Dimitris Levas moved us forward as he entered Level 2 of his Toastmasters journey.

💡 The Educational Edge: We had a true "aha!" moment thanks to Melody Bartholomew. As one of our native speakers, Melody broke down a tricky English preposition that often trips up even the most fluent Greek speakers. It was the kind of insight you only get in a supportive, international environment like ours!

🧠 Thinking on the Spot: Alexandra Nasopoulo led a high-energy Table Topics session, challenging us to think (and speak!) fast under pressure.

🏆 Celebrating Success: We are still beaming with pride for Roula Papathanasiou, Dimitris Livas, and Konstantinos Papastathis for their recent achievements at the Rhodes Division B Area Contest!

What’s next? Mark your calendars for May 13th. We’re breaking the "unwritten rules" with our theme: “S*x, Politics, and Religion.” It’s going to be an evening of bold ideas and boundary-pushing conversation.

Whether you want to build confidence or find your voice, guests are always welcome!

"Fall down seven times. Stand up eight." That's the theme of our next meeting, Wednesday 29 April.

Join us at HAU Athens Toastmasters for a night of growth, grit, and great company! Whether you’re looking to sharpen your public speaking or just want to meet an amazing community, we’d love to see you there. 

🗓 When: April 29th | 19:00 - 21:00

📍 Where: Ivis 4 Boutique Hotel & Restaurant (NEW LOCATION!)

🌐 Online: Contact us to join virtually!

Don't wait until the eighth time to join us. Do it this week.

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding performance of our members at this past weekend’s Toastmasters International Division B Contest!

Please join us in congratulating:

Roula Papathanasiou: Who secured 1st Place in the Greek Prepared Speech Contest, earning the title of National Champion for the year.

Dimitris Livas: For earning 2nd Place in Greek Table Topics.

Konstantinos Papastathis: For his 2nd Place finish in the Prepared Speech category (English).

Beyond the competitive stage, our club’s leadership was on full display. Rita Kalomeiri excelled in her role as Madame Contest Chair, ensuring a seamless event, while our founder, Barbara Kondilis, shared her expertise through a workshop on personality colors.

A special note of joy as two of our winners, Roula and Dimitris, celebrated their birthdays during this milestone weekend.

We are incredibly proud to have such talent and dedication within the HAU Athens Toastmasters family!

DUE TO BAD WEATHER, TONIGHT'S MEETING IS NOW 100% ONLINE. Join us at https://bit.ly/HAUzoom

Would you rather hear an ugly truth or a beautiful lie? 🤔 Join HAU Athens Toastmasters for an evening of bold conversation, real growth, and great company. 

📅 Wednesday, 1 April | 19:00–21:00 
📍 Now online only! 
👉 DM us or email  [email protected]