The Spirit of Wittenberg Conference

Rhetoric is dead, but it thrives. – Professor Jennifer Richards

The study of rhetoric taught leaders how to connect emotionally as human beings.

It was also a way to develop a flexible mindset, generate new ideas and find appropriate words to motivate others.

From a historical perspective, rhetoric’s neglect is an historical anomaly.

For over 2,500 years the art of rhetoric occupied a central place in education and public life.

We’re now at a turning point.

With the arrival of AI, the art of speaking well is likely to replace the written word as a way to evaluate educational achievement.

It is also likely to change what we expect from our leaders.

The Spirit of Wittenberg conference is for people working in business, politics or education who want to reconnect with Europe’s rhetorical heritage.

Join us to revisit the way Luther and Melancthon studied the language arts, and find new ways to reinvigorate European intellectual, cultural and commercial life.

Why attend?

This is a special conference organised by the European Speechwriter Network to create a vision for the future based on a deeper connection with Europe’s shared intellectual roots.

Over the past 17 years the European Speechwriter Network has brought together people with expertise in writing, speaking and performing, drawing on the Classical rhetorical tradition.

These writers have rediscovered the enduring value of  a subject that has been sidelined and obscured by institutions for centuries.

Humanist writings…presented skill in rhetoric as an essential attainment for effective and benevolent government.

Peter Mack

Who should attend?

Previous conferences in Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Helsinki and Berlin have attracted writers from four Prime Ministers’ offices, the European Commission, NATO, Airbus, BMW, IBM, the CBI, Orange, Deloitte, the United Nations, the European Investment Bank, Coca Cola as well as the Dutch, Danish and British civil service.

This conference is open to academics, politicians and teachers, as well as our normal audience of professional communicators.

The Programme

The first day will be a masterclass from one of America’s leading writers on rhetoric, Jay Heinrichs.

Jay will explain how rhetoric was taught, why rhetoric is so important, why it was instrumental in the rise of Wittenberg and how you can use it to understand and use AI more effectively.

The second and third day will be a conference format with short speeches from writers, academics and teachers. It will be interspersed with activities and tours of local archives and museums.

Wednesday 16 December

DAY 1 – 10.00am – 4pm – Wittenberg and the Future of Writing and Speaking in the AI Era – A rhetorical tour d’horizon with Jay Heinrichs

Thursday 17 December

DAY 2 – Main Conference

Speakers include: Professor David Wiles, James McCabe

Visit to the Melancthon museum.

Evening meal and performance

Friday 18 December

DAY 3 – Main Conference

Speakers include: Guy Doza.

Guided ‘rhetoric’ tour of Wittenberg

The Benefits

• Immerse yourself in the history of one of the most influential cities in Europe.
• Learn about an ancient human technology that can shape the future of new digital technology.
• Find out why Hamlet came to the Leucorea to learn about kingship.
• Discover why democracy requires leaders with ‘theatrical’ skills.
• Meet fellow professionals and enjoy Wittenberg’s unique Christmas atmosphere.

Democracy was always a species of performance, provisional and subject to renegotiation.

David Wiles

SPEAKERS

Jay Heinrichs

Jay is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion. The book has been published in 18 languages and four editions with more than 700,000 copies in print; at one point it ranked among the top ten books assigned at Harvard.

He also published a simpler guide is How to Argue with a Cat: A Human’s Guide to Persuasion. His latest book is Aristotle’s Guide to Self-Persuasion.

Professor David Wiles

David is Emeritus Professor of Drama at the University of Exeter, and a member of Wolfson College Oxford. He spent much of his career in the Department of Drama and Theatre at Royal Holloway, before moving to Exeter in 2013. He is the author of Democracy, Theatre and Performance which examines the importance of public speaking in the function of a democracy. He is also the author of The Players’ Advice to Hamlet which examines the importance of performance in leadership, and how new interpretations of rhetoric in the Renaissance led to a focus on the written word rather than the spoken word. David will be explaining what Hamlet would have studied at the Leucorea in Wittenberg.

James McCabe

James is a pioneer of classical story design, which he promotes through his company The Story Doctor. He’s worked closely with scores of well-known names such as Siemens, Allianz, Sony and others.

He’s also worked as a script doctor for the film industry and collaborated with Hollywood star coach Robert McKee. He followed his Oxford literary doctorate with several decades of international engagement across borders, industries and functional silos from leadership and reputation to strategy, brand and culture.

Anne Pédron-Moinard

Anne was the speechwriter of the Mayor of Nantes. Historian, former high-school and college teacher, she’s now working as an independent speechwriter, trainer and speaker.

She also is the founder and the president of La Guilde des Plumes, the pioneering network of French speechwriters.

Guy Doza

Guy is a TEDx speaker, and Public Affairs Consultant with a passion for language and what it can achieve. He works with C-suite executives, directors, and intergovernmental organisations, often focusing on gender, education, and environmental AI technology. He is the author of two books, How to Apologise for Killing a Cat, and The Language of Evil, How Dictators Manipulate the Masses.

TICKETS

You can request an invoice from us and pay by BACS, or pay through Eventbrite using the ‘Buy Tickets’ button or pay through Paypal using the links below.

€599 inc USt =

Early-Bird Masterclass & Conference Ticket Wed/Thu/Fri

Includes Wed Jay Heinrichs Rhetoric Masterclass + Thu & Fri Conference in Wittenberg.

Click here to pay through Paypal – a €25 transaction charge applies.
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€299 inc USt

Just Early-Bird Masterclass Ticket

Jay Heinrichs Rhetoric Masterclass @ the Leucorea

10am – 4pm includes refreshments and lunch in Wittenberg.

Click here to pay through Paypal – a €15 transaction charge applies.

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€349 inc USt =

Just Early-Bird Conference Ticket Thu & Fri

Thu 16- 10am – 3.30pm & Fri 18 – 9am – 12pm

Includes conference with speakers on Thu & Fri and Thursday lunch in Wittenberg.

Click here to pay through Paypal – a €20 transaction charge applies.

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There will be a conference meal and performance on the Thursday evening.

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Students can apply for a limited number of places at a discounted rate.

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A limited number of bed & breakfast rooms are available at the Leucorea for the Tue/Wed and Thu night on request @ €90 per night.

Otherwise we recommend that you stay in the Martas Hotel in Wittenberg. Click here to visit their website.

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HOW TO GET THERE

From Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER):

Follow signs to the railway station beneath Terminal 1.
Change to the first available ICE for Lutherstadt Wittenberg at Berlin Südkreuz or Berlin Hauptbahnhof, depending on which gives the quickest connection.
The Leucorea is a pleasant 20-minute walk from the station (or a short taxi ride).

Allow approximately 1 hour 15 minutes from Berlin Brandenburg Airport to Lutherstadt Wittenberg if you make a good connection. To be safe, allow up to 1½ hours, particularly if your flight is delayed or you miss the next train.

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To request an invoice please email: info@europeanspeechwriters.org