I would argue that if you’re in a larger committee (100-300 delegations) then every single opportunity you have to speak is important. If you mess up even once it’s difficult to bounce back because of the limited amount of opportunities you have to speak. 

If I had to choose between every single possible speech then I would say the most important speech is your first one. It establishes whether you’ll be “competition” for many people and affect your influence within the committee. Good speakers are the leaders of the bloc whilst the more timid ones are often seen as general members. 

People who have good speeches are also immediately memorable. In a large committee it’s extremely beneficial to be remembered as someone who exudes confidence. If your fellow committee members know who you are then the chairs likely do as well. All in all you should try and focus on making a huge first impression on everyone.

With so many speeches being made it’s easy to get lost in a sea of voices. However, with your first initial speech you have an opportunity to make yourself stand out. When you’re prepping for a conference, focus on making your first topic speech REALLY good. Add in some hand movements you can use or an original hook that’ll draw people’s attention.

Thank you for reading!