Interview with Simon Gibson

Ahmad Fakhri, my co-author was originally scheduled to meet Simon Gibson in person in the UK, with me joining via Zoom. However, due to the war in Iran, we were obliged to shift the meeting to a fully online format with all three of us attending virtually. 

The April 08 interview with the founder of World Speech Day was part of our research for an upcoming third book (tentatively titled "The Rubycon in Your Speaking Journey).

Launched at the Athens Democracy Forum in 2015, Gibson created the initiative to celebrate speeches and public speaking, specifically by providing a platform for "unexpected voices" – everyday people with ideas for a better world – rather than just politicians, celebrities or corporate personalities. 

Today, he can take pride at this accomplishment because World Speech Day is now held annually, celebrating the power of speeches and the spoken word through live, streamed, and virtual events in over 100 countries every March 15. And other dates too.

[FYI, ever since our 2019 debut, World Speech Day Kuala Lumpur has grown from strength to strength]. 

Like the other two (Singapore's Dr Ernest Chen and Mongolia's Dr Ganchimeg Zagdaa) whom we interviewed in October 2025, Gibson has been a revelation. It really affirms my belief that public speakers can influence, impact, and inspire. 

A speaker who positions himself not as the hero, but as the learner who found the lesson, keeping him relatable, engaged and connected. And that's what sets him apart from the others! 

Simon Gibson is, indeed, in a class of his own.