UPS! - Workshop for students "Public performance - body language" realized

Organized by the Student Support Office, University of Sarajevo (UPS!), a workshop for students "Public Speaking - Body Language" was held on 26 September 2020 at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Sarajevo. The workshop was realized within the project “Higher education - education for all (VOzaSVE/HE4ALL)” in partnership with UNICEF BiH.
The workshop was attended by: Emrah Tepić, third year student of the Faculty of Political Sciences - Department of Political Science, Naida Stupar, master student at the Faculty of Political Sciences - Department of Communication/Journalism, Amina Mašić, third year student of the Faculty of Forestry - Department of Forestry, Fatima Mašić, second year student at the Faculty of Philosophy - Department of Pedagogy and Amar Pašić, graduate student at the Faculty of Philosophy at the Department of Comparative Literature.

Almasa Bajrić, director and PR manager of the Society for Media Promotion, Public Relations and Marketing, spoke to the students about the topic "Public Speaking - Body Language and Speech". In the first part of the workshop, students presented themselves and their cooperation with the UNSA Student Support Office, followed by a lecture on the following thematic units: How to draw attention (listeners, viewers) with what we say and attitude in public appearance in the media, how we prepare for a public appearance in the media, how many messages we send and how, how we answer questions we know and how we don't know the answer, and body language, shoulders, arms, gaze, how to sit, how to stand in front camera, microphone. After that, a demonstration exercise was held, in which students were photographed and shown on the spot photos “as others see them”, in a situation where they take a position for public speaking and in a situation where there is no such position.

The second part of the lecture dealt with the thematic unit of addressing public gatherings and preparing the address (how to conceptualize the presentation, how to emphasize important messages, how to keep participants’ attention, how to encourage participants to react), how to present the address, how to get rid of anxiety. Then, how to present the address - when you stand, sit and have the opportunity to walk during the presentation at public gatherings, as well as body language, and clothing and other details that speak of the external presentation.
Previously, it was agreed with the students that each of them would briefly conceptualize the projects that they would present for the public appearance and appearance in the media after the lecture in the second part of the demonstration exercise (questions from the audience/questions from journalists).

After the lecture, students presented their projects, applying the instructions they received during the lecture, both in the part related to the content of presentations and in the part related to body language, i.e., take a position during the presentation of content. The students evaluated the workshop positively, and we believe that this experience will contribute to the strengthening of their competencies for public appearances and speeches, and further encourage them to participate in future activities.