Dr Michaela Schrage-Frueh served as judge in the Europe Direct Ballinasloe Soapbox Public Speaking Competition 2026

Dr Michaela Schrage-Frueh (MLAL), Director of CEUROS, served as judge in the Regional Final of the Europe Direct Ballinasloe Soapbox Public Speaking Competition 2026, which took place on Friday October 16th at Ballinasloe Library. This year's motion was "Culture is at the heart of what it means to be European. But is Ireland culturally closer to Strasbourg or Sydney?". Michaela formed a jury together with Dr Siobhan Keenan Fitzgerald and Joan Mulvihill. Each of the more than thirty speakers had 3 minutes to give their speech, and the winners of the two age categories (16 & under, and 17 & over) will go on to the National Final in the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin on December 3rd, where they could win €1,000 in One4All Vouchers.