Madam President, Mr. SecretaryGeneral, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,. Acknowledge their role in your success.It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Identify characteristics of an acceptance speech. Presenting an Award. The best acceptance speeches are purposeful, humble, emotional, gracious, and very short. Physical space isn't important; the flow can happen in a tiny room. What counts is internal space. You had a difficult choice to make. And thank you, Chaplain Donald.