Haifa EUDC 2002 Bid

The University of Haifa Debating Society is delighted to place a bid for hosting the 2002 European Debating Championship in the beautiful Seashore City of Haifa


1. Tentative Timetable
2. Organizing Committee
3. About the Competition
4. About Haifa, Israel and the excursions
5. Accessibility
6. Safety
7. Why Should you choose Haifa 2002?

The Competition will be held between March 22nd and March 26th, 2002

Time Table

Friday, March 22nd 2002
Morning: Registration.
Noon: Opening Ceremony. Briefings .
Afternoon: Rounds 1-2.
Evening: Reception at Haifa's Town Hall.
Late: Pool Party (and no, we don't mean snooker- we mean water, warm temperature and fun).

Saturday, March 23rd 2002
Daytime: Rounds 3-6.
Evening: Break Announcement Party.

Sunday, March 24th 2002
Morning: Quarter-Finals.
Noon: ESL Semi-Finals (Knights' Halls- the ancient city of Acre).
Semi-Finals (Knights' Halls- the ancient city of Acre).
Afternoon: Sunset stroll on the walls of Acre EDC Meeting
Evening: Championship Dinner. (black tie) Announcement of the Finalists.

Monday, March 25th 2002
Morning: A tour of Jerusalem
Afternoon: ESL Final (The Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, Jerusalem)
Grand Final (The Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, Jerusalem)
Evening: Trip back to Haifa
Late: Good Bye Party

Tuesday, March 26th 2002
Morning: Check Out

For Those interested- we will be available to help you organise further travel in Israel.


Committee
Mr. Uri Zakai- Convener
European EL Quarter-Finalist and ESL Semi-Finalist at Europeans 2000 in Aberdeen.
Chairman of the Israeli Universities Debating League.
Head of the Haifa University Debating Society 1998-2001.
Debating coach of the Inter Disciplinary College 2001.
Board member of "Siach Vasig", The Convenor of the "World's Schools" in Jerusalem 1998.
Israeli Representative on the European Council for the years 2000, 2001.
Adjudicator at WUDC in Athens 98 and the "World's High Schools" in Jerusalem 1998.
Competitor at WUDC in Manila 99, Glasgow 2001 and Europeans in Aberdeen 2000, Slovenia 2001.

Mr. Yehoshua Gurtler- Deputy Convener
ESL Semi Finalist at 2001 WUDC (Glasgow), third ranking individual at worlds- schools 1998.
Representative of Continental Europe and the Middle East on the Worlds' Committee. In the council meeting at Glasgow. Secretary of the World's Committee for 2001.
Chairman of the Hebrew University Debating Society.
Convenor of the national English speaking schools championships 2000.
Competitor at WUDC in Sydney 2000, Glasgow 2001 and Europeans 1999 in Rotterdam.
Champion of the Israeli national championships for the years 1999 and 2000, Best speaker at the Israeli national Debating championship 2000.
Captain of Israel's Team to the World Schools Debating Championships in Australia (1996), Bermuda (1997) and Israel (1998). Champion of the Impromptu Speaking category of the World Public Speaking and Debating Championships in Argentina.

Mr. Guy Yariv- Chief Adjudicator
ESL Semi-Finalist at Europeans 2000 in Aberdeen.
Co-Debating coach of the College of Management in Rishon.
Competitor at WUDC in Sydney 2000 and Glasgow 2001.
Competitor at Europeans 1999 in Rotterdam, at Aberdeen 2000, and Slovenia 2001.
Finalist at the Israeli national Debating championship 1999 and 2000. Best speaker at the Israeli national Debating championship 1999.
Deputy Chief Adjudicator at Hebrew IV 2001.

Mr. Fergal F. Davis- Deputy Chief Adjudicator
Team Finalist & Best Individual Speaker at the European Debating Championships, Aberdeen, 2000.
Winner of the English final (1999), the Irish final (2000) and the International final (2000) of the, John Smith Memorial Mace. This is the largest Team Debating tournament in the British Isles.
Winner & Best Speaker at the University of Limerick IV, 2001.
Best Speaker on the tab University of Leeds IV, 2000.
Best Speaker on the tab University College Dublin IV, 2000.
Best Speaker on the tab University College Cork IV, 1999.
Winner of the Edinburgh, Bank of Scotland, IV, 1999.
Runner-up in the Financial Times Oxford IV, 1998.
Finals' adjudicator at University of Leeds IV, 1998 & 1999.
Adjudicator at Irish Times & Irish Mace, 2000.
Member of the Adjudication Subcommittee at the WUDC, Cork, 1995.

Ms. Iva Kutle - Deputy Chief Adjudicator
European EL semi-fnalist and ESL vice-champion at Aberdeen 2000.
President of the Coratian American Soceity Debate Club (since 1999).
Member of the executive board of the Croatian Debating Society (since 2000).
Member of the Croatian council of debate coaches (since 2000).
Croatian debate champion (1997, 1998, 1999).
Champion at International Karl Popper debate tournament, Latvia 1997.
Participant at World schools debating championship, Israel 1998.
Participant at WUDC, Philippines 1999, Sydney 2000 and Europeans, Rotterdam 1999, Aberdeen 2000.
"Adjudicator at WUDC Galsgow 2001 and Chief Adjudicator at Croatian International Debating Tournament "Dubrovnik 2000", "Dubrovnik 2001.


About the Competition
Participation and flight Fees
Participation fees will be 85 pounds per participant. However, since we have a great interest at the debating societies of Eastern Europe we have established a special fund to subsidize air flights and participation fees.
We believe that through that fund we will be able to substantially reduce the cost for participants from Eastern Europe.
Also, we have worked a support plan with the AIA (Anglo Israeli Association), that has promised a couple of thousand pounds to help ease the financial burden on British debaters wishing to come to Israel.

Accommodation
Participants will be staying at the "Dan Panorama" 5-star hotel on top of the Carmel Mountain. For your pleasure the hotel is located in walking distance from a variety of bars, restaurants, and cafe's.

Participants will enjoy meals both in the hotel and the university.

Those of you that still believe in romance (?and I know you are out there) will have a chance to stroll the beautiful and quiet Haifa promenade overlooking the City, the Mediterranean sea and the wonders of the magnificent Bahai Temple.


Parties & Drinks
The parties will take place in Haifa's major dancing clubs, with free alcohol to help you relive (or try to forget) the debates. The Welcome party will take place at Denia's country club pool (lifeguards will monitors our drinking/swimming guests).


Venues
The Briefings and preliminary rounds will be held in the Haifa University, situated on the Carmel Mountain-top. The debating rooms will all be spacious and within 2-minute-walk from the briefing rooms.

The ESL Semi Finals and Semi Finals will be held at the Knights' Halls in the Ancient City of Acre.

The ESL Final and Grand Final will be held at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem.


Trips
Israel offers you the unrivaled sites of the Bible and the ancient world. Aside from the beauty of Haifa, the halls of Acre and the ancient walls of Jerusalem, we will be very happy to help you organise further travel in Israel (?Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, The Dead Sea, Massada, and more).


About Haifa, Israel and the excursions

Haifa

Haifa has a rare combination of sea (the Mediterranean), Mountain (the Carmel) and forest (the Carmel National Park).

Haifa's long coastline will offer those wishing to dip in the mediateranian sea beautiful beaches and warm climate.

The Carmel National Park just by the university is Israel's biggest green park and offers travelers a green-spot all yearlong.

The Bahai Shrine, the religion's Worldwide Center for worship, is a beauty spot in the middle of the City. During 2001 The temple will be reopened after an astronomical sum of a quarter of a billion dollar was invested in its development. The old temple with its enormous "hanging gardens", is a major tourist attraction.

Peace and Harmony

Haifa is a unique symbol for coexistence and cooperation in Israel. Arabs and Jews, Orthodox and Secular, and all who live in Haifa share the belief of "Live and Let Live" and mutual tolerance.

Haifa University is known for the good relations between its different students. The student union governing body is jointly run by Arab and Jewish members, all working for the benefit of all the campus' students.


Israel and the Excursions

By coming to Europeans 2002 in Haifa, you are actually buying yourself a package deal that includes a voyage to the exciting past of the near East.

In addition to the trips to Acre and Jerusalem, Israel is full of sites and attractions you can visit. From the sea of galilee, Tiberius and Nazeret in the North, to ancient roman Casearea on the coast, to the dead sea and Massada in the south- and for those who want to enjoy summer in the spring- the world-famous resort town of Eilat on the red sea.

We will assist anyone who wishes to extend his stay in Israel beyond the competition with valuable tips and arrangements.



Accessibility
Haifa lies on the Northern Coast of Israel, easily accessible by air, land or sea.

Air
Israel's Ben-Gurion international Airport is situated 120 km (about an hour and a half drive) from Haifa. Israel is connected to all the major cities in Europe by direct daily (and quite cheap in the Spring) flights.

Land
Haifa is just 100 km drive from Tel Aviv, Israel's major city.
Take the No. 2 Highway to Haifa, or the fast- track train from Tel Aviv Central (about 1 hour).

Sea
Haifa's port is Israel's second biggest, and serves as a docking point for many Mediterranean Passenger Ships.


Safety
We know that safety is a concern, and so we are here to appease your mind.
Haifa is famous in Israel as a symbol for peace and co existence.
Haifa didn't see any kind of violence or trouble, during Israel's difficult last few years.
Haifa has one of the lowest crime rates in Israel, and is by far safer then any major European city.
In fact with all the awareness to security we are one of the safest place you can visit.

All events in the university and the excursions will be secured by the excellent and highly trained security services of the Haifa University.

All events and tours will be done with your safety as our prime concern, and main consideration.

Why Should you choose Haifa 2002?
Because its time to hold a championship in Israel (one of the largest ESL leagues in "Europeans").
Because with our weather you won't need to pack your coats, gloves and umbrellas (Free your hands for drinking).
Because of the first-class 5-star accommodation we offer.
Because of the amazing deals we arranged to make your financial burden as small as possible.
Because of the unbelievable parties we'll organize for you (did we mention free alcohol?).
Because we are actually going to have food for you.
Because you always wanted to visit the Holy Land and see the land that Abraham and Jesus walked. And you know we have some amazing excursions for you!