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1 May 2009

Looking for a dream job?

From various mailing lists:

As many of you may know, the University of Vermont has a very active debate program. We do policy debate (USA) as well as WUDC debate (regional, national, international).

For the school year beginning in the Fall we may very well be seeking a trainer to work with our WUDC program. We seek contact now with interested candidates.

Such a person should:
  • Have a masters degree
  • Be able to teach basic public speaking
  • Have substantial and demonstrable WUDC format knowledge and success
  • Be willing to live from Sept-April in Burlington, Vermont (one of America's most beautiful cities
  • Be willing to work with large group of WUDC debaters
  • Be willing to travel to regional and international tournaments (all expenses covered)

In return, the position would offer:
  • Substantial payment for debate training (1/2 time)
  • Substantial payment for teaching two sections of public speaking, two in fall and two in spring (1/2 time)
  • Lovely office and administrative support
  • Assistance locating affordable housing

We are anxiously seeking an experienced trainer, and realize that this person may well come from outside th USA. Our university will lead the work visa process.

Please contact me for precise details and provide a curriculum vita and a list of references.

Alfred Snider
-- Alfred C. Snider aka Tuna
Edwin Lawrence Professor of Forensics
University of Vermont
Huber House, 475 Main Street, UVM, Burlington, VT 05405 USA
Global Debate Blog http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com
Debate Central http://debate.uvm.edu
World Debate Institute http://debate.uvm.edu/wdi
World Debate Institute Blog http://worlddebateinstitute.blogspot.com

Team Qatar on BBC4

From: Britishdebate

If you are looking for some entertainment/amusement in a couple of weeks time and couldn't make it to the London or New York premieres, "Team Qatar", a documentary film which takes a look at some of the work that Alex Just and I have been doing out in the Middle East over the past 18 months, focusing on the Qatar National team, will be showing on BBC 4 at 10pm on Monday 11th May.

The film (directed by Tribeca returning director Liz Mermin) follows the first Qatari national debating team, one of the elements ofQatarDebate, a national debate and civic engagement organization for Qatar which Alex and I set up in September 2007, through their training in Doha, London and New York, to the World Schools' Debating Championships in Washington DC.

Amongst other things, the film offers a perspective on debating in the Arab World, an insight into the event that is WSDC and coaching a new WSDC team, and an unusual look at the perspectives and views of youth in the MENA region.

The film premiered at the Tribeca festival in New York on Saturday and Robert De Niro & Sheikha Mayassa Al Thani were both at our launch event. If star-power/name-dropping still hasn't convinced you, you can find more details below:
Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJf0YUlEqIITribeca
Film Profile - http://www.tribecafilm.com/filmguide/Team_Qatar.html
Review in 'The National - http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090427/ART/704269982/1082/ART

For more details on QatarDebate, check out http://www.qatardebate.orgor become a fan of 'QatarDebate' on Facebook.

Best wishes,
Andrew