This Blog has now moved to idebate.org/worlddebating - all future posts will be made there!

3 July 2009

Debating in Iraq

Anyone looking at the list of teams registered for Worlds will have spotted teams from Iraq among the pre-registered list of teams.  This is the first time Iraqi teams will have attended Worlds.  The initiative to bring University Debating to Iraq is being lead by Muhammad Duhoki.  For more information visit http://www.iraqdebate.org/

Iraq Debate is an independent civic engagement initiative to foster and promote open discussions and debate culture in Iraq and plans to promote and teach debate across Universities and Schools in the country.



Iraq Debate brings together Arabs, Kurds, Chaldo-Assyrians, Turkmen, and all components of Iraq communities to participate in debate workshops and tournaments.


Currently, Iraq Debate works with students from University of Duhok- Duhok, University of Salahaddin- Erbil and University of Technology- Baghdad. however we are looking forward to extending our activities to all Universities and Schools in Iraq in near future.


Recently, Iraq Debate held a successful workshop in the University of Duhok for 22 students debaters [ April 1-7, 2009]. we then trained and sent students to participate in Qatar National Schools Debate Championships and Qatar National Universities Championships with 5 students debaters representing the Iraq Debate Team. At invitation of Qatar Debate.


Iraq Debate currently is planning to train students for the Worlds Universities Debate Championships 2010, to be held in Turkey, where they will compete with over 300 teams.

Because all sections of Iraqi Society are equal, we wish to establish a fair forum for all Iraqi people to develop logical, presentational, and leadership skills. If you would like to join us, or know anyone you think would be interested in joining us, please let us know. it is our pleasure to serve the community, and feel all curious minds.

2 July 2009

World Online Debating Championships

Debatewise and IDEA are proud to announce the first ever World Online Debating Championship and formally invite you to take part.

This is an innovative competition and presents a new form of debating. 32 countries will take each other on in a knockout tournament open to anyone.

It takes place over the internet so you can participate from any place at any time. You can debate with people from all over the world, and get to understand them better, all without leaving home.

Plus, you have a full 24 hours to perfect your arguments so can craft them to perfection.

The competition is being run by Debatewise in collaboration with the International Debate Education Association; Chief Adjudicator is Neill Harvey-Smith, the Chair of the World’s Debating Council. Round 1 will start on August 10th and the winner will be declared on September 21st.

To find out more, including how to enter, please email dc@debatewise.com or visit www.debatewise.com/wodc and we’ll be delighted to help. The closing date for registration is Sunday 19th July.

Good luck,

David Crane- Convenor, Debatewise's founder and MD
Neill Harvey-Smith - Chief Adjudicator

29 June 2009

MDR - Extension of Call for Submissions‏

Earlier this year the Monash Debating Review announced a Call for Submissions for May 31, 2009 (see link: http://worlddebating.blogspot.com/2009/04/monash-debating-review-2009.html).

The deadline has recently been extended to July 31, 2009.  If you wish to submit an article on strategic or substantive issues of interest to debaters then you have an extended deadline to get your thoughts onto paper.

ADAM 2009 results‏

The University of Melbourne's ADAM pre-Australs tournament was again agreat success. There were 50 teams present at the largest ADAM to date,and all enjoyed a weekend of high-quality debating and adjudication.

The winning team, "ahmadinejad@Ayatollah: Can't get to Lady Gaga concert- dead girl blocking way" (Univeristy of Melbourne: Phil Barker, Seamus Coleman, Ned Douglas) defeated Monash 1 (Tim Jeffrie, Amit Golder, Fiona Prowse) in a 5-2 split decision on the topic "That post conflict nations should focus on development and not democracy".

The best speaker was Sayeqa Islam, with an average score of 78.4. Thebest novice speaker was Kelly Butler (average 77.4), from the Universityof Melbourne.

Full results, and Chief Adjudicator Nicole Lynch's motions are available online at: http://muds.whypsloven.net/adam09/

Sponsored Adjuducators at World Schools

From WSDC mailing list

Call for Applications: Sponsored Adjudicators

QatarDebate is intending to pay for thirty adjudicators to attend the next World Schools Debating Championships, being held in Qatar on 8 – 19 February 2010.

Sponsored adjudicators will have their tournament registration and return economy airfare paid by QatarDebate; in every other respect, they will participate in the tournament in the same way as all other adjudicators.

Applicants will be chosen both on the basis of (i) proven adjudication record at WSDC and (ii) the need for diversity, particularly geographical and cultural diversity. All applicants must be able to be accepted as an eligible judge of the championship; therefore, applications will not be accepted from anybody who has debated at the 2009 WSDC in Athens. The sponsored positions will be allocated by the two Chief Adjudicators (Chris Erskine and Simon Quinn) in consultation with the Chief Adjudicators’ Panel.

QatarDebate is now calling for applications for these sponsored positions. If you are interested in applying, please e-mail both simon.quinn@economics.ox.ac.uk and cerskine@ozemail.com.au. Please provide a brief summary of your adjudicating experience and indicate your intended country affiliation at the tournament. Applicants who have not judged at WSDC previously should provide a name and contact information of somebody who has judged at WSDC previously to act as a reference, should it be needed.

The deadline for applications is 1 August; the decision will be made and all applicants notified by 1 September.

Simon Quinn
Chris Erskine

28 June 2009

Announcement of Auckland Australs 2010 Adjudication Core

The University of Auckland Debating Society is proud to announce the adjudication core for its bid for Australs 2010.

Chief Adjudicator: Christopher Bishop
Formerly of Victoria University of Wellington, Chris is a former Australs Grand Finalist (2007), a quarter-finalist (2005 and 2008) and top ten speaker (2007 and 2008). At Worlds he twice reached the octo-finals (2005 and 2008). He is a former winner of the Cambridge IV, a runner-up at the Oxford IV, and winner of seven New Zealand intervarsity tournaments. He chaired a Worlds semi-final panel in Cork and has been the Chief Adjudicator of every major New Zealand debating tournament. He is a former AIDA President, convenor of Australs, and President of the Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society.

Deputy Chief Adjudicator: Tim Jeffrie
Currently of Monash University, Tim is a former Grand Finalist at Worlds (2008), and a semi-finalist and top ten speaker at Australs (2007). He is a former winner of Melbourne Mini (2007), ADAM (2005 and 2007), a runner-up at Sydney Mini (2006), and a semi-finalist at WUPID (2007), and Australian Easters (2005). He recently served as a DCA for Australian Easters in Queensland and was the Chief Adjudicator of the 2008 Melbourne Mini. Tim has had a long involvement with the Monash Association of Debaters and has run the Victorian schools competition and coached the champion Victorian State debating team.

Deputy Chief Adjudicator: Sharmila Parmanand
Formerly of Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, Sharmila has been a Grand Finalist at Australs (2005), a semi-finalist (2006 and 2008), a quarter-finalist (2007), and was the 4th ranked speaker in 2008. She is a three time winner of the Asian University Debating Championships, a Worlds octo-finalist (2007), and a three-time Philippine national champion. She judged the semi-finals of Worlds in Cork, was the CA for AUDC 2009, and has been the DCA or CA for an array of regional tournaments. Since 2004 she has facilitated over 50 free basic and advanced debating workshops/coaching sessions and debating tournaments for school and university students in Asia, as well as serving in a variety of capacities for the Ateneo Debate Society and the AUDC.

Deputy Chief Adjudicator: Christopher Croke
Currently of the University of Sydney, Chris is a former Grand Finalist and top ten speaker at Worlds (2008 and 2007 respectively), and quarter-finalist (2004) at Australs. He is a former winner of WUPID (2007), a Grand Finalist at Sydney Mini (2007 and 2005), and a Grand Finalist at Melbourne Mini (2007). He won Australian Easters in 2004 and was the third best speaker. He was recently a DCA for Australian Easters in Queensland, whilst at Worlds in Cork he judged to the main break quarter-finals and the ESL Grand Final. Chris was the coach of the champion NSW State Debating team in 2008.

Given the calibre of applicants the final decision was a difficult one, but we feel we have selected an experienced and capable adjudication core that reflects the interests of the wider Austral-Asian debating community. We wish to sincerely thank all those who applied for the role, and those who took the time to send feedback on the prospective DCA candidates.

Regards

Christopher Bishop
Prospective Chief Adjudicator, Auckland Australs 2010

Glenn Riddell
Prospective Convenor, Auckland Australs 2010