Hong Kong Debate Open 2010

Greetings!

On behalf of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) English Debate Team, I am very happy to announce the first-ever international BP tournament to be held in Hong Kong this October 2010.

Below are the 5 Good Reasons for you to come join us:

1. Good Dates: 23rd to 25th Oct 2010
Late October in Hong Kong is pleasantly cool at 20 Celsius. You arrive on 22nd Oct, debate 3 rounds on 23rd, party with old and new-found friends, debate 3 rounds on 24th Oct, more parties or shopping parties, and you end up in Round 7, gunning for the Quarters, Semi and Grand Final on 25th Oct. Then you leave, or party or go on to Macau for the North East Asian Open (NEAO) , which starts from 29th Oct.

2. Good Adjudication Core
Our Chief Adjudicator is Ms Sharmila Pramanand of Ateneo De Manila University, The Philippines (Grand Final Judge for Cork Worlds 2009 and Koc Worlds 2010, DCA for 1st UADC 2010, DCA for Auckland Australs 2010 and Seoul Australs 2011)

The DCAs are: Mr Thepparith Senamngern or "TJ" of Assumption University, Thailand (Convenor of Bangkok Worlds 2008, CA for 1st Asian BP 2009, CA for 1st UADC 2010), Mr Zhengbo of Peking University ( Director of Debate at Peking University, China, Grand Finalist Judge at the 1st Asian BP 2009, Breaking Judge at Koc Worlds 2010) and Mr Loke Wing Fatt (President of SAID)

3. Good Externalities
a) Low Registration Fee for Debaters/Adjudicators/Observers at: USD 25 per person
b) Cheap Hotel Accommodation 5 mins from HKPU and the famed Victoria Harbour:

The official HK-DO 2010 Hotel is the Bridal Tea House Hotel. Please check it out at this website: : http://www.hkchhotel.com/hotel-roomtypes.php

Each person, on a twin-sharing basis, will only have to pay HKD$180 or USD$22 per night.

You are free to arrange your own accommodation too.

c) Hong Kong is served by a number of safe, cheap budget airlines, is a shopping haven, does not need most people to get a visa to be there, is a hop to other getaway destinations, and, finally, is a safe, fun, cosmopolitan World City.

4. Good Start for the Hong Kong Debating Community
This is Hong Kong's first attempt at hosting an international debating event although it has, for the last decade, very strong debaters from its six active debating universities making their mark at the Australs and Worlds. Hong Kong high schools are also highly competitive at the Worlds Schools Debating Championships. Your participation will support the beginning of a new Asian debate hub which is waiting to be born.

For that modest reason, the Tournament Capacity is set at 60 teams.

Institution cap for each university is set at 3 teams.

The N minus 1 Rule will be enforced and the usual WUDC rules will apply at the HK-DO 2010.

5. Good Hands at the Deck
The HK-DO 2010 Organising Committee is led by the President of the English Debate Team of HKPU, Ms Jasmine Tam who will be the Convener. Below is the full list of the 11 key organisers:

Convener: Jasmine Tam
Deputy Convener: Phoebe So
Tournament Director: Crystal Kwong
Social Director: Giovani Cho
Finance Director: Chelsea Hopkins
Communications Directors: Alice Chen, Joyce Xiang
Accommodations Director: Anson Lam
IT Director: Josh Liang
Catering Director: Willa Wong
Promotion and Publication Director: Esther Chan
Advisor: Loke Wing Fatt

A website will be set up next month to provide more information and to receive your registration. Meanwhile, please write to the following email addresses if you have questions for the key organisers:

1. The email account of HKDO 2010 : hkdo2010@gmail.com
2. Convener: Jasmine Tam's email account: jasmine.tam.edt@gmail.com
3, Deputy Convener: Phoebe So's email account: phoebe.so.edt@gmail.com
4. Tournament Director: Crystal Kwong's email account: crystal.kwong.edt@gmail.com

Cheers

Loke Wing Fatt
Advisor, HK-DO 2010
President, SAID
Singapore