Thursday, July 7, 2011

Ghana National Debate Team for Youth Forum in Istanbul, Turkey





















Dear all;

Three students, one from Adisadel College, Ghana National College, and, Edinaman Senior High School have been chosen to represent Ghana in the upcoming Youth Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, from July 19 to August 1, 2011.

The students include Yormesor Elinam Sharon of Ghana National College, Emmanuel AgyarkoMinkah of Adisadel College, and Peace Naa Borteley Mensah of Edinaman Senior High School.

The students were selected from their various schools after taking part in a competition that saw their schools debating each other on some selected topics relating to youth empowerment.

These students will join over 280 students, teachers and trainers of debate from over 40 countries in the world in this year's Youth Forum, organised by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA). This year's event is being organised with support from the European Union (EU), and Open Society Foundations Youth Project.

Simon Tsike Sossah, the Executive Director of Abusua Foundation, the accredited organisational partner for the implementation of the project in Ghana, said: 'as the event brings together diverse international audience, it helps us to implement new ideas into the existing debate network and advance the overall quality of debating within our network. In addition it empowers youth by developing their life skills and by building contacts and international networks. On top of that via the means of peer to peer learning and facilitated informal interaction, the event helps young people to find out what is going on in the countries of their colleagues in other countries'.

The students will be engaged in the process of learning more about the issues affecting the two continents, thus Africa and Europe, and their mutual relationships.

They are also expected to represent Ghana in the IDEA Karl Popper Debate Championship, which is a world debate competition.

Explaining further, the Programmes Manager for Abusua Foundation added that the purpose of an IDEA Youth Forum is to bring together students and educators from around the world to develop their public debating skills and about content of the debate topics. It also includes three debate tournaments. The IDEA youth Forum offers unique and diverse occasions that facilitate exchange of ideas and experience as well as help create networks essential for future cooperation and development.

Abusua Foundation wishes them all the best as they leave the shores of Ghana for Turkey to hold the flag of Ghana high, and to acquire a life-time experience that forums like these bring.

We also wish to express our gratitude to the following agencies and organisations for their enormous support in the organisation of the debate and the trip to Turkey.











Regards,

Rashedul Hasan Stalin

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sri Lanka hosted International Debate Workshop 2009










Dear all

Jessica Prince, The world's no. 1 ranked debater in 2007 WUDC and Alex Campbell, the former Head Coach of the Oxford Union (both alumni of Oxford University, UK) visited Sri Lanka on a debate coaching tour from the 1st to the 14th of August 2009.

The coaches have mandate to coach the Sri Lanka Schools Debating Team for WSDC 2010. They will also conduct workshops for all schools and universities debaters. Select in house corporate training workshops will also be conducted.

The have conducted workshops in different formate for different group of people. 


Workshop for Universities

A two day workshop was conducted on WUDC format of Debate on the 03rd & 04th of August at the Law Faculty Premises at the University of Colombo. 

Advanced workshop for Schools Debaters

An advanced workshop for schools debaters held on the morning of the 5th of August. Participation at this workshop was limited to 30 students, and applications was scrutinized by the Sri Lankan Debaters' Council prior to the workshop.


General Workshop for Schools

A general workshop on the World Schools Style of Debate was held on the 11th of August from 9 a.m to 5 p.m at the University of Colombo Premises. 

Workshop for Adjudicators/Coaches

A workshop for all Adjudicators and Coaches was held on the 8th of August at 10 a.m at S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. 

Regards,

Rashedul Hasan Stalin 

Source: http://thedebaterscouncil.blogspot.com/ 

China 14th FLTRP Cup Beijing 2010









Dear all,

The Foreign Languages Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP) and the International Debate Education Association (IDEA) are pleased to invite you to participate in the 14th FLTRP Cup, to be held in Beijing May 15-22, 2010. 


This is an exciting time for debating in China, as the number of competitive intercollegiate tournaments has been growing in recent years. This year marks the first time the FLTRP Cup will employ the British Parliamentary style utilized by the World Universities Debating Championships.

To facilitate the transition to the BP style, FLTRP is committed to attracting the best adjudicators from around the world. As part of that commitment, we are offering free registration, free room and board and a free post-tournament package of Beijing tours for all qualified adjudicators who participate in the 2010 FLTRP Cup. All international adjudicators will be responsible for their travel to Beijing.

We invite you to submit an application Apply to be an adjudicator for an adjudicator position at the 2010 FLTRP Cup.

For detail information please visit http://www.chinadebate.org/defaulten.asp

Regards,

Rashedul Hasan Stalin 

Friday, September 25, 2009

China Northeast Asian Open Championship 2009










Dear Debaters & Adjudicators,


We would like to cordinally invite you to join the Northeast Asian Open
Championship 2009(NEAO 2009), which will be held by Beijing Foreign Studies
University in China this November. As a major debating event in Northeast
Asian Area, NEAO has made great contribution to promote interaction for
Asian debate society and exchange among debaters from this area as well as
other parts of Asia and the world.

NEAO 2009 is the first Asian Regional tournament hosted in China. As the
organizer of this year's event, the Debating Society of Beijing Foreign
Studies University(BFSU) would like to sincerely invite you to join us for
this new chapter of regional debating communication.

Please refer to the attachment for tournament announcement and invitation
letter. We will adopt British Parliamentary format with team cap 60.
Official website and registration will be open soon. Please keep tuned for
updates.

Thank you and hope to see you in Beijing this November!
 
Organzing Commitee of NEAO China 2009
Beijing Foreign Studies University English Debating Society

Regards,

Rashedul Hasan Stalin

Slovenia International School Dedate Championship 2009










TOURNAMENT BASICS

Date and Host: 6th and 7th November 2009, Ljutomer, Slovenia 

Debate format: Worlds School Debate Format, 8 minute speeches.
Number of speakers per team: 3. Everybody who comes needs to debate all the debate rounds. Important: we are not accepting 4 or 5 member teams!

Accompanying adults should be judges. The rule is one or two teams one judge, three teams two judges. In short: everybody who comes as an adult should be able to judge.

Team cap: 40 teams.
The registration will be closed when we reach team cap, so register as soon as possible.

Number of debate rounds:
6 - 3 on prepared motions, 3 on impromptu + semi finals (impromptu)+finals (prepared)

Pairings:
Computer programme TRPC by Rich Edwards
Power paired after 1st round

PREPARED DEBATE MOTIONS
This House has no confidence in capitalism.
The House favours military intervention in Somalia.
This House would forcefeed anorexics.
This House believes that heavy trucks should start paying for environmental damages.

ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE DAY
European countries: Wednesday or Thursday, 4th or 5th November
USA, South Korea and other oversee countries can come a few days earlier.
Departure: Sunday, the 8th of November

ACCOMODATION
Debaters will be offered home stays by Ljutomer debaters. Judges will be accomodated in the hotel.

REGISTRATION
Deadline: October 1st
Number of teams per country: 2 to 3 (if there are lots of countries registering we will limit to 2) Please, send a request for application form to debata©siol.net

Additional teams can enter the tournament in case there are some free spots left after the registration deadline. Several countries already expressed their intention to participate with the debaters which are selected for 2010 Worlds, so we do encourage national teams to participate.

In cases where more teams per country will register, the priority will be given to the teams endorsed by national debate organisation.

We are going to close the registration when we reach the team cup.

PARTICIPATION FEES
Debaters: 40 EUR
Judges: 80 EUR (covers 3 nights/breakfast and tournament meals)

PAYMENT
One payment for each travelling group.
Payment deadline: October, 31st
Special attention: The costs of the bank transfer should be paid by you – we should get the net sum.

Bank details:
Bank account holder: Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga, adress: Svetosavska 24, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Bank name: Nova ljubljanska banka
Bank adress: Trg republike 2, 1520 Ljubljana, Slovenia
IBAN is the bank account: IBAN SI56020560051711807
SWIFT CODE: LJBASI2X

Very important: Please, make sure that on the bank statement will be clearly stated the name of the group or individuals you are paying for.

SCHEDULE
Friday, 6th November 2009
.9.00 – 10.00 Judges meeting.
10.00 Opening of the tournament
10.30 Announcement of the impromptu motion
11.30 ROUND 1, impromptu
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch
14.00 ROUND 2, prepared
16. 00 Announcement of the impromptu motion
17.00 ROUND 3, impromptu
18.30 Snacks
19.00 ROUND 4, prepared

Saturday, 7th November 2008
8.30 Announcement of impromptu motion
9.30 ROUND 5, impromptu
11.00 ROUND 6, prepared
12.30 Lunch
13.00 Announcement of the semi-finalists
14.00 SEMI FINALS, impromptu
16.00 FINALS, prepared
17.30 Closing ceremony

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All the inquiries about the tournament and registration, please, adress to me at bojana.skrt@siol.net, all the questions about Ljutomer, school, home stays, travel to Liana Miholič, the coach of the Ljutomer English Debate Club at the liana.miholic@guest.arnes.si

The application form is in the other attachment. Please, fill the application form out and send it to bojana.skrt@siol.net as soon as possible, but no later than 1st of October.


Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin

Monday, March 10, 2008

Hong Kong BP Open 2008














Dear all,

Hong Kong Parliamentary Debating Society (HKPDS) is hosting a BP tournament in July 13 to 16 2008 and is inviting debaters from across the asia-pacific region (and elsewhere around the world if they wish) to come to Hong Kong and participate.

The championship have an excellent core adjudication team, including Logandran Balavijandran (Chief Adjudicator, MMU Worlds), Loke Wing Fatt (Worlds Break Judge and founder of SAID), Fiona Prowse (Grand Finalist, Assumption Worlds), Jacob Cliffton (Semi-Finalist, MMU Worlds) and many others.

More information will be updated onto our website (www.hkpds.org) in the next week or so, including the official invitation letter. Meanwhile the latest information can be seen on our facebook group "Hong Kong BP Open 2008".

Aside from the first ever BP tournament in Hong Kong, HKPDS will also be holding our annual Summer Workshop for high school kids with trainers and guest speakers like British MPs during July 18 to 22 2008.

Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Chaina 2nd IDEA-BFSU British Parliamentary Debate Tournament
















Dear all,

IDEA’s involvement in China continued successfully last weekend with the 2nd IDEA-BFSU British Parliamentary Debate Tournament in Beijing. Hosted by Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) and jointly sponsored by IDEA and the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press (FLTRP), the event drew over 200 debaters not only from Beijing, but also from as far away as Nanjing (10-hour train ride), Xi’an (10-hour train ride), Dalien (overnight train), and Ulaanbataar, Mongolia (the grand prize for the longest trip – a 2-day train/bus/jeep journey!). Many of the participants from the IDEA training at BFSU from November 2-4 of this year were at the tournament eager to put that session to use. Materials from that training can be found at http://wiki.idebate.org/index.php/Beijing_BP_Training.

This tournament featured impromptu debate topics which fell into one of 8 pre-released categories: Iran’s nuclear program, US troops in Iraq, UN Peacekeeping, private automobile ownership, technology in the classroom, Isreal/Palestine and the 2-state solution, the World Bank, and flaws in Western development models. Thus debaters knew the themes of the tournament but not specific motions. Even though debaters expected to have debates about UN Peacekeeping, for example, they perhaps did not expect the semi-final motion “The UN should have a standing Peacekeeping force.” This format encourages research but maintains the excitement of impromptu debating.

The final debate featured strong performances from all eight debaters on the topic “Reject the Western development model.” Even though all four teams put forth a strong effort, the second opposition team, comprised of Ellen Pang and Ji Zha from Peking University, were ranked 1st on the ballots of all 7 judges. After extolling the virtues of the free-market system and Western legal norms governing contracts and business rights, the Peking students argued that the Western model is not simply wasteful and exploitative, but improves the lives of people in countries where such models are implemented well. The final results from that round, and the top 4 teams in the tournament (out of more than 100 – quite an accomplishment!) were:

First place: Peking University - Ellen Pang and Ji Zha
Second place: Central University of Finance and Economics - Ji Ruonan and He Jingkai
Third place: Beijing Foreign Studies University - Chen Hao and Wu Mian
Fourth place: Beijing Foreign Studies University - Zhou Sheng Ru and Rui Yuan

Even though these four teams got the thrill of debating in front of a large crowd, all teams got at least 6 preliminary rounds and 32 got the chance to debate in octafinals. Simply to break into that top 32, teams needed an average of 2nd place in each preliminary round with high speaker points to advance.

As evidenced by this tough competition, debate seems to be becoming ever more popular in China. This May’s FLTRP Cup promises to be a large event and tournaments around Beijing will be held throughout the Spring. We hope to see you at IDEA-related events in China again in the future!

Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin

MMU Women's IV 2008












Dear all,

Like each year Multimedia University of Malaysia is going to host Asias Grand Women's Debating Championship from February 15, 2008. All the other information is given bellow..

Host:Multimedia University, Malaysia
Date: 15th, 16th, 17th February 2008
Venue: CLC, MMU ( Melaka Campus)
Rego: RM 60 per person ( include food and t-shirt)
Format: Asian Parliamentary, N=1

Accommodation: Fenix Inn, Melaka Raya
RM 35 per person per night
www.fenixinn.com
Transportation provided to and from hotel and campus

Tentative of the Tournament:
NST- MMU Women’s Intervarsity Debate Championship TENTATIVE ( 3days)

Friday, 15th February 2008
Registration
Saturday, 16th February 2008
Debating Rounds
Sunday, 17th February 2008
Grand Final

Please confirm your Participation ASAP.

Regards,
Suriakala Sivalingam
Contact Email: mizzymatherz@yahoo.com

Qater Debate - A New Era for Middle East










Dear all,

We are delighted to formally announce the creation of QatarDebate(www.qatardebate.org), the national student debating organisation for Qatar. QatarDebate was established in September 2007 with the aim of developing, supporting and raising the standard of open discussion and debate among students in Qatar and across the Arab World, shaping the Global Citizens of today and the intellectual leaders of tomorrow.

In the 4 months since its inception, QatarDebate has already worked with over 1000 students (from every nation in the Middle East) in Qatar to develop their debating and critical thinking skills through a series of regular workshops and to build social networks between schools and universities in Qatar and institutions around the world. Over the next 12 months, the Program will publish 4 debating training DVDs of workshops, show debates and expert seminars in both English and Arabic, organize a nationwide debate league and national competitions and send teams to both the World Schools’ and World Universities Debating Championships. Overall, we hope to create a world-class Program which will drive resurgence in debate, critical thinking and discussion of public policy issues in the Arab World.

The QatarDebate website www.qatardebate.org has just launched and includes information about debating in Qatar, QatarDebate coaching resources and links to the international debating community. Over the next month, a forum, blog and media streaming system will be added to the site, hopefully creating a debate and discussion hub open to students across the Middle East.

QatarDebate is a member of Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Qatar and Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, the consort to the Emir of Qatar, which aims to develop the potential of Qatar’s people through progressive education. The program is also supported by the Arab Democracy Foundation and enjoys a close relationship with the Doha Debates (www.thedohadebates.com), Qatar’s unique forum for free speech in the Arab World.

We hope that you will have a look at the website and be involved in the QatarDebate program in some way over the next 12 months.

Contact:
Andrew Goodman & Alex Just
Program Directors, QatarDebate
Andrew@qatardebate.org alex@qatardebate.org


Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Exclusive: The Great Debaters














"Debate is Combat but your weapons are Words"
- Actor and Director Denzel Washington


Dear all,

Each year World Universities Debating Championship brings us the oratory bonding with our debating fraternities from Across the world. This time WUDC is going to see the massive gathering with 400 worlds top debating teams and 400 adjudicators. Thanks to AU and the organizing Team of AU; TJ, Tarique, Ravi and other members of WUDC 2008 organizing Team for moving toward a Perfect Asian Version of Worlds. We all hope People will enjoy the championship with high standered debating involvement.

My thanks to the AU Team and the WUDC Council Members for holding the Standers for The Greatest Debating Show on Earth. from last few moths few of you must followed the latest updates of the Debating Movie "The Great Debaters" from World Debating Website, Global Debate and from the IDEA wiki. So i have decided to write this story for You all who are going to WUDC 2008 and for My friends Who are working 24/7 from AU organizing Team to make sure our comfort.

Ladies and Gentlemen Before WUDC 2008, The Hollywood will present you debating movie based on the True Story and which is also created a huge expectation for its debating involvement "The Great Debaters".


Regards,
Rashedul Hasan Stalin


Asian Debating Website Exclusive

By: Rashedul Hasan Stalin


This time of year, movie studios release their most prestigious films of the year in hopes of snagging Academy Award nominations. While it’s still too soon to call how African Americans will fair come Oscar time, the holiday season in US has brought black audiences much to choose from with movie such The Great Debaters. This year World Universities Debating Championship 2008 Circuit will have something to talk about except debating but a Debating Movie.

The Movie: The Great Debaters

The Great Debaters is based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas-USA who inspired his students to form the school's first debate team. Professor Melvin Tolson, a brilliant debate team coach, uses the power of words to shape a group of underdog students from a small African American college in the deep south into a historically elite debate team. A controversial figure, Professor Tolson challenged the social mores of the time and was under constant fire for his unconventional and debating teaching methods as well as his political views. In their pursuit for excellence, Tolson''s debate team receives a groundbreaking invitation to debate Harvard University ''s Debating Championship.
It tells the story of an award-winning team of debaters from Wiley College, a small, historically black institution founded in 1873 and located in Marshall, Texas.

In the 1930s the debate team, surpassed nearly every other team in the US in contests against universities as far-flung as the University of Southern California and Oxford. Nonetheless, the Wiley team was never officially accorded championship status because the national debate society of that day did not formally recognize black participation. Though unrewarded then, many of the graduates of Wiley's debate team went on to become the most eloquently influential movers in the civil rights movement, most notably James Farmer Jr., who founded the Congress of Racial Equality. He encouraged his students not only to be well-rounded people but also to stand up for their rights, a controversial position in the U.S. South of the early and mid-20th century.

Actor Denzel and his movie crew got to the hallowed ground because the Ivy League school doesn’t allow any commerical shooting of its campus. However, "The Great Debaters" did film the Great Debate inside Sanders Theatre’s Memorial Hall, one of the Crimson’s public facilities in Harvard University .

The film stars Denzel as Wiley’s debate team coordinator - and renowned poet - Melvin B. Tolson, and fellow Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker plays the college’s president. The movie’s script followed the real-life story to the letter, Tolson and his undefeated debate team, played by Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett and Denzel Whitaker,would have wound up filming at the University of Southern California, the true National Champions of 1935.

The Forgotten Black American Debate Coach

"Black Crispus At tucks taught / Us how to die / Before white Patrick Henry's bugle breath / Uttered the vertical / Transmitting cry: / 'Yea give me liberty or give me death.'" These words still reverberate in this sixty-sixth year of the celebration by African Ameri cans of "Black History Month." They express the importance that the struggle against socioeconomic and cultural racism held for Melvin B. Tolson in his lifetime and in the work he left to what he called "the vertical audience," that of the ages. This poet, orator, teacher of English and American literatures, gram marian, small-town mayor, theater founder and director and a great debate coach was born on 6 February 1898 in Moberly, Missouri, the son and nephew of Methodist preachers. The family moved frequently in Missouri and Iowa to the different churches his studiously intellectual but autodidact father pastored.

Melvin Beaunorus Tolson was an American Modernist poet, educator, columnist, and politician. His work concentrated on the experience of African Americans and includes several poetic histories. He was a contemporary of the Harlem Renaissance and, although he was not a participant in it, his work reflects its influences.Since his father was an itinerant Methodist minister, Tolson lived in several towns before graduating from high school in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1918. After spending his freshman year at Fisk University, he attended Lincoln University, Oxford, Pennsylvania, from 1920 until graduation in 1923.

In 1924, with an appointment in English and speech, Tolson started his teaching career at Wiley College, Marshall, Texas, where he stayed for the next twenty-three years. He showed an early interest in poetry, drama, and debate. He was only fourteen when his first poem was printed, and during the Wiley years the debate teams he coached earned considerable renown, while one unpublished play after another was locally staged. By the time Tolson left Texas in 1947, he had reportedly also been active in organizing farm laborers and sharecroppers. His next position was that of professor of English and drama at Langston University in Oklahoma, where he taught until his retirement in 1964.

In 1947, in connection with the centennial of his country, Liberian president William V. S. Tubman made Tolson poet laureate of Liberia, a gesture to which the poet responded with his Libretto for the Republic of Liberia (1953), a work that prompted Allen Tate to write, "For the first time . . . a Negro poet has assimilated completely the full poetic language of his time and . . . the language of the Anglo-American poetic tradition." This long, learned poem stands in the tradition associated with T. S. Eliot. In his last book Tolson returns to the world of Harlem with The Curator (1965), the first part of a projected work, Harlem Gallery. On May 25, 1966, Tolson received the annual poetry award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He died in Dallas on August 29, 1966, and was buried in Guthrie, Oklahoma.

The last Word

Many of you will break to this year's Worlds, some of you will win the title because you have allowed to participate as a Debater and because of your qualities. But think of those who were intentionally disallowed during 1930's in US. Culture and the Color made all the difference between the social classes once. Now time has come to move with tolerance, gratitude and harmony.


May The Spirit of WUDC 2008 Wins ............ ......... ..


The Great Debaters Movie Detail:
Directed by Denzel Washington

Release date(s)
December 25, 2007 just before WUDC 2008

Original Movie Trailer will be found at
http://www.thegreat debatersmovie. com/

Produced by
Oprah Winfrey
Denzel Washington
Joe Roth
Kate Forte
David Crockett
Todd Black
Molly Allen

Written by
Suzan-Lori Parks

Starring
Denzel Washington
Forest Whitaker
Denzel Whitaker
Kimberly Elise
Jurnee Smollett
Gina Ravera

Distributed by
Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer

Web Source:
http://www.questia. com/
www.lib.subr. edu/
www.doollee. com/
www.britannica. com/
www.imdb.com/
www.rottentomatoes. com/