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

18 September 2008

WSDC photo scrapbook

Tuna is compiling an online scrapbook of photos from the recent WSDC. If you can help get in touch with him:

See it at http://debate.uvm.edu/debateblog/wsdc/Welcome.html

Please check your page and pictures. It is not too late to send me either a new photo or your write-up. I want to find some errors, because I know they are there.

I am still looking for photos of:
Break Night Party
9/11 Memorial
England holding their trophy.
Other photos you might feel are of interest.

Just attach them to an email and send them along to alfred.snider@UVM.EDU

Job Opportunity in Thailand

From AUDC list:

IDEA Announces Call for Southeast Asia Program Coordinator

The International Debate Education Association ([http://www.idebate.org/] IDEA) announces an open call for applications for the position of Program Coordinator in Southeast Asia. The Program Coordinator for this office will be responsible for establishing a regional debate program based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Program Coordinator will make site visits to set up local infrastructures for programs, coordinate debate workshops, work to develop a network of local trainers, and supervise the development and translation of debate education materials into local languages. In addition to these responsibilities, the Program Coordinator will communicate with other IDEA offices and staff, assisting with additional events when necessary. The position begins early October; the duration of the position is six months with a possibility of contract renewal.

REQUIREMENTS:
-Fluency in English
-Fluency in Thai preferred
-Bachelor's degree
-Master's degree preferred
-Skill in written and spoken English
-Debate training experience (experience in a variety of formats preferred)
-Experience organizing and/or tabbing debate tournaments
-Flexibility and willingness to travel extensively on short notice
-Excellent communication and social skills
-International experience (particularly in Asia)
-Experience with non-profit work a plus

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
-Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Elizabeth Humphrey at ehumphrey@idebate.org. The application deadline is September 30, 2008.

Elizabeth Humphrey
IDEA Program Coordinator
ehumphrey@idebate.orgwww.idebate.org

17 September 2008

Oxford Schools 2008/2009

Oxford Schools 2008
Registration for the 2008/09 Mayer Brown Oxford Schools' Debating Competition is now open. To register, visit www.oxfordschools.org.uk

The Oxford Schools' Competition featured over 1000 students (including a few World Champions...) from the UK, Canada and Ireland in 2007/08, making it the largest British Parliamentary Debating Competition in the country.

The competition's regional workshops will take place in the term before Christmas, followed by regional rounds in early 2009 in which each team will compete in two debates. From the regional rounds around 80 teams will progress to Finals' Day in Oxford in early March.

This year, schools can enter up to three teams, with a maximum of two teams breaking to Finals' Day from any one school. Entry fees are £36 (1 team), £72 (2 teams) or £92 (3 teams). Bursaries to cover entry fees and/or travel costs are available for schools that, because of their financial situation, would not otherwise be able to participate in the competition.

If you have any questions, just visit www.oxfordschools.org.uk or email convenor@oxfordschools.org.uk

15 September 2008

Cambridge Schools' Debating Competition

Source: Britishdebate list

After all the excitement of World Schools, this is just a quick note to say that registration for the 2008-09 Cambridge Schools' Debating Competition is open online on our website www.cus.org/schools until October 3rd.

We're making a really big effort this year to make the competition more accessible to schools that don't traditionally enter. In line with this, we're holding free introductory workshops across the country throughout September being taught by some fantastic coaches from the Cambridge Union. Equally, there are bursaries available to all schools otherwise unable to afford registration or travel costs. We're introducing a 'mentoring scheme' and making available free to download on our website introductory guides to BP debating and information on setting up and running a debating society. For more information on this, or indeed anything to do with the competition, either email us at schools@cus.org or have a look at our brand new website.

It promises to be a really fantastic competition. We've got some great motions lined up, this year's Chief Adjudicator, Mr Nick Long, is one of the most respected judges on the debating circuit, and we've got plenty of surprises ready for Final's Day.

We look forward to seeing lots of you in this year's competition.

Best Wishes,
Andrew Chapman and Sam Dobin
Convenors, Cambridge Schools' Debating Competition 2008/09

Summary of WSDC results

World Champions: England (Ben Woolgar, Farquhar, Fox and Emily Pearce)

Runners up: New Zealand (Jen Savage, Ben Kornfeld, Maria English, Tom Chen and Holly Jenkins)

Best ESL Team: Greece

Best EFL Team: Slovenia

Top 10 Speakers
1. Jen Savage (NEW ZEALAND)
2. Ben Kornfeld (NEW ZEALAND)
3. Chris Bisset (AUSTRALIA)
4. Holly Jenkins (NEW ZEALAND)
5. Ben Woolgar (ENGLAND)
6. Sam Greene (CANADA)
7. Emily Chalk (AUSTRALIA)
8. Sian Ni Mhuiri (IRELAND)
9. Daniel Kaliski (SOUTH AFRICA)
10. Hugh Burns (IRELAND)

Top ESL speaker
Zeeshan Haida (Pakistan)

Top EFL speaker
Carmen Belofi (Germany)

Grand Final Judges: Maniam (Singapore), Erskine (Australia), Webster (Canada), Bandey (Pakistan), Lee (Republic of Korea), Mazilu (Romania), Fecko (Slovakia), Miholic (Slovenia), James (Wales),

Motions:
Final: This house would expand the permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
Semi: This house would drop all US sanctions on Cuba.
Qtr: This house regrets the holding of the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Octo: This House believes that heads of government should be required to have a parliamentary majority to govern
Rd8:
Rd7: This house believes that governments have a duty to bail out failing financial institutions
Rd6: This house would cease the use of detention without trial in the war on terror
Rd5: This house would make the directors of multinational companies personally liable for environmental abuses committed by their companies in the developing world
Rd4: This house believes that humanities courses should be part of every undergraduate programme
Rd3: This house would ban the use of unethically obtained data in scientific research
Rd2: This house would ban strikes by those working in essential state services
Rd1: TH supports military intervention to deliver emergency aid in humanitarian crises

World Schools' Top Ten Speakers

Worlds Schools Top Ten Speakers

10. Hugh Burns (IRELAND)
9. Daniel Kaliski (SOUTH AFRICA)
8. Sian Ni Mhuiri (IRELAND)
7. Emily Chalk (AUSTRALIA)
6. Sam Greene (CANADA)
5. Ben Woolgar (ENGLAND)
4. Holly Jenkins (NEW ZEALAND)
3. Chris Bisset (AUSTRALIA)
2. Ben Kornfeld (NEW ZEALAND)
1. Jen Savage (NEW ZEALAND)

14 September 2008

England are World Champs

England defeated New Zealand in a 5-4 decision in the World Schools' Grand Final.

More info as it comes to hand.

Today at World Schools

Agenda for Day 10 at the World Schools Debating Championships, Washington 2008

6:30am to 9:00am Breakfast
10:00am Council Meeting
2:30pm Finals at Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
7:00pm Closing banquet

World Schools Semi-final results

In the semifinals at the World Schools Debating Championship in Washington DC USA, the results were:

New Zealand 7-0 over Scotland
England 5-2 over Greece

The final is tomorrow afternoon at the Reagan Center.

The motion was: This House would have the United States lift economic sanctions on Cuba

NZ in proposition, England in opposition.