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

1 July 2011

WUDC 2012: 3rd batch of promoted teams

To the World Debating Community: 

The following institutions have been promoted from the wait list:

Korea University
School Of Liberal Studies, PDPU, Gandhinagar
University of Northern British Columbia
Johns Hopkins University
Semarang State University
Liaoning University
Limkokwing University of Creative Technology
Inner Temple
North West University
Kenyatta University
National Law University
M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology
University of the Free State
Nanyang Polytechnic
University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus
University of Split
University of Osijek
UWI, Cave Hill
Cameroon Debate Association
University College Lahore
University of Bergen
American University of Sharjah
Williams College
Forman Christian College University Lahore
San Beda College
METU
University of the Western Cape
The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus
National University of Lesotho
Universitas Diponegoro

These institutions must complete Phase 2 (deposit 50% of their balance) before July 30th or will risk revoking their slots in the championships.

Thank you very much!

DLSU Worlds Registration Team

Chair of World Schools Council appointed District Judge

The following e-mail has been sent out to the mailing lists by Claire Ryan to announce her resignation as chair of council of the World Schools Debating Championships and that she will not be attending the upcoming championships in Dundee.  However the good news is that she is stepping down to take up a position as a District Court Judge in New Zealand. 

Congratulations to Claire.  She has contributed a huge amount to schools debating around the world and she will be missed.  I'm sure she will have a long and successful judicial career ahead of her.


Greetings everyone from an unusually sunny day in wintry Auckland - great for astronomy tonight!



I was planning on letting you know some other news today but with the exciting announcements emerging this morning about WSDC 2011 ( the draw!) and WSDC 2012 ( the newsletter!) which hopefully will take the limelight, I am grateful that my less interesting news can slip quietly in behind.


My news is that I have been appointed as a District Court Judge and will be sworn in on 5 August 2011. I am very fortunate to be able to carry out my judicial duties in Auckland and not have to work and live somewhere else although I may go on circuit to other places in New Zealand from time to time. I will be presiding over jury trials and working in the Youth Court which will be wonderful and I look forward to it.


I will need to leave WSDC and I have tendered my resignation to the Executive to be effective from 5 August 2011. In accordance with the rules, Beth James, as Vice Chairperson will step into the breach until the elections in Dundee when you will choose a new Chairperson. I ask you to give Beth every support in this time. As you know, she is doing a fabulous job as co-CA and her organisational and leadership skills are phenomenal. I am sorry that I am imposing such an extra burden on her prior to Dundee.


I also want to thank the other members of the Executive for their service to you and the debating community; Hayah Eichler, Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed, Sherria Ayuandini, Effie Giannakouri, Irene McGrath, Mert Onen and Joshua Park.


Sadly, I will not be able to attend Dundee. As a number of you know, I intended to stand down as chairperson at Dundee anyway but my appointment has moved matters forward more quickly. It means I can't say goodbye and thank you in person and I'm sorry about that. But as my little (6 ft 6) brother says, "it is what it is."


What I can say by email is that it has been an honour and a privilege to work with you for almost 10 years and to watch our school debaters grow into fine young men and women who contribute in positive ways to the community. I have made some wonderful friends from the WSDC community (you know who you are!) and know that those friendships will continue.


I end with two phrases in reo (Maori language).


First a whakatauki (or proverb) for our young people and their call to leadership;
Ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi.
The old net is cast aside, while the new net goes fishing.


Second, from within me;
Ko kaiwhakawā tōku mahi; ko nga hoa tōku mauri
Judging is my job (but) friends are my life-force.


Kind regards and thank you for all you do and all you are.


Claire

UKSG Conference 2011

In these tough times, we never like to see anyone miss out on a bargain, so please be aware that this year’s Super Early Bird discount for the UK Speechwriters’ Guild conference on Friday 16 September ends on Sunday.


We have added Charles Crawford, a former British ambassador, to the line-up, who will run a seminar on writing speeches in English for non-native speakers.

Buy your ticket here now: http://uksgconference2011.eventbrite.com/

If you are in need of accommodation there are three single bedrooms at The Whitehall available for the night of Thursday 15 September (& the Friday if required). The price is £46 per person per night for B&B. Tel Sara Uzzell 01202 554682.

Eve of Conference:
We are in negotiations with a branding agency to organise the first UK Business Speaker of the Year competition on Thursday 15 September in the Ocean Room Theatre, Bournemouth. This promises to be an X-Factor-style event, with Max Atkinson, author of Lend Me Your Ears, playing the chief judge role of Simon Cowell.

Those attending the conference the next day will get free entry to the contest.

Contestants will submit a one-minute showreel audition of their performance, which will be put on YouTube. The judges will be looking for ‘an inspirational business message for our times’. If you know of any aspiring professional speakers who would like to take part, please make them aware of the competition. The website will be launched next week.

Brian Jenner
http://www.thespeechwriter.co.uk/
Winner of the Vital Speeches of the Day Cicero Speechwriting Award 2010
Member of the UK Speechwriters’ Guild
http://www.ukspeechwritersguild.co.uk/
01202 551257
07545 232980

29 June 2011

De La Salle WUDC important update on reg list

De La Salle Worlds have taken teams that have not paid their 50% down payments off the list. Please double check if your team was omitted by mistake.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtxsFl-mzfcYdE83RDhvYnI3Sk5rb2FudVFiWWpNUWc&authkey=CKPxs5EB&hl=en_US#gid=5

You have 24 hours to let them know and revise the public document.
They will be promoting a new batch of teams after that.
Thank you very much!

28 June 2011

Reminder: IDEA debate census 2011

Just a reminder that IDEA are attempting to do a world wide census of University debating. The sort of information being gathered includes what universities debate, how to contact them, what language they use etc.


The purpose is to gather and then share as much information as possible about debating around the world. This could be useful for organising tournaments, attracting sponsors etc.

If you want to include your university on the list visit http://www.idebate.org/debate-census/