QU Travels to Turkey

Four teams from QU are traveling to Turkey as this is typed.  They will participate in a 4 day tournament held in the World Universities Debate Style.  For more information, search “Istanbul Yeditepe Open 2009″ on Facebook and support the Qatar University students.  This small tournament is to help them prepare for the HUGE World University Debate Championship at the end of December/beginning of January this year.  Hopefully, this mini-tournament will allow these debaters to dominate the WUDC this year!  Good luck!

QU Debaters!

Qatar National Team Trials

Amazing Debaters!

On June 5th & 6th, QatarDebte held trials for it’s National Team.  Over 60 student participated from 16 schools around the country.  After a grueling day of proposition and rebuttal speeches, quizzes, and even written rebuttals.  The 60 students worked incredibly hard- even though many of them had exams to study for as well.  Everyone should be commended on their effort!  From those original 60 students, 24 were invited back on Saturday.  Those 24 students debated twice, had a small group interview and one final round of debates so that the judges could make their final recommendations.  After waiting breathlessly, QD announced the 8 students that make up Qatar’s National Debate team.  These 8 students will have incredibly opportunities both locally and internationally to receive specialized training and represent Qatar in various debate programs.  As WSDC (World Schools Debating Championship) gets closer, QD will chose 5 of these 8 students to particpate.  Congratulations to:

Dana Al Ansari

Chantelle D’mello

Arwa Alsanosi

Moiz Abid Bohra

Sara Al Shamlan

Tammam Al-Ghraoui

Mohammed Zuhair Hubrack

Sarah Salih

A Week Of Coaching!

Posing with Coaches Beth & James

From Sunday, May 25th through Thursday, May 28th QatarDebate hosted five incredible, international coaches.  These coaches spent the week leading workshops in 9 local schools and drop-in sessions in Education City.  Their vast knowledge of debate, strategy and activities helped many students improve their public speaking skills.   A HUGE thanks to Frederick Cowell, Kiera Healy, Beth James, James Molony, and Miranda Weigler!

Fatima debating against teachers

The week ended with a Student vs. Teacher Debate and Dinner at Qatar Foundation Head Quarters, co-sponsored by the Doha Center for Media Freedom.  The amazing Mrs. Naaz Hafiz from DPS Modern Indian School, Mr. Keith Heath from Michael Debakey School, and Mr. Salman Atassi from Qatar University, debated against the incredibly talented Dana from Park House, Sara from Park House, and Fatima from Al-Bayan Educational Complex.  The students as the opposition team won the motion THB that free speech in the media is absolute without restrictions.  It was a great night with lots of excellent ideas discussed about who places restrictions on the media and whether or not they are truly necessary.  Doesn’t the opposition team look great?