World Schools Debating Championships
200_tcm4-436060.jpg "Scottish schools world champion debating team 2007")
Each year students from Scottish schools (usually S4 and above) are selected for the Scotland World Schools Debating Team.
Chosen by a group of experienced debates coaches, judges and tournament organisers, the Scottish Schools International Debating Council (SSIDC) selects 16 debater finalists. From these 16 young people, five are chosen to represent Scotland at the Championships.
The World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) bring together teams of school pupils from nations all over the world to debate against each other.
Over the past few years, these championships have been held in South Korea, Cardiff, Stuttgart, Calgary and Lima.
The whole team comprises of five students, one or two adult coaches, a team manager (a senior teacher) and often a number of judges.
Scottish team wins 2007 championships
A team of five Scottish pupils won the World Schools Debating Championships in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday 11 July 2007. The pupils from schools in Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen beat the Singapore team in the final to bring the title back to Scotland for the third time in the 16 years of the competition. Scottish teams also won in 1990 and in 1999.
The winners defeated teams from 35 countries by successfully arguing against topics such as the banning of underweight models, in which they defeated the Kuwaiti team, and by arguing for the execution of war criminals, defeating the Bangladeshi debaters.
Read about their championship win on the Scotsman website and Herald website.
Selection process
Most of the 16 debater finalists tend to have participated in a number of tournaments throughout the year.
As well as attending the year-long tournaments, such as the ESU Mace and Law Society of Scotland Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament, debaters who wish to be considered for WSDC selection will usually attend some University Union tournaments in Scotland and England.
If you are a Schools Coach and would like to hear more about SSIDC or would like to find out how you become a member of SSIDC, please contact the English-Speaking Union (who will be able to put you in contact with the chairperson of SSIDC).
If you are a Schools Coach and would like to have one or more of your pupils considered for the selection process, please contact the English-Speaking Union (who will be able to put you in contact with the chairperson of SSIDC).
For more information visit the World Schools Debating Championships website.