The Lebanese University of Arts and Sciences and the Palestinian An-Najah National University have qualified for the final round of the 7th International Universities Debating Championship in the native Arabic speakers’ category.In the non-native Arabic speakers’ category, Türkiye secured the title after two Turkish teams, Fatih Sultan Mehmet University and Boğaziçi University, advanced to the final round. The winners will be announced at the closing ceremony.The finals of the competition will be held Wednesday at the Al-Mayassa Theatre in the Qatar National Convention Centre.The qualifying rounds saw intense competition between Georgetown University in Qatar and the Palestinian An-Najah National University. Meanwhile, the Lebanese University of Arts and Sciences faced off against Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, debating "Making contact with isolated indigenous peoples." Each team presented supporting and opposing arguments to convey their perspectives.After an intense and close competition, the Lebanese and Palestinian teams secured their places in the finals.Georgetown University in Qatar and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia competed for third and fourth place in a heated debate over "doing the minimum requirement of one's work and not expending more time, effort, or enthusiasm than necessary." Both teams demonstrated great competence in dialogue, refuting arguments, presenting evidence, and using precise terminology.Commenting on the competition, Hawa Al-Jaradi, QatarDebate Centre ambassador to the United Kingdom, expressed her enthusiasm for being part of this year’s judging panel."The competition was intense and the debate fascinating, with students demonstrating exceptional skills in argumentation and scientific discussion. With each edition of the competition, we witness remarkable improvements in participant competency, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the training teams, overseen by QatarDebate Centre and its global partners, as well as the experience and skills gained in each edition. I also want to applaud the teams for their eagerness to participate in friendly debates as part of their preparation for the championship.”Regarding the competency of non-native Arabic speaking teams, Al-Jaradi remarked, "We have witnessed remarkable progress in the level of participating teams in the non-native speakers’ category. They have shown increased capability in debating in Arabic, employing simple terminology to discuss various issues raised during the tournament, be it economics, politics, or culture."The championship will culminate in a ceremony recognising outstanding teams and speakers, comprising the top three teams from the first category and the top two teams from the second category. Additionally, the ceremony will honour the top ten speakers from the first category and the top five speakers from the second category, acknowledging their exceptional performance and dedication.
May 28, 2024 | 09:25 PM