Friday, March 26, 2010

Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Leadership Program begins today

Eighteen students and three teachers will arrive today, March 26th, from Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in the 2010 Youth Leadership Program in Salem, Oregon, USA. Hosted by IDEA, Willamette University, and the U.S. Department of State, the program explores the meaning behind democratic citizenship through workshops and active participation in the local community.

During the program, participants will attend the three-week Civic Education and Leadership Institute at Willamette University, which is located just across the street from Oregon's state capitol building. Participants will also attend some classes at local high schools, and visit non-profit agencies to engage in community service projects. The program will culminate in the Youth Leadership Festival, a debate tournament on April 20th for the students, who will debate with local high school students from Willamette Academy. Next, participants will travel to Washington, DC, to explore the capital city of the United States. The program will end on April 25th, when the students will return home well-equipped with new skills to lead the next generation of their country.

For more information, visit the Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Leadership Program website. To stay updated on the program, visit the BiH YLP Facebook page.

Website now available for the Advocacy Institute in China

Visit the recently launched website for the first-annual Advocacy Institute in China to find information about the program, scholarships, applications, and details about the curriculum and staff. Hosted by IDEA and Willamette University, the Advocacy Institute is a two and a half-week program for university students and will be held June 7-23, 2010 at Xiamen University in Xiamen, Fujian, China.

The Advocacy Institute will focus on teaching participants the necessary tools to advocate for cultural and environmental sustainability. Courses at the institute will focus on sustainability, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, argumentation and debate, and new media. These subjects will be taught by professors from Willamette University, as well as other instructors from the People's Republic of China and the United States. In addition, participants will learn more about these subjects outside the classroom through service learning projects and cultural excursions.

The Advocacy Institute will carry one academic course credit from Willamette University. All
instruction will be in English, and all students must be able to read, write, and speak competently in English. Financial aid is available for a limited amount of applicants. To apply, visit the website or email Crystal Jeffers at cjeffers@willamette.edu

US Universities Tournament registration nears 100 teams

Registration for the 2010 US Universities Debate Championships is filling up quickly! The tournament is still two weeks away, and 30 schools are already registered, making the total count 98 teams and 51 judges. The USU tournament will be held April 9th-11th at Regis University in Denver, Colorado. For a list of registered schools, visit the Global Debate blog.

Registration for the tournament is $120 per team and $60 per critic. Teams are required to bring their own judge. To register, or for more information, visit the 2010 USU website. For specific inquiries or to hire a judge, contact Robert Margesson Ph.D., the director of debate at Regis Univeristy, at director@usu2010.com.

New participants in Spring 2010 Global Debates entered to win iPod Shuffles

Attention high school debate teams! If your team has never participated in The People Speak Global Debates, we have a prize for you! After you compete and submit your debate and activities points by May 15th, you'll be entered to win six iPod Shuffles, enough for your teammates and coach!

Congratulations to the Global Debates team from Munster High School of Munster, Indiana who won six iPod Shuffles for their two coaches and four students, who were first-time participants in the Fall 2009 competition.

Not yet competing in the Spring 2010 Global Debates? It's not too late, and it's easy to get started! Register your Global Debates team, and then get started with the Spring 2010 Overview Toolkit. You must participate in order to qualify for this prize, so start planning!

The Global Debates is a free competition in which students engage in a global discussion about crucial issues, such as poverty and climate change, and take action in their own community. For more information, visit The People Speak website or Facebook page.

Debating Club Olomouc of Czech Republic to host Heart of Europe 2010 Tournament

The Heart of Europe Tournament will take place August 15-20, 2010 in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Held in the center of Europe, the seventh annual tournament will be organized by the Debating Club Olomouc (DKO) and students from Gymnasium Olomouc-Hejcin, a local bilingual school.

The debates will be held in the worlds-style format, and will invite 16 teams from around the world. Last year's participants included teams from Canada, Korea, Slovenia, Belarus, and other countries. Beyond debates, participants enjoyed an "international friendship night" and sightseeing around the city.

Registration fees are 120 Euros per debater and 60 Euros per judge. For more information on the Heart of Europe Tournament, visit the DKO website or Facebook page. For additional information, email heartofeurope2010@debatniklubolomouc.eu.

Friday, March 19, 2010

IDEA announces summer Advocacy Institute in China

Hosted by IDEA and Willamette University, the Advocacy Institute is a two and a half-week program for university students. The Institute will be held June 7-23, 2010 at Xiamen University in Xiamen, Fujian, China.

The Advocacy Institute will focus on teaching participants the necessary tools to advocate for cultural and environmental sustainability. Courses at the institute will focus on sustainability, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, argumentation and debate, and new media. These subjects will be taught by professors from Willamette University, as well as other instructors from the People's Republic of China and the United States. In addition, participants will learn more about these subjects outside the classroom through service learning projects and cultural excursions.

The Advocacy Institute will carry one academic course credit from Willamette University. All instruction will be in English, and all students must be able to read, write, and speak competently in English. Financial aid is available for a limited amount of applicants. To apply, email Crystal Jeffers at cjeffers@willamette.edu.

For more information, visit the Advocacy Institute website.

Teams from Pakistan, Zambia and the Philippines to attend International Tournament of Champions

On May 21-23, as college students are departing from the campus of Willamette University, high school debaters from around the world will be arriving to compete in the 2010 IDEA International Tournament of Champions. Already registered for the highly anticipated tournament are excellent teams from Pakistan, Zambia, and the Philippines, and even more international teams are expected to register. This event provides a unique opportunity for high school teams to meet outstanding skilled debaters from all over the world!

The sixth annual International Tournament of Champions in Salem, Oregon is a weekend full of learning, competitive debate, and friendship-building activities. The event begins with a debate workshop hosted by IDEA and the Willamette University Debate Union. Debaters will learn how to participate in the "Worlds-School" debate format, which will be used during the tournament. Participants will also get a taste of college life as they stay in Willamette's dormitories and relax in the Montag Den, where students can interact through fun games and activities.

To register for this event, click here. Registration ends April 22, 2010. Debate teams will be selected based on their overall experience and competitive success during the current school year. For more details, click here or contact Crystal Jeffers at cjeffers@willamette.edu.

Large turn-out at 2010 IDEA-NFL Korea Qualifier Tournament

The IDEA-NFL Korea Qualifier Tournament was held March 12-13 by IDEA, the National Forensic League, and Yongsan International School of Seoul, South Korea. At this event, participants from several speaking categories had the opportunity to advance to the National Forensic League US National Tournament, which will be held June 13-18, 2010 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

IDEA and hosting schools have held the NFL-IDEA International Qualifier in Korea for five years now, and this year, with more than twelve schools in attendance, Korea has also qualified to apply to form the first NFL-IDEA International District! High school students from the region registered to compete in Parliamentary Four-Team Debate, Original Oratory, International Extemporaneous Speaking, Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, or Humorous Interpretation.

Qualifying two debate teams from a Korean foreign language school, the debate portion was a drawn out contest of seven debate rounds instead of the originally planned four or five. The individual events also saw very strong representation, with some previous qualifiers attending this year's national tournament as well.

In Asia, IDEA has also added the China Qualifier and the Southeast Asia Qualifier, which will be held in April and May. More information about both tournaments can be found at idebate.org.

Students voice their opinions at Debate Festival in Terneuzen, Netherlands

On March 11, IDEA-Netherlands along with De Kleine Rede, a school for special education, organized a debate festival in Terneuzen, Netherlands for 55 second year students. The festival was the closing of a series of debate lessons supported by IDEA.

Although students of De Kleine Rede do not have a reputation for being talkative, these debate lessons encouraged them to discuss issues that were relevant to them. The theme of the debate festival was "alcohol consumption and youth." Students thought critically about this topic, considering whether drinking should be banned from youth, whether advertisements for alcohol should be banned from television, and whether youth have the capacity to make wise decisions. The public audience attending the festival was extremely impressed with their arguments. Two journalists from the area wrote articles about the event in their local newspapers, calling the event "Indrukwekkend- Impressive." Click here to view one of the articles.

At the conclusion of the festival, the superior of youth and education, Mr. Liefting, presented the awards for the best speakers. He assured IDEA that he is in favor of continuing the debate program in Terneuzen.

Climate Leadership Camp organized by recent Climate Advocacy Institute graduate

Last summer, IDEA co-hosted the Climate Advocacy Institute, which brought together more than 80 youth climate activists from around the world. One of the graduates from the institute, Bhuwan from Nepal, has since been involved in several campaigns and movements focused on climate change, including the Nepal Development Foundation (NDF).

The NDF is organizing the Climate Leadership Camp (CLC), a four-day camp that will equip participants with the required knowledge and skills to be a climate activist at the grassroots level. The CLC will provide training that will help leaders promote discussion about important issues in their own communities and advocate for positive change. Participants will learn how to design advocacy campaigns, gain media attention, and organize community efforts. The camp will be held April 3-5, 2010, and applications are due March 26, 2010.

For more information on the Climate Leadership Camp, click here or email contact@ndfnepal.org.

Take the Debatewise survey for a chance to win an iPod Touch!

Debatewise wants to know what you think about its debate site! A short survey asks users what they like, dislike and think could be improved on Debatewise.org. The survey should only take about five minutes to complete, and your input will help improve the site and community for debaters around the world.

Two respondents will each receive an iPod Touch as a small thank you. Click here to participate in the survey, and enter to win!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Registration now open for 2010 IDEA Youth Forum

Registration for the sixteenth annual IDEA Youth Forum has just begun! Here's your chance to be a part of IDEA's biggest event of the year! The 2010 YF will take place in Vlissengen and Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands on July 22-August 4, 2010.

The Youth Forum is a team debate event for high school students which includes debate competitions, along with debate instruction and social activities! The Forum begins with the Karl Popper Debate Championship and the International New Debaters track from July 22-27. The Forum then continues with several tracks from July 27-August 4 that offer trainings in different debate levels and techniques. These small group training sessions include the Mixed Teams track, British Parliamentary Debate track, English as a Foreign Language track, and the Coaches and Judges track.

To register for the 2010 IDEA Youth Forum, click on one of the links below:

Debater Registration
Coach Registration
Staff, Observer, or General Assembly Registration

Registration ends May 15th, and applicants will be notified of their status no later than May 31st. For more details on the registration process, click here. For more details on the 2010 IDEA Youth Forum, click here. For further questions, contact the Forum Director, Veronika Vlckova, at vvlckova@idebate.org.

International Tournament of Champions invites high school teams to register

The 2010 IDEA International Tournament of Champions invites high school debate teams from around the world to gather for a weekend of learning, competitive debate, and friendship building activities. The event will be held May 21-23, 2010 in Salem, Oregon on the beautiful campus of Willamette University.

The "Worlds-School" debate format will be used during the tournament, which promotes international understanding through debate. It consists of two teams (proposition and opposition) of three persons each. Each person delivers a speech of 8 minutes in length, and then one member of each team delivers a reply speech of 4 minutes. The first day of the tournament will feature a debate workshop hosted by IDEA and the Willamette University Debate Union.

To register for this event, click here. Registration ends on April 22, 2010. Teams who apply will be selected based on their overall experience and competitive success during the current school year. For more details, click here.

Southeast Asia IDEA-NFL Qualifier registration and updated information available

Registration has just started for the 2010 IDEA-NFL Southeast Asia Qualifier event. Location and dates for this event have been recently updated. The venue for this tournament has been changed from Politeknik Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah in Kulim, Malaysia to Cempaka International Ladies' College in Bandar Enstek, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The dates for the tournament have been moved from April 16-17 to May 1-2, 2010. The registration deadline has also been postponed until April 15, 2010.

For the past five years, IDEA and the National Forensic League hold qualifier events in Korea, Southeast Asia, and newly added this year, China. At these tournaments, high school students have the opportunity to qualify from their events and advance to the National Forensic League US National Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri, USA June 13-18, 2010. Debate events include public forum debate, original oratory, humorous interpretation, dramatic interpretation, duo interpretation, and international extemporaneous speaking.

To register for this event, and for more information, click here. The school fee for entry is USD $125, which includes a one-year membership with both IDEA and the NFL. Individual entry fees are USD $10 per person, per event. For further information, contact Alisa Keetanitinun at akeetanitinun@idebate.org.

Event updates for 2010 IDEA Youth Exchange in Budapest, Hungary

Hosted by IDEA-Netherlands, the 2010 IDEA Youth Exchange will be held on April 10-11, 2010 in Budapest, Hungary. Registration for this event has been extended until April 1st, and the new deadline to apply for accommodations and financial assistance is March 19th.

This event will bring together youth from around the world for a weekend of presentations, discussion, and fun. This year's Youth Exchange will focus on the promotion of democratic values and combating populism in public discourse, particularly through the use of new media, from around the world. Throughout the weekend, students will deliver their own presentations, and discuss their ideas with the audience. A preliminary schedule of presenters has already been posted.

The event program will also feature presentations from other organizations. A presentation will be given by the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party, a prominent party in Hungary. In addition, a professional demo debate will be held by several distinguished debaters who will discuss the topic, "Europe should respond to populism.”

To register for the Youth Exchange, click here. For more information on this event, visit the YouthExchange website or Facebook page.

2010 China Open announces new Moot Court division


In addition to the Four-Team Parliamentary Debate divisions in English and Mandarin, the 2010 China Open has recently added a new division in Moot Court. University debate teams can now register for any of these events at the China Open, which will take place May 28-30, 2010 on the campus of Xi'an Jiaotong University in Xi'an, China.

The chief adjudicator of the tournament will be Logandran Balavijendran, a two-time champion of the All-Asian Debate Championship and a chief adjudicator of the 2010 World Universities Debating Championship. The grand prize includes a debate tour of the Pacific Northwest region of the United states.

There are no participation fees for the tournament; schools are only responsible for their lodging, meals, and transportation. However, for every Mandarin team entered, each school may enter one additional English team. Each school is also required to bring one judge for every two teams entered. To register for the 2010 China Open, click here.

Students from Bosnia and Herzegovina prepare for IDEA exchange program

In two weeks, on March 26th, eighteen students and three teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina will arrive in Salem, Oregon for the second annual Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Leadership Program. Participants were selected for this program during February and are now preparing for their month-long trip to the United States. During the first week of March, the participants attended a pre-departure orientation workshop, in which they learned about the expectations and details of the leadership program.

"On the first day of the orientation the three separate groups, representing three very distinct regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, met each other for the very first time," explained Elizabeth Carson-Garland, the program manager from the IDEA-US office. The country is split between three ethnic backgrounds of Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks. "By the end of the week, it was apparent they recognized themselves as one Youth Leadership Program group, representing their country. I am excited to watch the students form life-long cross-ethnic friendships during their stay in the U.S."

Students and teachers of the 2010 Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Leadership Program

Hosted by IDEA, Willamette University, and the U.S. Department of State, the program explores the meaning behind democratic citizenship through the three-week Civic Education and Leadership Institute at Willamette University, local community service projects, and visits to local high schools. In addition, sightseeing will also be a part of the curriculum with trips to local museums and attractions, and a week-long visit to the United States capital in Washington, DC!

"This program will be a great opportunity for me- I will meet a new culture and people and I will improve my English speaking skills," said one of the participants, Senka Kulenović. "I will be able to promote everything that I've learned in the United States of America about democracy and share my knowledge with other people my age, and that is a way to make a difference in my country."

During their stay, participants will actively engage with the community of Salem. The students and teachers will reside with local host families throughout the program. They will attend classes and workshops during the institute at Willamette University, which is located just across the street from Oregon's state capital building and near state, county and local civic centers. They will also attend some classes at local high schools, and visit local non-profit agencies to engage in community service projects. The program also includes a debate tournament, the Youth Leadership Festival, which will take place on April 20 for students of the Bosnia program and high school students of the Willamette Academy.

For more information on the Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Leadership Program, visit the program website.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Registration now open for 2010 IDEA Youth Forum

Registration for the sixteenth annual IDEA Youth Forum has just begun! Here's your chance to be apart of IDEA's biggest event of the year! The 2010 YF will take place in Vlissengen and Middelburg, in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands on July 22-August 4, 2010.

The Youth Forum is a team debate event for high-school students which includes debate competitions, along with debate instruction and social activities! The Forum begins with the Karl Popper Debate Championship and the International New Debaters track from July 22-27. The forum then continues with several tracks from July 27-August 4 that offer trainings in different debate levels and techniques. These small group training sessions include the Mixed Teams track, British Parliamentary Debate track, English as a Foreign Language track, and the Coaches and Judges track.

The Youth Forum is accepting 210 participants-- 50 teams for the Karl Popper Debate Championship and up to 15 for the International New Debaters track. Every institution that has participated in past forums will automatically be granted one place. Otherwise, registrations are first come, first serve. Once the cap has been reached, preference will be given to those teams who plan to attend the whole Youth Forum.

Once registered, every participant will go through a selection procedure, which will be based on their interest in improving their debate and public speaking skills, their desire to discuss the debate topics of the forum, and their ability to work in international mixed teams during the entire event. Once the selection committee has reviewed the applications, applicants will be notified of their status no later than May 31, 2010.

The participation fee is 700 Euro for the entire event, or 250 Euro for the first portion of the forum and 450 Euro for the individual tracks portion of the forum. The fees cover lodging, food, transportation within the Province of Zeeland, health and travel insurance, and workshop costs. Although limited financial assistance is available, this year's Forum will focus on increasing diversity and supporting cultural exchange by offering more financial aid for teams in need and for teams from countries that have never attended.

To register for the 2010 IDEA Youth Forum, click on one of the links below:

Debater Registration
Coach Registration
Staff, Observer, or General Assembly Registration

Registration ends May 15th. For more information on the 2010 IDEA Youth Forum, click here. For further questions, contact the forum director, Veronika Vlckova, at vvlckova@idebate.org.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Register for the NJFL National Tournament


Attention all middle school debate teams! Registration is now open for the 2010 IDEA/NJFL Middle School National Tournament. This event will be held at Dowling Catholic High School in Iowa City, Iowa on June 24th-27th, 2010. Hosted by IDEA and the the National Forensic League, the National Junior Forensic League tournament is the annual premier event for middle school debate teams. The tournament focuses on preparing young debaters for competition on the national level.

Participants are offered several choices of debate competition styles such as policy debate,
public forum, Lincoln-Douglas, or congressional. Students can also participate in speech divisions that include interpretations, original oratory, extemporaneous speaking, impromptu speaking, or declamation. An exhibition division will also offer storytelling and TV commercial events. Click here to download the complete 2010 tournament manual.

Registration ends May 15, 2010. To register your team, visit the official 2010 IDEA/NJFL Middle School National Tournament website. Registration fees for the tournament also include organizational member fees for both IDEA and NJFL. For more information about this event, contact Elizabeth Carson-Garland at ecarson@idebate.org.

Spring 2010 Global Debates competition kicks off this week

The first official day of The People Speak Spring 2010 Global Debates competition began this week on March 1st. Throughout the spring semester, high school students from around the world will debate over the topic, "Annex I countries of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) should provide significantly increased aid to developing countries specifically for climate change adaptation."

The Global Debates is a free competition in which students engage in a global discussion about crucial issues, such as poverty and climate change, and take action in their own community. First, participants are required to hold a public debate on the topic and write a climate change adaptation plan. Teams can then also organize activities for additional points, such as creating video PSAs, incolving elected leaders, organizing community service projects, and more! Winners of the competition receive a trip to the 2010 IDEA Youth Forum in the Netherlands, and six runner-up teams receive UN Foundation grants of $2,000 each.

Haven't participated yet? It's not too late! Register here to begin a Global Debates team, and then get started with the Spring 2010 Overview Toolkit. For more information, visit The People Speak website or Facebook page.

Kosovo debate students shine at Prishtina Open 2010

The 2010 Prishtina Open, the national debate tournament in Kosovo, was held on February 27-28. The event attracted high school students from across Kosovo to participate in Karl Popper debates, the format primarily used in debate clubs and tournaments throughout secondary schools in Kosovo. By training coaches and student debate teams, the region's Karl Popper Debate Program is helping to prepare a new generation of articulate and socially aware citizens.

During the tournament, high school students tested their knowledge and critical thinking skills on the topic, "Should children be allowed to work?" Fifteen teams participated in the first day of the tournament, which included three rounds of debate. After the semifinal rounds the next day, a team from Ferizaj and a team from Prishtina remained. The final round was a close match, and the judging panel consisting of nine senior debaters was divided on the winner. In a five to four vote decision, the team from Ferizaj was declared the winner. This team will be sent to represent their country at the annual IDEA Youth Forum in the Netherlands in July, 2010.

The event was supported by the Kosovo Open Society Foundation, the FOL (Speak Up) Movement in cooperation with the Balkan Investigatory Reporting Network (BIRN), and other organizations including Vision Eye in Peje, Initiative for Progress (INPO) in Ferizaj, and the Youth Intiative for Human Rights in Prishtina. Since January 2010, the Speak Up Movement, BIRN and other regional partners have established three regional debate clubs with fifteen high school debaters in the cities of Peje, Prishtina, and Ferizaj.

Debates gain interest at education conference in Belarus

On February 25, the "Education in Belarus 2010" conference took place at the Minsk Youth Palace, where many Belarusian and foreign educational organizations, institutions, schools and universities advertise their activities and services. One of the most interesting groups in attendance was a debate club, which offered people a chance to participate in sample debates. This attracted a variety of people including new and experienced teachers, and public and military school students. Before the sample debates began, the debate club gave a presentation about debate in Belarus and abroad.

Since many were new to the debate process, the debates were slow getting started, but by the cross-examination portion, almost everyone was eager and excited to join in. Even though not everyone had a chance to participate, this experience was influential for many students who wanted to join a debate club and improve their public speaking skills. This event was also important for educational administrators. Such events give momentum for developing debate clubs, along with other programs, and also work to develop active members of society.

~Batsenko Nikita, Gymnasium #7, Minsk, Belarus

Belgrade Open 2010 announces winners

On February 26th-28th, the 2010 Belgrade Open hosted more than 100 debaters from across Europe. The annual tournament is held in British Parliamentary format and is one of the largest debate events of the year in Central and Eastern Europe. This year's winners include the debate team from Oxford University and the best speaker from the University of Zagreb.

The Grand Final on February 28th was held at the Serbian National Parliament building, where participants debated the motion, "This house believes that the Roma should have permanent representation in the European Parliament." During the entire tournament, live broadcast of the events were available via Livestream.com on iDebate Live, courtesy of IDEA. To view replays of the tournament, click here. For more information on the annual Belgrade Open, click here.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Spring 2010 Global Debates Kickoff

Today, March 1st, marks the first official day of the People Speak Spring 2010 Global Debates competition! This semester's topic is, "Annex I countries of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) should provide significantly increased aid to developing countries specifically for climate change adaptation."

Register your team
If you haven't already done so, visit thepeoplespeak.com and register your team to participate in the competition. Even if your team didn't compete in the fall competition, there are still plenty of reasons to participate now. The Global Debates is a free resource that provides curriculum to anybody, anywhere. This is a unique opportunity for students to engage in a global discussion about common issues, such as poverty and and climate change, right in their own community through fun activities. And even though teams from the fall competition have a head-start on points, the spring debates is great practice for next year's competition.

Get started now
After registering, your team is ready to begin! First, each team will need to organize a public debate on this semester's topic and also document it with video coverage and photographs. The next step will be to develop a climate change adaptation plan, which will create a plan for a developing country facing the effects of climate change.

Then, your team will write a press release to inform your community about your team's amazing work! Your team can also earn extra points with several optional activities, such as creating video PSAs, involving elected leaders in activities, organizing community service projects, or posting a research blog.

Check out these resources
In addition, several resources have been provided to help your team succeed! Visit the toolkit center to find both toolkits and templates that give step-by-step instructions on completing each required and optional activity. To get all the basics, download the Overview Toolkit.

Debatepedia has also launched a custom portal and debate page just for the Spring Global Debates. The in-depth portal contains an extensive list of resources to help debaters prepare for their debates and write their climate change adaptation plan. The comprehensive debate page, provides complete arguments both for and and against the resolution, giving you more options when deciding how to structure your debates.

Visit the TPS page on YouTube to view debate videos and public service announcements that have been submitted in the past. And for all the latest updates, be sure to visit The People Speak website, Facebook page and Twitter page.

Compete for prizes!
Submit your activities points by May 15, 2010, and be entered for great prizes! The grand prize for the 2009-2010 Global Debates is a trip to the 2010 IDEA Youth Forum in the Netherlands for the top two U.S. teams and the top two international teams. The six runner-up teams receive UN Foundation grants of $2,000 each.

Congratulations to the team from Munster High School of Munster, Indiana who has won six iPod Shuffles for their two coaches and four students. Since Munster HS was a first-time participant in The People Speak Global Debates, they were entered to win a special prize!