iDebate: IDEA

Showing posts with label IDEA. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Campaign to Stop Dangerous Climate Change Seeks Volunteers

The international grassroots movement 350.org, an Open Society Institute grantee, is running a global campaign focused on stopping dangerous climate change. The goal is to pressure world leaders to negotiate an agreement bringing carbon dioxide levels back to the safe level of 350 parts per million (ppm).

On October 24, thousands of communities around the world will host events linked together by a common visual—the number 350—which will be displayed at every action. Already, 350s have popped up all over the world, but 350.org needs more. They are inviting individuals to take on an important part of this campaign, called Project Mobilize: 350txt.

Project Mobilize

Project Mobilize is a text message (SMS) campaign to support the October 24 day of climate action.

The project seeks volunteers to facilitate two-way conversations via SMS globally. 350.org will send volunteers a t-shirt, an SMS modem, and a small list of domestic supporter mobile numbers, and help pay for the SIM card and SMS credit vouchers over the next few months. In return, Project Mobilize asks the following from node hosts:

Keep your computer on, have FrontlineSMS open, and be connected to the internet 24 hours/day, 7 days/week (it can be an old computer you leave in the corner of a room or garage)

Follow the instructions in the Project Mobilize guide carefully to ensure your node is set up correctly. Email 350txt@350.org with any questions.

Find out which Telco in your country provides the cheapest SMS rates in-country, and purchase a SIM card (350.org can help pay)

Monitor the credit. Before the credit runs out, you will need to purchase more credit, so the node is always functioning (350.org can help pay.)

Advertise the SMS number and keywords associated with your node online and at events leading up to October 24.

Become a Host

If you're interested in hosting a 350txt node in your country, please fill out the following questionnaire: http://bit.ly/prjctmobilize.

Monday, September 07, 2009

For the first time in its history IDEA will host its biggest single event in the Netherlands!

For sixteenth time in row IDEA will host 200 young people from over 30 countries of the world at its annual summer event - the IDEA Youth Forum. The next year’s Forum will be organized in the Province of Zeeland from July 22 to August 4, 2010. This event will be co-organized by International Debate Education Association (IDEA) and Zeeland’s Institute for Social and Cultural Development (Scoop), in cooperation with the municipalities of Middelburg and Vlissingen, the Hogeschool Zeeland and the Roosevelt Academy.

For more information please visit: http://www.idebate.org/ideaforum/node/106/

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Debate opens your mind!

Shamir Cervantes lives in Salem Oregon, though he is from Mexico, where he visits every summer. He started debating this past April during IDEA’s Youth Leadership Project, hosted at Willamette Academy, Shamir’s high school.

iDebate: You’ve just entered the debate world. What have been your impressions?

Shamir: I've been surprised by debate; it opens your mind a lot.

iDebate: And what about at the Youth Forum in particular?

Shamir: In the USA, there's this whole clash of cultures, but here it's cool because everybody clashes in debates, but not as friends. It's a really great chance to get to know people from all of these different places, without the tension that we have in the US.

iDebate: What did you think of the themes of climate change and juvenile justice?

Shamir: "I liked the environmental topics. It was easy to find evidence, but hard to debate about them, because the issues were really complicated. This one [A just society prioritizes rehabilitation over retribution in its juvenile justice system] is reversed. Now it's about constructing a case."

iDebate: Is there anything you would like to add?

Shamir: "I think it's cool that I'm the first ever Mexican citizen to participate in the youth forum. As Robert Trapp said, with me here, we complete North America."

I want to make a debate club

For Milos Dimitrijevic, this year’s Youth Forum was a home event. But he wasn’t waiting his whole life for the Youth Forum to come to Bosnia. In fact, he had only been debating for four days beforehand.

iDebate: How long have you been debating?

Milos: I've been debating competitively 4 days in April and here [at the Youth Forum]."

iDebate: How did you start?

Milos: I traveled to Salem, Oregon, for IDEA’s Youth Leadership Project. The project was about developing ideas for improving the community. I want to make a debate club, with help from IDEA, my school, sponsors, and the American embassy in Sarajevo.

iDebate: What has been your favorite part of the Forum?

Milos: I liked the Finals of the KPDC in the parliament and the free day in Sarajevo. In Sarajevo it was really easy and nice to show people around.

iDebate: Do you have anything to add?

Milos: All of my other debates were better than the ones that were filmed!

Door to better research

Frank Hardee teaches at Cranleigh, a boarding school in Surrey, England. Frank convinced his school to allow him to fulfill his coaching duties with academic competition. And so he has become the debate coach of Sam Barrett and Zeno Agnew-Davies, bringing them to their first Youth Forum.

iDebate: How long have you been debating?
Sam: I'd done one debate in my life before coming here.
Zeno: Two years
Frank: I've been coaching for 2 years

iDebate: What do you think of the Mixed Teams Track motion [A just society prioritizes rehabilitation over retribution in its juvenile justice system]?
Sam: I think it's brilliant. It's really interesting to learn about. I've learned loads.

iDebate: What's been your biggest surprise coming to the Forum?
Frank: I'm learning better how to coach for a prepared motion. We were a little under-prepared for KPDC.
Sam: To say the least.
Zeno: We had no idea what we were doing with the preparation.
Frank: Next year we'd think about things like definitions and criteria more clearly, and then that opens the door to better research.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

IDEA Youth Forum: KPDC Finals

USA team Unicorns did better debating over the team Korea and won the Karl Popper Debate Championship, held in the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The topic for this year KPDC finals was:

To combat climate change, nations should use cap and trade regulations rather than impose taxes on carbon emissions

The Champions: USA Unicorns