World Debating Website

Chennai Worlds 2014! - Final Registration Information!

Colm Flynn — Mon, 20 May 2013 06:19:49 +0000

Dear All,

Belgrade Open 2013: The second day brought actual debate motions and competitive spirit

Goran Igikj — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:06:00 +0000

The second day of the debate tournament "Belgrade Open 2013" showed the strong competitive spirit of the debate teams that are fighting for the title today in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. Three rounds have brought interesting and actual motions.

"Belgrade Open 2013" opening ceremony

Goran Igikj — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:35:09 +0000

With a debate on the topic „This house should introduce unified history curriculum for ex-Yugoslavian countries“ yesterday at Hotel Slavija in Belgrade, the international debate tournament "Belgrade Open 2013" was officially open. Two teams composed of three representatives each, faced the arguments of their sides to the audience that eventually voted the opposition team winner.

This House believes that Western democracies should openly try to circumvent Internet censorship in oppressive regimes

Alex Helling — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:44:50 +0000

Internet censorship has been growing precipitously in countries around the world. Freedom House finds that 20 of 47 countries examined have increased their restrictions on internet freedom in 2011 and 2012 against only 14 with increasing freedom.[1] At the same time the methods of control have been becoming more restrictive.

International debate tournament “Belgrade Open 2013” kicks off today

Goran Igikj — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:33:16 +0000

“Belgrade Open 2013”, the International debate tournament with 64 teams competing for the title through five rounds, starts today in the capital of Serbia.

How much longer is the war on terror going to last?

Securing Liberty — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:23:12 +0000

So do you think the war on terror is winding down? This would seem a reasonable conclusion; we are after all getting out of Afghanistan, have already left Iraq, and are proving unwilling to dip our toes in the conflict in Syria. This of course ignores that there are more and more drone strikes over more and more countries, yet is not the point of drones to shift away from other operations?

New competition for WikiLeaks from the New Yorker

Securing Liberty — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:05:22 +0000

The wiretapping of AP by the US Department of Justice that was mentioned on the forum yesterday helps to show the need for new routes for leaking information. The news company was not informed that the government had been tapping its phones and the action was in response to a leak in order to try and catch whoever the leaker was.

This House believes transparency is necessary for security

Alex Helling — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:07:19 +0000

Government transparency, the idea that government should be open about what it is doing with its citizens, has been around since the enlightenment when parliaments began to be more powerful than kings. We usually consider that governmental transparency is a part of good governance in a democracy.

Will the US send the Yemenis held in Guantanamo back home?

Securing Liberty — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:55:46 +0000

One of the major sticking points in reducing the number of prisoners in Guantanamo and therefore the eventual closure of the camp has been the unwillingness of the administration to send Yemeni citizens back home. Now the Attorney General Eric Holder has declared that the administration is reviewing the block on allowing Yemenis to return home.

Brussels: League of Young Voters launch

Rhiannon Butlin — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:48:43 +0000

IDEA is partnering with the European Youth Forum to launch the League of Young Voters on 30-31 May 2013, 10.30am to midnight, in front of the European Parliament, Brussels.