Be part of Global Debate

What are the Global Debates?

Global Debates are a worldwide contest of debating and public service events. International Debate Education Association (IDEA) invites all secondary school students (age 14-19) to participate, on the theme of international migration.

The topic for debates is:

Nations of the world should increase protection of the economic and social rights of migrants.

To take part in the Contest, schools need to register on the Global Debates Website.

They will then conduct a range of activities during the twoGlobal Debates Campaigns: October – December 2010 and February– April 2011.

In addition to organizing public debates, schools can submit essays, photos, videos and organize public service events. Each activity organized by a school will be awarded points. The schools which collect the highest number of points will win amazing prizes – including a trip (with a teacher who can judge) to the IDEA International Debate Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, in July- August 2011.

For further details on school registration, activities and how to organize them, visit our website or contact theGlobal Debates Team.

Why enter?

The project offers a unique opportunity to develop life skills and participate in an international activity which matters and make change happen. People who get engaged and involved in issues are more successful in getting to college and pursuing the careers of their choice. Participating in this project will put you and your school on the map worldwide.

Not only will this initiative help you understand the issues underlying international migration, but you will be able to impact on the life of your community. Are you fed up listening to people in charge talk about what is best for you and people around you? Design your own plan, debate it with others, make it happen and let everyone know about it!

You can learn more about the problems you and people around you face and help find solutions to these problems. By debating them, organizing events to address them and informing others about these issues, you will learn how to present yourself, argue for what you believe in and how to work in a group to advocate change. These are skills that you will need in your future career, no matter what you end up doing.

The €40,000 prize fund

Win one of following the prizes

• The top 100 teams in the Global Debates Fall 2010 Campaign get a book of their choice from the Idebate press.

• The top 100 teams in the Global Debates Spring 2011 Campaign get a book of their choice from the Idebate press.

• The top two Global Debate Challenge Fall 2010 Campaign entries will win a 50% fee waiver for the 2011 IDEA Youth Forum (July 19-August 1, 2011) in Istanbul.*

• The top two teams (one international and one US) from the Global Debates Fall 2010 Campaign get a 50% fee waiver to the 2011 IDEA Youth Forum.*

• The top two teams (one international and one US) from the Global Debates Spring 2011 Campaign get a 50% fee waiver to the 2011 IDEA Youth Forum.*

• The top two US teams and top two international teams in the final Global Debates ranking will receive a 100% participation fee waiver and travel to the Youth Forum 2011 (economy class - participants arrange and pay for their own visas and cover any other expenses)*

*note: the prize will be awarded to a team composed of one coach/teacher and three debaters; one school cannot win more than one of these prizes; of the international teams, only one school per country can win one of these prizes.

Deadlines

1. Register your team and prepare yourself with the toolkit.

DEADLINE: December 15. N.B. For the Global Challenge you need to be registered by November 15!

2. Host one or more public debates on this topic:

“Nations of the world should increase protection of the economic and social rights of migrants.”

DEADLINE: Between October 1 and December 15.

3. Submit your migrant rights protection plan.

DEADLINE: December 15.

4. Upload the pictures and a Youtube video of your debate, as well as other points activities here.

DEADLINE: December 15

5. Do extra activities to earn more points.

PlayDecide game

Video PSAs

Participation of Elected Leaders

Service Projects

Press Coverage

Research Blog Posts

Score high on Global Challenge

Tips for debating migration

from a Concept paper by Neill Harvey-Smith, former Chair, World Debating Council.

Right now, all over the world, millions of people are on the move. Scientists, academics and business people are making international transfers. The oppressed and war-weary are fleeing their homes. Rural people are flocking to cities. Inner-city dwellers are escaping to the suburbs. Some are making a temporary move, to work and save for their family; some are trafficked against their will; others are building a new life on the other side of the world.

The public debate about immigration tends to lump everyone in a pot marked “immigrants”. Each person has their own reasons for moving, and their own story to tell. In order to understand the dynamic forces at work, we need to group people together. At the beginning you might be baffled by terminology. There are a lot of terms out there to describe people’s varied migrant journeys, like step migration, chain migration, return migration or seasonal migration. Get comfortable with this language of migration then relate it back to everyday life.

Framing

Given all the different types of migration, and the time limitations of a debate, the golden rule is: clarity, not caricature. Ensure you delineate between people’s motivations and situations. Think carefully, because the tone of your language reveals as much as the content of your arguments.

Principles

Who gets to be where and why? It is easy to make lazy assumptions about the rights and wrongs of migration. Remember that, in debates, we are less interested in what the law says than what it should say. Be clear which social and economic rights you think are being denied to the particular group you are considering – and from where you believe those rights are derived.

Consequences

How will be the future be different? There is so much richness and possibility in debates on migration. One side sees the importance of protecting indigenous culture. The other calls that racism and argues multiculturalism is inevitable. One team calls for greater generosity in welcoming refugees. Another warns that the bonds of civil society will break if people no longer feel kinship with the fellow citizens. For some, an infusion of low-paid workers is the saviour of Europe’s sclerotic economy. To others, competition from outsiders is the source of defeatism and racism.