DLSU takes 'Olympics of debating' to Manila

This year, the De La Salle University (DLSU) Debate Society will bring debate enthusiasts from all over the world to Manila, in what is dubbed as the “Olympics of debating.”

DLSU will host on Dec. 27, 2011- Jan. 4, 2012, the 32^nd World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC/Worlds), bringing around 1,400 debaters from 70 nations. The event coincides with the university’s centennial celebration.

“Our hosting will definitely put the Philippine debating community at the center of global intellectual discourse. Moreover, DLSU's hosting of WUDC will also make Worlds more accessible to the Filipino debaters who are mostly unable to experience Worlds due to budget constraints,” Dino De Leon, convenor of the tournament, told philstar.com.

This is the second time that the Philippines is hosting the competition, after Ateneo de Manila University held it in 1999.

The debates will be done in the British Parliamentary format with nine elimination rounds which will determine the top 32 teams who will compete to the rounds which will culminate into the grand finals. Separate categories for public speaking, English as a second language, and English as a foreign language will also be held, information on the competition’s Web site showed.

“I invite potential sponsors and partners to help us make this event a success! This is a very rare chance to showcase the Philippines at its finest. I also call on the general Filipino public to watch the actual debates of the brightest students of the world, particularly the grand finals, to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center on Jan 3, 2011,” De Leon said.

For further details on the competition, you may check www.dlsuworlds.com or e-mail the convenor at [email protected].