Qatar Soaks Up First Time WSDC Success

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Team Qatar sets world record at international debate contest
Publish Date: Sunday,21 September, 2008, at 01:33 AM Doha Time

Just and the team members talking to the media yesterday
By Ourouba Hussein
THE first Qatar National Debate team set a new world record for a team making its debut at the World Schools Championship by coming 19th at the international event that concluded in Washington DC, recently.
Senior instructor and programme manager Alex Just told reporters that the five-student Qatari team won four of their eight debates, and finished 19th in the 2008 World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC), ahead of teams from established debating countries like Kuwait, India, Germany, Japan and the USA.
“Team Qatar won preliminary debates against high school debaters from Botswana, Japan, Zimbabwe and Montenegro, which is a new world record for a team making its debut at the tournament,” he explained.
Qatari member of the group Talal Burshaid speaking about the competitions, said the team had four prepared debates and four extempore ones. ‘Delivering emergency aid in any humanitarian crisis’ was the first prepared topic which the Qatar team won against the Botswana team.
The Qatar team debated against team England in the second prepared topic, which was about scientific research.
“It was a close debate. England won the 2008 WSDC, but the members of the winning team said one of their hardest debates was the one they ran against Qatar,” he said.
Just pointed out that team England had five-and-a-half years of debating experience, while the Qatar team had started practicing some 10 months ago.
He said that the Qatari team competed in two debates against each of A, B, C and D teams, and recorded their best performances against the A teams. “That made the judges say that the Qatar team has done very well.”
The five students said they have learnt a lot from the trip and debates.
Burshaid said he learned not to underestimate or overestimate rival teams, but to just give his best.
Fatima Hijran spoke about gaining more knowledge related to business, ethics and science.
Tina Niaki cited her gains as exchanging of ideas and acquiring more knowledge.
All the team members agreed that taking part in WSDC made them learn how to defend their position, form their own opinions and respect others’ opinions.
The team members described the competition ambience as funny and enjoyable and declared their willingness to participate in the next WSDC which will be held next year in Greece, if they win the selection process in Qatar.