IDEA News 06-11-09

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In this issue...

* BFSU-IDEA Tournament registration
* Budva Open 2009 registration
* Macedonia Open 2009 registration
* IDEA Challenge approaching deadline
* IDEA Youth Forum calls for trainers and hosts
* IDEA position opening in Southeast Asia
* IDEA-NL "Debate in the Neighborhood" Update
* Debate tournament in Minsk
* Elearning Africa conference deadline


BFSU and IDEA to host international debate tournament next month

The annual IDEA-BFSU tournament is quickly approaching, and so is the registration deadline! Registration ends on December 5th. The tournament will be held on December 11- 13, 2009 at Beijing Foreign Studies University in the heart of China's capital city. This exciting tournament will feature English and Mandarin divisions in a four-team worlds-style parliamentary debate format, as well as a division of International Moot Court. Training sessions will also be provided for judges and debaters before the tournament, through which qualified adjudicators can become accredited trainers. The tournament also offers site-seeing of historic and modern sites of Beijing.
For more information, contact the tournament host Xi Li (pearlilysweet@gmail.com) or Robert Trapp (trapp@willamette.edu). Registration is free at IDEA's website. Students do not need to register as a team; they may register as individuals and IDEA will help find partners. Each university is limited to two English team entries, but can add an additional English team for each Mandarin team they enter.

Registration now open for the International Debate Budva Open 2009

On November 20-22, 2009, the Logos Center for Creative Communication will be hosting its third annual international debate tournament in Budva, Croatia. The Budva Open 2009 invites all debaters, coaches and international judges to participate. While guests enjoy their stay in this Mediterranean city, the tournament will also be held to help commemorate the Budva Municipality Day celebration.
The tournament will be held in English, and will be debated in Karl Popper and World Schools formats. Both debates will discuss the resolution, "The state should do more on the issue of Roma rights." Participation fees are 30 euros per person, which include food, acommodation and activities. To register for this event, send team information (names, preferred debate, and arrival time) to logosbudva@gmail.com. Hurry! Registration ends on November 17th.

Macedonia Open 2009 holds seventh annual international debate tournament

The Macedonia Open is an international debate tournament which takes place annually in Skopje, Macedonia. The seventh annual open will be hosted by the Youth Educational Forum from December 18-20, 2009, during which the organization will be celebrating its ten year jubilee.
The Macedonia Open offers an opportunity for guests to experience the culture and social life of the capital city, Skopje and the rich traditions of Macedonia. Held in English, the tournament will be conducted in Karl Popper debate format. The final debate is traditionally held at the Parliament building in Macedonia, where debaters are joined by high profile ambassadors, Parliament members, and other public officials. This year's resolution is "Intellectual Property Rights should be abolished." Last year, the tournament hosted more than 120 participants, from Macedonia, the surrounding countries, and from across Europe.
All interested debaters and coaches should apply no later than November 20th. To register, email either Petar Dimitrov (petar_dimitrov@mof.org.mk) or Sanja Stefanovik (sanjastefanovik@gmail.com). Participation fees of 25 Euros per person cover food and accommodations in Skopje. Visit the Macedonia Open 2009 Facebook page for more information.

Global Debaters: IDEA Challenge deadline fast approaching

On your way to the Global Debates grand prize, don’t miss out on the IDEA Challenge, a special contest this fall 2009. You could win participation fees for your team to attend the 2010 IDEA International Tournament of Champions at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, U.S., plus 500 points toward your Global Debates! Simply submit 2 essays summarizing the best arguments and evidence you gathered for your public debate. Essay #1 argues in favor of the resolution; Essay #2 argues against. Essays are due November 16th. Find out more here.

IDEA Youth Forum opens registration for 2010 trainers, and invites bidders for 2011

This summer, from July 22-August 4th, 2010, IDEA will host 200 young people from over 30 countries at its 16th annual IDEA Youth Forum, this time in the Province of Zeeland. The forum is a team debate event for high-school students which includes three debate competitions, along with a week of debate instruction and social activities!IDEA is looking for 21 trainers, who would be interested in teaching at the forum. Apart from having fun, and gaining hundreds of new friends, being a YF trainer offers the opportunity to develop training skills and employ them in a face-to-face week long debate instruction within an international setting. Download the application, and submit it to the forum director, Veronika (vvlckova@idebate.org) no later than December 15th.
IDEA would also like to invite organizations to co-host the 2011 Youth Forum. Apart from impacting youth from around the world, hosting the forum provides an opportunity to promote communication, debate and youth involvement among a greater number of people in your organization (debate) network, community, and country. This year's Forum is co-organized by the 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 Roosevelt Academy. For more information, please contact the forum director (vvlckova@idebate.org).

IDEA seeks Southeast Asia Program Coordinator

The International Debate Education Association announces an open call for applicants for the position of Southeast Asia Program Coordinator. The position begins in January 2010. The contract period is for six months with a possibility of renewal. The Program Coordinator for this office will be based in Chiang Mai, Thailand and will be supervised by Robert Trapp in the IDEA offices in Salem, Oregon.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
1. Manage a regional debate program.
2. Manage a Youth Action Fund that gives small grants to youth-driven projects.
3. Make site visits to establish local infrastructures for programs.
4. Coordinate debate workshops.
5. Supervise the development and translation of debate education materials into local languages.
6. Communicate with other IDEA offices and staff.
7. Network and establish relationships with local and regional partners.
8. Assist with additional events when needed.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS
1. Must have the legal right to live and work in Thailand.
2. Must speak and write fluently in Thai.
3. Must speak and write fluently in English.
4. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
5. Debate training experience.
6. Flexibility and willingness to travel on short notice.
7. Excellent communication skills.
8. Self-motivation and efficiency.
9. Willing to be based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Interested parties should send a cover letter, resume, and contact information for at least 3 references to Robert Trapp at trapp@willamette.edu, Lin Lu at llu@idebate.org, and Alisa Keetanitinun at akeetanitinun@idebate.org. We will begin considering applications on 30 November 2009, and will continue until the position is filled.

IDEA-Netherlands "Debate in the Neighborhood" program increases dialogue with youth

From September-December 2009, several activities focusing on debate have been planned in the Netherlands. All part of the "Debate in the Neighborhood" program organized by IDEA-Netherlands, these activities take place in the cities of Zeeland, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Recently, the program has worked in the community of Tholen to increase youth knowledge in policy-making. In addition, IDEA has worked to increase dialogue between youth and local police in Rotterdam.
On October 30th, Doutsen Langhout, the head of Dutch projects in the Netherlands, gave training to the local Youth Council on how to organize public debates for youth. Additionally, the council was given instructions and tools, like games and exercises, on how to develop debate and public speaking skills in students. The Youth Council will use this training to organize a Debate Battle competition for eighth graders and a Debate Festival in March for high school students. In March 2010, the Youth Council will also organize shadow elections for the youth on youth policy.
On November 9th, local youth in the neighborhood of Crooswijk, Rotterdam will meet with local police to suggest solutions for the growing tension between them. Doutsen recently organized a series of meetings with local youth and police force members in Crooswijk to help them resolve issues. Tension has been growing between the two groups for some time now. These youth, particularly a group of 16-25 year olds, are referred to as "Hangiongeren, which has a bad connotation that people associate with loitering and criminal mischief. While the youth do admit to committing some crimes, the police use their authority to fine and incarcerate the youth, so as to keep the neighborhood quiet — even in some cases where they would be overlooked in normal circumstances. Thanks to the "Debate in the Neighborhood" program, these two groups have agreed to adress this situation, in a cooperative debate.

Tournament in Minsk joins debaters from far and wide

On October 24th and 25th, debaters gathered from various regions to participate in the recent tournament held in Minsk, Belarus. Participants came from as near as Minsk, and from as far away as Grodno and Baranovichi, and other cities. A team from Yakutsk, Russia traveled 9,000 kilometers, not only to debate, but to also share some of their cultural traditions. At the tournament's opening ceremony, the team prepared a presentation of some of their national traditions, such as the Yakut dance, cultural songs, and their national instrument, the "Hamus."
The tournament discussed problematic issues of modern society, as participants discovered new ways of communicating across cultures. The debates were held in the Minsk Gymnasia #7, and discussed the motion, "Genetically modified foods are in the public interest." The finalists included a team from Minsk and another team from Borisov, Bulgaria. In the end, local participants, Kirill Burko and Irina Fedorova, from Minsk won the final debate. However, the enriching cultural exchanges at the tournament gave all debaters a winning experience.

Paper submission deadline for eLearning Africa conference

The fifth International Conference, ICT, for development, education and training will be hosted by eLearning Africa from May 26-28, 2010 in Lusaka, Zambia. It is the continent's largest annual assembly of e-learning and education professionals from Africa and beyond. The deadline for submitting papers is December 14th.
ELearning Africa continues to build and expand a worldwide network for people involved in all aspects of technology-enhanced education and training in Africa, including management and policy-making. The conference will once again be conducted in English and French.
For more information on the conference and details on paper submissions, visit their website at www.elearning-africa.com.

Official e-newsletter of the International Debate Education Association, November 6, 2009