QatarDebate has provided details of previous press coverage, photographs of QatarDebate events, and a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below in order to provide more information about QatarDebate and its activities.

For more information or for other press and media enquiries, please contact us.

QatarDebate event photos
Photos of QatarDebate events are available through Flickr.

Media coverage
QatarDebate has received considerable media coverage in Qatar, the GCC, and internationally, both in English and Arabic. Some representative articles can be found below:

Park House bags top award - Qatar Tribune - 18 October 2009
QatarDebate at Empower 2009 - The Gulf Times (Qatar) - May 2009
The Middle Eastern Renaissance - The National (UAE) - May 2009
'Team Qatar' Film Review - The Guardian (UK) - May 2009
'Team Qatar' Film Review - The National - April 2009

International Education Week Debate - The Gulf Times - Nov 2008
2008 WSDC Team - The Gulf Times - March 2008
QatarDebate Joins QF - The Gulf Times - February 2008
QatarDebate Holds 2nd Workshop - The Peninsula (Qatar) - Nov 2007
National Debating Workshops - The Gulf Times - Nov 2007
First National Debating Workshops - AMEInfo - September 2007

Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to frequently asked questions about QatarDebate, debating, and other topics, can be found below:

Q: What is Debating?

Competitive debates usually take place between two teams of students, with one team (the Proposition or Government), arguing for an important topic or motion (ie. This House would withdraw American troops from the Middle East), and another team (the Opposition) arguing against that motion.

A competitive debate should be rational, focussed, and structured, and these are the skills which debating teaches you. Debates take place in a number of different formats, varying speaking time, number of speakers and many other factors, and can be judged by a panel of judges (competitive debate) or by an audience (show debate).

Q: What are the benefits of taking part in debate?

There are a huge number of benefits which students can gain from taking part in debates, including:

  1. Debating is fun - Making arguments, defending your views, winning debates in front of an audience are all exciting.
  2. Debating gives you skills - In education and work, being able to structure arguments, make convincing analysis and present your thoughts or argument to a group are all rare and highly valued skills.
  3. Debating creates opportunities - Debating competitions take place all over the world and so debating offers the opportunity to travel to far-flung reaches of the globe to discuss important issues with groups of people from every country in the world.

 

Q: How many people have participated in QatarDebate's workshops?

Over 3000 students, teachers and faculty from over 30 schools and universities in Qatar have participated in QatarDebate workshops. This figure includes:

  • Over 800 students from 7 universities - every university in Qatar (Qatar University, Georgetown SFS, Cornell, VCU, Texas A&M, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern)
  • Over 500 students from other tertiary education institutions (The Academic Bridge Program, CNA, CHN)
  • Over 1550 students from more than 20 secondary schools in Qatar (including Education City, Independent & International schools)
  • Over 150 teachers and faculty drawn from each of the 30 educational institutions involved in QatarDebate's programs.

There are currently 82 secondary schools in Qatar (with 4100 teachers and 40,000 students). QatarDebate has a presence in 100% of universities and c. 25% of secondary schools in Qatar.

Q: How many schools and universities have active clubs?

It is difficult to track how many schools and universities have active debating clubs, but our aim is to set up active clubs in all institutions that take part in QatarDebate workshops. We do however know that:

  • 10 Qatari secondary schools debating clubs were represented at the trials for the 2009 Qatar National Schools team.
  • 4 Qatari university debating clubs competed at the World Universities Debating Championships in December 2008 in Cork, Ireland.

Q: What kind of training do workshop participants receive?

All of QatarDebate's workshops are taught by QatarDebate's experienced international debating coaches and aim to build speaking confidence, analytical ability and argumentation skills through interactive pupil-centered workshops.

Beginner Workshop

  • Everyone who is new to debating receives a 3 hour 'beginner' workshop taught by 2 of QatarDebate's experience international debating coaches.
  • This workshop is highly participatory, focussing on exercises and student-centered demonstrations. Participants learn about the role of format, content, style and strategy in debating, and at the end of the workshop take part in a complete debate.
  • Participants in the 'beginner' workshop should be able to subsequently take part in debates as part of a school or university debating society.
  • To see a 'beginner' workshop in action, you can order one of QatarDebate's free 'Introduction to Debating' DVDs.


Intermediate Workshop

  • Those who have participated in a 'beginner' workshop can subsequently receive a 2 - 4 hour 'intermediate' workshop taught by 2 QatarDebate coaches.
  • This workshop aims to prepare students to take part in competitive debates against other schools and universities.


Teachers & Faculty Workshop

  • Teachers and faculty who have seen a 'beginner' workshop can subsequently receive a 2 hour workshop which demonstrates how to integrate debate into the classroom.
  • This workshop is aimed at showing teachers and faculty how best to teach debate and make use of debate in lessons. As such it is taught more through lectures and demonstrations than the student-focussed workshops.

In addition to these formal workshops, QatarDebate provides continued coaching and mentorship for students, teachers and faculty who compete at the Qatar, regional and World Championship levels of debating.

Q: What is the Qatar Debate League?

The Qatar Debate League was first organized in 2007 in order to link schools and universities with new debating societies looking to take part in competitive debates. After consultation we have decided that institutions preferred to initially take part in 'friendly' debates and so have connected teachers and faculty to independently schedule debates.

We hope that the formal structure of the QDL will gradually return by 2009/2010 in preparation for Qatar's hosting of the World Schools' Debating Championships, and will continue to work with those schools and universities which wish to take part in both 'friendly' and 'competitive' debates.

QatarDebate also organizes the Qatar National Schools' and Qatar National Universities Debating Championships which take place annually in March in Doha.

Q: How can I get involved?

You can attend one of QatarDebate’s monthly debating workshops held in schools and universities around Doha. You can enter a team from your school or university into the National Schools’ or Universities’ competitions. You could even set up a debating society and start having friendly debates against other schools or universities as part of the ‘Qatar Debate League’.

Q: Where can I find out more about QatarDebate?

On our website, www.qatardebate.org you will find details about all of QatarDebate’s programmes.

Alternatively you can contact QatarDebate at:
QatarDebate (Qatar Foundation), Building 8/9, Qatar Foundation, Education City
Main Office: +974 454 0396
Email: info@qatardebate.org

Q: How can I order QatarDebate’s ‘Introduction to Debating’ DVDs?

You can order up to 3 DVDs free of charge for your educational institution from www.qatardebate.org/videos

Q: What is QatarDebate doing to encourage debating in other Arab Countries?

In preparation for WSDC Qatar 2010, QatarDebate will be running workshops in other countries and cooperating with partner organizations to encourage the development of national debating federations in other Arab countries. In addition to providing resources, we also hope to host the inaugural ‘Arab Cup’ in late 2009.

Q: What exciting events does QatarDebate have planned going forward?

Just some of the forthcoming events in 2009 include:
- The launch of an Arabic language debating programme
- The introduction of QatarDebate workshops for primary schools
- Streaming of QatarDebate educational media over the internet
- The 2009 Qatar National Championships

Check out www.qatardebate.org for more information on these and other exciting events.