Doha: QatarDebate Center, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), concluded the QatarDebate Open (3v3) Championship, hosted by University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST), with wide participation from leading educational institutions in the country.
In a statement today, the center explained that the championship witnessed fierce competition among 22 teams representing nine educational institutions, comprising 33 debaters and 32 adjudicators. This reflects the growing momentum of debate culture and critical thinking among students nationwide
Participating in this year’s championship were: Qatar University, Georgetown University in Qatar, Doha University of Science and Technology, Texas A&M University at Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, DPS Modern Indian School, DPS Monarch International School, the Lebanese School in Qatar, and Team Qatar.
The tournament rounds addressed a range of vital and current issues, namely the role of academic prestige in university choices, government support for elderly care, and critiques of knowledge economy careers. Advanced rounds tackled complex issues such as online trading platforms, environmental justice, and narratives around illness and recovery.
In terms of results, UDST claimed the championship title. The team consisted of students Zaid Zubair Maloul, Asiyil Alaswad, and Qass Behzad. The Texas A&M University at Qatar team came in second place, comprised of Mohammed Bakri, Rhee Jeremiah Costan, and Aiman Mohammed Ali.
In the individual awards, Asiyil Alaswad was named Best Finals Speaker, while Mohamed Bakri and Victoria Honoridez took Best Speaker Overall honors.
In the Schools Category, DPS Modern Indian School secured first place, with another team from the same school as runner-up. Saara Bhardwaj won both Best Finals Speaker and Best Speaker Overall in the schools division.
At the conclusion of the competition, winners were honored by Communications Manager at QatarDebate Reem Al Mosallam, and Manager of Student Engagement at UDST Eman Al Sharshani.
This championship is part of QatarDebate’s efforts to cultivate a culture of constructive dialogue and refine critical thinking skills among young people, contributing to the development of a generation capable of informed discussion and positive engagement with local and global issues.
