German to host World Universities debating championship next year
By Alfred Tembo – In a developmental move to promoting public speaking and grooming orators of international repute, German will early next year play host to the world universities debating championship slated for Berlin from December 27, 2012 to January 4 2013.
Patrick Ehmann
The international which will be host by Berlin Debating Union (BDU) event which has since raise close to 600 Euros has an investment budget of 1million Euros looks forward to attract 1400 participants from 69 countries world over. Participants will be selected from pool of institutional based applications.
BDU a debating society for the students of all institutions of higher education in Germany’s capital was found in 2001.The two times German Championship host and European Universities Debating Championship in 2006 as well as the Humboldt Intervarsity on a yearly basis will host the high profile tourney at Technische Universität Berlin.
“There will not be any limits per country for example USA with the largest number of colleges has many universities and is expected to have representatives from over its 180 universities,” said Patrick Ehmann, who is the convenor for the prestigious world universities debating championship.
He said, his organisation has secured needs based scholarships packages for110 debating participants, worth 550 Euros each. The scholarship caters for participation fee, accommodation, workshops on debating skills for two days and transport within Berlin where the championship will take place from among other essential expenses, courtesy of United States Foundation.
During his recent vist to Zimbabwe, Ehmann who was in the country for 10 days said he was pleased with Zimbabwe’s progress in debating citing that there are some public speakers who can stand on an international scale and stand the heating of debating and win without doubt.
Ehmann said, “Regardless of the challenges where debating is yet to be taken serious, with the situation in Zimbabwe is permitting considering that debating is not very old as in other countries. In German debating is about ten years old. The important thing is there are those people interesting developing and taking part in such activities in the presents of the already available audience.
Ehmann who was in Zimbabwe to grace the Zimbabwe National debate championship further explained on the value and worthiness of debating.
“Debating helps challenge view and gives the opportunity to think independent of people in power. One develops a personality through independent and critical thinking. Debating allows different people of various backgrounds to deliberate on topical matters such global warming which are an issue for a everyone to worry about in the world.
“It promotes skills in public speaking and conveying ideas, lots of knock and facts for example structuring ideas in a short space of time. Thought this people will be adding up to the already existing network of existing debaters.”
The thirty-three world universities debating edition scheduled for Berlin in German for the first time after Philippians and Botswana respectively in the last two years is expected to offer a wide range of new packages to participants than the previous ones.
“I was inspired by what really happened in Botswana last year where participants hardly had the time to tour the place and see the cities places. Fortunate enough this time around people attending will really have more time to move around the Berlin and feel what it means to be in German.
“This will be more or less like a culture exchange program, where the key thing to experience what it means to be in Berlin and get everyone actively involved in what life is like”.
“The event which is going to be run under the motto , “embracing dissent” has already created 60 new jobs and opportunities 250 volunteers from all over German and internationals who are already running around preparing for the event in different aspects.
The debate whose finals will be public will be run will the assistance of volunteers drawn from debating enthusiast and friendliness people who are trained and empowered to make the remarkable landmark and historic event count for German.
On describing Mutare where he visited Vumba Mountains, the South African breed debater who was in the country to mark his 107 participations in debating activities said he really admired the mountainous features that constitute better area of the city.
“In my view this city seems vibrant and relaxed at the same time, and l would associate it with the wealthy and land of abundance,” he said as he referring to the ample fruit such as apples and oranges.
Ehmann read for a degree in Theology and graduated from University of Humboldt with a first class degree. He is currently a lecture in Religious Studies and Theology at the University of Hamburg in German where he is reading for his third degree.
