Doha – QatarDebate

The activities of the European Universities Arabic Debating Championship, organized by QatarDebate in cooperation with Fatih Sultan Mehmet University – strategic partner – and hosted by Ibn Haldun University, concluded on Monday evening, February 17, in Istanbul.

The closing ceremony and final debate were held at the Amin Siraj Cultural Center – in the presence of His Excellency Mr. Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Ibn Haldun University, a number of Their Excellencies and high-level representatives from the highest Turkish authorities, QatarDebate and a group of academics and experts from around the world interested in the debate.

After strong competitions between teams from various European universities, Fatih Sultan Mehmet University team – Turkey – topped by qualifying for the final and carrying the title of the second European Championship for university debates in Arabic – After defeating their counterpart Liverpool University team – United Kingdom – who won second place. The two teams debated the motion: “This council believes that we should’ve eliminated NATO after the fall of the Soviet Union”.

The best team in the – Arabic for non-native speakers – was for the team of the University of the Higher School of Economics – Russia.

Dr. Hayat Abdulla Maraafie, Executive Director of QatarDebate, said: “We gather today in the heart of Istanbul, a city that has embraced the greatest intellectual dialogues and cultural exchanges throughout the ages. Let’s celebrate the conclusion of the second edition of the European Championship. Here, in this distinctive space, we came from different countries and backgrounds, united in the love for the Arabic language, and believing that dialogue is the finest tool of thought and the strongest bridges of understanding between peoples. Over the past days, we have witnessed exciting competitions between 20 teams, with the participation of more than 150 debaters from the global debate community, each of the debaters sought to present the best arguments, and to present the deepest insights, in an arena that showed that debate is not just an intellectual exercise, but a school for refining minds, and training them to interact constructively with different ideas. Istanbul, a city that hosted the International University Debating Championship in Arabic in 2022, proves today once again that it is an incubator for thought and debate, and a cultural capital that celebrates dialogue as a bridge of civilization between East and West.

Memorandum of Understanding for Academic Cooperation
Based on the existing cooperation between QatarDebate and Ibn Haldun University and in conjunction with the European Championship, an academic cooperation agreement was signed between the two parties, in the presence of Dr. Hayat Abdullah Marafie, Executive Director of QatarDebate, and Dr. Attila Arkan, President of Ibn Haldun University, along with representatives of the academic committees of both sides.

The MoU aims to establish interdisciplinary graduate programs that benefit the two educational institutions through the development of scientific research, educational and training activities. In addition to exchanging experiences and knowledge in the fields of specialized research, academic publishing, and other programs of common interest. The official announcement of the programme will take place during the Second International Conference on Debate and Dialogue, scheduled to take place in Doha on 19-20 May 2025.