Doha – QatarDebate

In cooperation with the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia, QatarDebate Center, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, delivered a virtual training workshop through ZOOM titled “Introduction to the Art of Debate”  from 15-13 March 2023.

The workshop, which was attended by 172 students from 35 Indonesian universities, aims to raise the awareness of Indonesian students about the art of debate in Arabic in alignment with universal standards

As a large country, it includes more than 200 programs in the Arabic language, in addition to organizing at least 20 national competitions for debates in the Arabic language annually. 

The workshop was conducted by Mr. Mohamed Sahni Arji, one of the graduates of QD’s Elite Academy program, who was chosen to translate some specific terms into Arabic, because students were in different levels of the Arabic language and understanding synonyms.

The workshop began with a welcome speech by the Head of the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the University of Gadjah Mada, Dr. Zulfi, in which she praised QatarDebate’s efforts and its important role in promoting debate in Arabic and said : “I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to QatarDebate, especially to Mr. Mohammed Salman Ali, the supervisor of the workshop.”

She also welcomed the participants and asked them to seize this golden opportunity to benefit from the experiences of the trainers and be able to master the skills of debate.

For his part, Mr. Turki Mohammed Al-Suwaidi –   QatarDebate Center said that the Center’s programs are diverse and characterized by continuous development, as we have worked to provide several important programs such as the Elite Academy, the International Championships, and the Qatar Debate Fellowship.”

The workshop focused on debating skills in Arabic for non-native speakers, and on the importance of practicing debate in life, and concluded with a paragraph presenting opinions about the workshop, where the participants expressed their thanks for this workshop.

“We benefited a lot and hope to participate in the intermediate and advanced stage, as we learned in this workshop new skills, the most important of which are the strategy and technical assistance for the debate”

Khadija Rima Yahya

On the workshop and the importance of debates in Arabic, Khadija Rima Yahya, a graduate of the Department of Arabic Language and Literature, University of Gaja Mada, Indonesia,  said: ”  The Arabic language  is an integral part of the lives of Indonesian people, so most of us learned Arabic before our mother tongue Indonesian, therefore, this workshop aims to introduce students to the culture of Debate in Arabic.”

She continued: “The workshop was very beneficial with the exchange of opinions, and questions from the participants, and this reflects the student’s interest in Indonesia.”

She pointed out that collaborative efforts with QatarDebate will help students practice their language skills and be well prepared to participate in the International Debating Championship in Doha.

“Debate skills have become very important, especially since national competitions focus only on  the ability of language and not on the strength  of argumentation. For me personally, I would like to learn more about literary debate, especially poetic oppositions.”

Cooperation between QatarDebate and Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia.

Ms. Khadija said: “The Center’s efforts are great in the field of debate by raising awareness among young people regarding its importance and pushing them to scientific research, in addition to serving the Arabic language,  not only in Qatar, but globally. Therefore, I know that QatarDebate and Gadjah Mada University have common goals, and I hope that this workshop will be the beginning of stronger cooperation with QatarDebate in the future.