Elite Academy youth speak out about their distinct experiences in debates, and provide creative ideas and future visions, about modernizing work methods, especially in exceptional circumstances such as this crisis sweeping the world. In this regard we met with one of the most prominent members of the Elite Academy from Princess Sumaya University in Jordan and the founder of the Intellect & Debating Society, Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Fityani, to get to know the about his experiences and future plans in the Elite Academy.
How did your journey in the debate field begin?
The first time I entered the debate field was towards the end of 2016, back then we:- a group of enthusiastic students gathered with the aim of starting the first universities debate club in Jordan dedicated to serve the art of debates and began working in coordinating introductory training sessions. After that we had our first international participation in a debate competition, which was the 4th International Universities Arabic Debating League back in 2017, followed by multiple international participations leading to us winning the first ever international title – the 5th International Universities Debating Championship, followed by the Asian Arabic Debating Championship in 2020.
What do you do to bring in creative ideas for the Elite Academy?
I believe that teamwork is key when it comes to developing creative ideas and to implement them on ground, whether this team work is with my debate club members or through collaborating with my Elite Academy colleagues, in addition to getting consultations and tips from coaches and specialists in the debate field from different institutes and countries.
What are the activities and initiatives that your worked on during the current crisis?
At the beginning of this crisis the Intellect & Debating Societymoved quickly to respond and launched the “Dalel initiative” (Guide), which is the first Arabic electronic initiative dedicated towards raising public awareness during global crises. The initiative was launched in three platforms ( Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), we hosted more than 60 guests including experts and specialists from various fields and backgrounds to provide advice and guidance to the community during these hard times, along with interactive sessions such as public debates and entertainment sessions. Over the course of the initiative we passed 200,000 views on all platforms. In addition to that we also continued providing online training sessions to more than 400 participants from universities across Jordan.
What are some of the ideas that “Dalel initiative” will work on in the future?
Currently the Intellect & Debating Society is working on preparing a set of activities and events in the near future, with the aim of fostering the culture of debate as well as facing the current crises with solutions and creative ideas through raising awareness and social responsibility.
Can an individual work in an isolated environment with the same efficiency?
Yes, in fact the achievements can be greater than ever if the nature of this situation was understood and dealt with correctly, in conjunction with enhancing the values of teamwork in a flexible framework that is constantly adapting to the variables of the crisis and its needs.
Ideally, how will you manage and pursue your future plans?
Through having clear goals and visions, then finding the best means to implement them during the current times we are facing and its constantly changing variables. It’s important to distinguish between the fixed goals and the flexible means to achieve them.
