Doha – QatarDebate

Team Qatar has recently participated at the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) 2019. The WSDC took place between July 24 to August 1 in Bangkok, Thailand. It was an educational and memorable debate experience for Team Qatar, as they engaged in high quality debates against their peers from all over the world. The tournament featured more than 600 participants from 63 countries.

This premier annual tournament involving pre-tertiary debaters aged 14 – 18 was founded in 1988 and continues to be held in a different location every year.  Qatar has not only been a regular WSDC participant but has also hosted the WSDC in 2010, with 57 national teams participating.

Qatar was represented at the tournament by the following students (national debate team): Ali Al Mawlawi – Judge, recently completed Foundation at Kings College London, Ahmad Al Naimi, Qatar Academy graduate who will start his tertiary education at Kings College London, Maha Al-Haroon, Al-Bayan School graduate starting her tertiary education at Georgetown University in Qatar, Alanoud Al Thani from Qatar Academy, Farhan Sakkir from DPS-MIS, Ibrahim Al-Rumaihi from Ibn Khaldoun School, and Mubarak Al-Naimi and Reem Al-Kubaisi from the International School of London-Qatar, in addition to a delegation from QatarDebate Center.

Qatar’s Ambassador to Thailand meets with Team Qatar

What distinguishes this extraordinary journey of Team Qatar is their meeting with HE Qatar’s Ambassador to Thailand, Jassim Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, which yielded stimulating tips for moving towards a promising future.

HE the Ambassador welcomed the members of Team Qatar and the QatarDebate delegation, expressing his pride in the leaders of tomorrow and their participation in the debates that have become vital not just doe personal development, but also in the field of foreign relations.

During the meeting, the Qatari Ambassador gave the students advice after answering their questions about the diplomatic corps explaining the importance of political and international studies, and the need to master dialogue and the art of debate. He further noted the importance of reading and its usefulness, whether for students, diplomats or anyone, to nurture the mind, and suggested several books for them to read to benefit from.

HE the Ambassador also urged them to represent the State of Qatar abroad in the best way, and to take the opportunity to gain professional experience during their studies or work. He stressed the importance of learning foreign languages, ​​as well as Arabic to understand the cultures of other countries.

Ahmed Al-Naimi, Qatar Academy graduate, who will join King’s College London this fall, explained Debating at WSDC has provided him with exposure to

people from all kinds of cultures and backgrounds, as well as the ability to understand and respect different opinions while also being able to justify one’s own using reason and logic.

His experience at WSDC which was like entering a microcosm of the world, a prelude to what to expect as he begins a new chapter of his life in London, one of the most diverse cities in the world.

Maha Al Haroon who will start her degree at Georgetown University this year, said that her years of debating have given her extensive knowledge about the world’s different political systems, country profiles and foreign relations. This wasn’t her first debate experience with QatarDebate, as she represented Qatar at last year’s WSDC. At the tournaments, Maha took extensive notes from judges from all over the world and is now preparing to use all of this to share with younger debaters. She believes this is an experience that should be shared with as many people as possible, and since she was fortunate enough to access the best quality coaching and judging, she wants to pass on all that she has learned to her younger peers.

She further added that the meeting with His Excellency the Ambassador of Qatar to Thailand was a great conclusion for this wonderful experience.