World Schools Debating Championships 2010 Set to Kick Off in Qatar

Qatar is the First Arab Country to Host the International Championship

DOHA, Qatar--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Secondary school students from 58 countries will gather in Qatar this week to match wits at the 22^nd World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC), the premier international competition for secondary school debaters which takes place from February 8th to 18th, 2010, with a grand opening ceremony to be held February 09, 2010 at Marriott Hotel Doha.

“We seek to reflect the progress achieved by the State of Qatar on different levels and in different arenas.”

Qatar, which had won the honor of hosting the 2010 championship after beating off strong competition from several countries, is the first Arab nation to host the World Schools Debating Championships. WSDC 2010 will be held at 15 of the most prominent educational institutions in Qatar, and will attract major names and experts from around the debating world.

The championship is organized by QatarDebate Center, the national debating organization for Qatar.

Commenting on the championship, Dr. Hayat Maarafi, Executive Director of QatarDebate Center, said, "Our success in bringing the WSDC to Qatar is another significant milestone for QatarDebate Center, and gives a strong fillip to the Center’s mission of spreading the debate culture in the Arab world. We are very pleased with the huge turnout at this year’s championship, and we look forward to a fortnight of lively, engaging and thought-provoking debates.”

Dr. Maarafi also expressed her hope in presenting an event that is of international caliber and that is becoming of Qatar's standing, saying, "We seek to reflect the progress achieved by the State of Qatar on different levels and in different arenas.”

The 2010 championship promises to be an exciting battle of minds, with the national debating teams of 58 countries participating in the event. Participating countries include the State of Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, America, England, China, Japan, Russia, India, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Romania, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Mongolia, and Nigeria.

Founded in 1988, the World Schools Debating Championships is a truly global competition for high school debaters. The championship takes place each year in a different country, hosted by a national debating body. Past patrons of the championship include Tony Blair and Nelson Mandela. The next edition of the championship will be held in Scotland in 2011.

*Source: ME NewsWire

About QatarDebate Center

QatarDebate Center (www.qatardebate.org) is the national debating organization of the State of Qatar and a member of Qatar Foundation. The Center was established in September 2007 to promote human development as the most important of resources via two parallel lines: sowing science and knowledge, and unlocking creative talents by promoting the ability to express and interact with the opinion of others as opposed to clashing with them.