The Debate for Change Tournament exists to inspire young leaders by bridging debating and service together. It aims to develop caring, globally aware and socially responsible individuals to help create a more supportive and understanding community.
To this end, the organisation works with local charities and international schools to provide high quality debate inspired by local service issues. Through debate, guest speakers and an opportunity to personally engage in fundraising, the tournament is dedicated to creating a deeper and more intimate bond between students and the projects they help fundraise for in their community.
Thus, through debate, collaboration and fundraising, the Debate for Change Tournament aims to fulfil three goals:
1) Inspire students to become effective, globally aware and contributing members of their communities;
2) Encourage personal and long-term service action through raising awareness about local charities, and;
3) Equip students with the skills needed to be the inquirers, innovators and leaders of tomorrow.
Dear Participant,
Welcome to the Debate for Change Tournament! I am incredibly pleased to have you here with us.
The Debate for Change Tournament was founded with the purpose of bridging service and debate together. As you may well have guessed, these are two of my personal interests, so I am very excited to see this many of you who share such similar passions.
From its inception, the Debate for Change Tournament has been completely student-initiated, organised and led. In designing it, my team and I have always strived to create a programme that we ourselves would want to attend as students. It is a tournament for students, from students.
With that said, I am still amazed at how the tournament has developed. The Debate for Change Tournament was conceptualised on paper, for the first time, in February 2018; it is incredible to see it become a reality in such a short amount of time.
Thank you for making this possible.
I feel very strongly that this community we will be forming will have a lasting impact on all of us. You may have noticed that I have avoided using the word competition. That’s because even though the Debate for Change Tournament might seem like a competition, it isn’t one at all. It’s a celebration of shared values, an appreciation of service and a platform to facilitate development in public speaking. We want you to work hard as a team, but have fun learning whilst doing it.
Each day of this tournament is new, untrodden ground; a blank canvas for opportunity. Whether you’re joining us as a veteran debater or as a complete beginner, I challenge you to make the most of it. Learn something new about one of the three charities represented, push yourself to make your very first debate speech or guide a new team member as a veteran debater. In doing so, I hope you will find this experience as rewarding and exciting as we have intended it to be.
All the best for the rest of the competition!
Yi Wen Lee
Founder
Dulwich College Beijing, Class of 2019