Kathmandu Debates 2013 - An SSI effort on Youth Sensitization !

This month I bring you stories from our partner, SSI who have recently organized the Kathmandu Debates 2013.

The Sano Sansar Initiative is currently organizing inter-high school debates program in which more than 18 colleges from Kathmandu valley have participated. The debates series Kathmandu Debates 2013 was started on January 18, 2013 and is going to run through February 07. The debates have adopted Karl Popper Format and are being monitored and executed by notable Nepalese debaters and recognized debates professionals.

The immense media response and youth participation can be felt by take a look at: www.sanosansar.org/blog/2013/02/kathmandu-debates-2013-coverage-by-the-kathmandu-post/

Kathmandu Debates Series is a youth leadership program to encourage high school students to participate in open dialogue culture to resolve issues and to provide a platform for high school students where they can come together and share ideas and opinions in various topics. And debate in this context is the best way to learn and teach on how each of us can come together and share what we have to say. 16 teams of age groups 15-20 representing individual groups and high schools from Kathmandu Valley participated the tournament. The debates was started on January 18 with a three-day long Educational Tracks in which participants were trained on various topics, including debating format, case construction, cross examinations, and ideal way of debating.

The Karl Popper Debate Format places students in two teams with three members each setting. Teams are presented with a resolution, i.e. Government should privatize Water Supply Corporation or People should conserve cultural heritage instead of government. The rules include the team affirming the resolution speaks first, and the opposing team then must refute the arguments offered by the affirming team and offer arguments against the resolution. Both sides are given equal opportunity to present their positions and to directly question their counterparts.

The debate received phenomenal youth participation and saw a large array of ideas and exemplary arguments being placed from both the sides.

Here is one inspiring story of an organization, who like Green the Gene, is completely run by youth (Founded by Sagar Aryal), and are making a huge impact to the society.