History
The Heart of Europe Debating Tournament is a WSDC (World Schools Debating Championships) based international debate tournament founded by John L. Wickham and the students of Olomouc - Hejcin High School. Originally a competition for high school students of European countries that had previously participated in the KPDP (Karl Popper Debate Program) established by OSI (Open Society Institute), after some time it became a truly global competition for high school debaters. The first Heart of Europe Debating Tournament was held in Olomouc, Czech Republic in 2001. The event attracted participants from Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In 2002, the tournament didn't take place because the organizers were not able to obtain the necessary funding. Nonetheless, a year later, in 2003, the second year of the tournament was held. It has been hosted in Olomouc, Czech Republic every time since then, being organised by Debate Club Olomouc throughout the years 2004–2009. Heart of Europe has lately become an annual event and has been organised by the Association of Debate Clubs of Olomouc Region since 2010.
The year 2010 was a real step-up for the tournament, having had 17 countries participate, including such exotic ones as South Africa and China that engaged in the Grand Final of this year.
In year 2011 there was really significant step in improvement of quality of the tournament. Organising Committee established cooperation with Palacky University Olomouc. All the debates took place in magnificent building of Faculty of Science. The tournament also received new visual style in this year and a lot of work on promotion was done, such as new social networks, photo and video documentation. New participating countries were Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Singapore and Sweden.
Year 2012 was the greatest cornerstone in the history of the tournament. It was held by a new organization, Czech Debate Society, o. s.. For the first time, the tournament was also available online to participants all around the world because of the project "Heart of Europe accessible to everyone". What more, one additional new project was connected with the promotion of the tournament, The Czech Debate TV, with purpose to monitor debate and educational events and present educational videos. The tournament enjoyed fruitful partnerships with projects Debating Europe and The Office of the Government of the Czech Republic - European Affairs Information Department. In that year we have yet again welcomed several new nations, namely Chile, Nigeria, Macedonia, as well as it was the 5th anniversary of Jakub Kadlec' involvement with the tournament.
2013 was the 10th anniversary of Heart of Europe and the tournament got its mascot Herr Heart. The biggest innovation of Heart of Europe 2013 was a test run of the British Parliamentary track before the high school competition, which proved to be a success and will be repeated in the future. As for the staff, the Chief Adjudicator panel was changed – extended to include judges from all over the planet in order to increase its diversity. There were also new participating countries (such as Croatia or Ukraine) and new partnerships made, mainly the one with Debate Club Pandora in Kiev, which later resulted in CDS helping with organization at their tournament called Under Chestnut Trees. Other new partners and sponsors included ARGO, ČEZ or Deleo. In terms of cultural program, Heart of Europe newly included a talent show, where everyone was invited to showcase any skill other than debating. Several debaters and judges performed singing, playing an instrument, dancing as well as some acting and stand up comedy. The next addition was a thematic tour of the city, which was special that year because of historical costumes and props used to demonstrate the legends of Olomouc. Additionally, registration to the tournament was tied to a blood donorship initiative.
Year 2014 was most notable by the outstanding quality of the teams, even by the already quite high standard of the tournament - perhaps a result of multiple delegations spending several years prior to 2014 honing their skills at our tournament every year. The teams were also extraordinarily balanced. In the first break round, the last team to make the break from the 16th place defeated the first team, two members of which were still the best two speakers of the whole tournament. The team with the best two speakers was from South Africa, just like the team that ultimately won the whole tournament, only from an entirely different institution, thus also continuing the regular cycle of different continent winning each year. This was also the first year after the definitive retirement of the founder of the tournament, John L. Wickham, from the position of Chief Judge, making it a bit of an experiment in new organizational procedures. The new paradigm for the future of the tournament was decided to be a rotating position of a chief judge, open to new ascending debate stars, as well as experienced debate masters. New participating countries were Bermuda, [1] China and Denmark. Czech Debate Society, o. s. has changed name to Czech Debate Society, z. s. in accordance with new civil code.
Heart of Europe 2016 had again grown in size in 2016 to 40 teams, including some new additions to participating states like Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Peru, Qatar, and Spain. One of the ongoing trends that became especially apparent this time was the increase in the skill and experience level of the participating debaters. In part, this was happening because larger portion of the debaters were returning ones who have previously participated at Heart of Europe. At the same time, more high level international debaters were attracted to the tournament by its rising significance in the world debating circuit over the last couple of years. The motions debated in qualification rounds covered a range of topics from education, through women’s rights, to global economics. The grand final debate dealt with the issue of residual European colonialism, and it happened between the teams from Canada and Denmark, with the Canadians taking the prize.
Heart of Europe International DT has become very popular during past years. There have been participants from countries such as Argentina, Belarus, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Nigeria, Palestine, Peru, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and United States of America.
All debates in the tournament are in English. This is for practical reasons, but it means that many countries debate in what is for them a foreign language. This has not stopped a number of these teams being very successful. Special awards have been introduced for the highest-ranked teams made-up of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) and English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) speakers.
Past Motions
P indicates prepared motion I indicates impromptu motion.
*2003
GRAND FINAL
THBT a federal Europe will never come about.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. THBT president Bush's war on terror is making a valid contribution to combatting terrorism.
2. THBT compensation should be paid for injustice committed by previous generations.
3. THBT the United Nations has failed.
4. THW impose economics sanctions to end child labour.
*2004
GRAND FINAL
TH welcomes the Euro.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. THBT true democracy is direct democracy.
2. THW put fat cats on a diet.
3. TH condemns gambling.
4. THBT the state should have no role in broadcasting.
*2008
GRAND FINAL
THBT NATO has lost its importance after the Cold War.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. THBT Extremism in the pursuit of liberty is no vice.
2. THBT China represents a Threat to World Security.
3. THBT Russian Democracy is much sham as was Soviet Socialism.
4. THBT the USA is the greatest threat to the world's future Environment.
*2009
GRAND FINAL
THBT subsidizing the car industry will not solve the world economic crisis.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. THBT BRIC states (Brazil, India, China) are a menace to Europe.
2. THW punish Mugabe.
3. THBT the World Bank is an obstacle to development.
4. THBT genetically modified foods are in the public interest.
*2010
GRAND FINAL
THBT Israel should be obliged (if necessary by force) to withdraw from all lands acquired since 1966
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. THBT All Drugs should be legalized.
2. THBT Turkey should be admitted into the European Union.
3. THBT Downloading music and films from the internet should be prohibited.
4. THBT All Foreign forces should be withdrawn from Afghanistan.
*2011
GRAND FINAL
THBT Central Banks should set limits on government spending.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. THBT democracy is not the answer for every country.
2. THBT nuclear energy is a necessary means of fighting the climate change.
3. THW give preference to immigration applicants whose values are consistent with those of the host nation.
4. THBT peer pressure is more beneficial than harmful.
*2012
GRAND FINAL
This House believes that attempts to create a supranational Europe are going to fail.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS
1. TH condemns the payment of bonuses to executives to supplement their salaries.
2. THBT a parliamentary democracy requires the inclusion of sovereign referenda to decide on important issues.
3. THBT Las Malvinas (The Falkland Islands) should be returned to Argentina.
4. THBT all young people should be required to do some form of National Service (not necessarily military) for two full years.
PRELIMINARY ROUNDS - IMPROMPTU SETS
A. Motions on Sport and Health
1. This House believes that we should establish one permanent centre for the Olympic Games to be held each Olympiad.
2. This House believes that the manufacture and sale of tobacco should be made illegal.
3. This House considers that many professional sportsmen are grossly overpaid.
B. Motions on Education
1. This House believes that all Mainstream Secondary Schools should provide Esperanto as their first Foreign Language.
2. This House believes that school History should only be taught from an international perspective.
3. This House believes that Physical Education should only be an optional for students over the age of 18.
C. Motions on Crime and Punishment
1. This House believes that there are some crimes for which Life Imprisonment without the possibility of Parole is an appropriate punishment.
2. This House believes that the right to self-defence should include the right to use firearms against house breakers.
3. This House believes that the wearing of full burqa, hijab jilbab or niqad in public should be outlawed.
D. International Motions
1. This House believes that no Nations in the UN Security Council should have the right of veto.
2. This House believes that there can be no hope of lasting peace in the Middle East until Israel withdraws to its boundaries of 1967.
3. This House believes that China should be exiled from the community of nations until it recognizes the full sovereignty of Tibet.
BREAKING ROUNDS - IMPROMPTU SETS
E. Motions for the Octofinals
1. This House would outlaw all zoos, animal park and circus animals since they represent cruelty to animals.
2. Religion has done more harm than good.
3. This House believes that public transport in urban areas should be provided free by local authorities.
F. Motions for the Quarter Finals
1. The preservation of minority languages and cultures such as Welsh, Breton, Catalan makes European Integration more difficult and therefore should notbe supported by European Funding.
2. This House believes that Private Education should be made illegal.
3. This House believes that a Free Press needs some control.
G. Motions for the Semi Finals
1. This House believes that Immigration into Europe presents a positive hope for the future of Europe.
2. Modern Trends in the Arts (Music, Painting, Literature etc.) have failed to communicate with large numbers of the public.
3. This House believes that the Twentieth Century was a century of progress for humanity.
*2013
(1)
THBT the role of the Roman Catholic Church since 1945 in the world diplomacy has been overwhelmingly negative
(2)
THBT with the ending of the Warsaw Pact there is no further justification for the existence of NATO
(3) SPORT
1. THW pardon all sportsmen found guilty of using performance enhancement drugs
2. THW pay professional sportsmen as much as university professors
3. THW Ban Sports that involve killing animals
(4) Culture
1. THBT modern art may be modern but is rarely art
2. THBT the Beetles have contributed more to society than Beethoven
3. THW stop state funding of the arts
(5)
THW stop public funding of space exploration
(6)
THBT war causes more problems than it solves
(7) Education
1. TH Prefers single-sex schools to co-educational schools
2. THW require all new teacher graduates from developed countries to work in the developing world for a period of twelve months.
3. THBT nationalism has no place in the school curriculum
(8)Politics and Economics
1. THS Free Trade to the developing world
2. THBT there is no place for monarchy in a democratic country
3. This house believes that corrupt democracy is better than dictatorship
(OF) Environment
1. THBT there is no future without nuclear energy
2. THW rather use its resources to adapt to climate change than to prevent it
3. THW Mandate recycling Programs in developing countries
(QF) International relations
1. THBT Tibet should be recognized as an independent state
2. THBT America has done more harm than good since 1945
3. THBT the ICC should have the authority to investigate and prosecute any cases
(SF) Religion Morality Ethics
1. THW not use medically scarce resources on terminally ill patients
2. THBT multiculturalism has failed
3. THBT religion should have a place in public education
FINAL
THBT in the long run there is no hope to save Euro without a Federal Europe
*2014
This year motions were created by Motion Committee: Wissam Chalabi, Lukas Machacek and Jakub Kadlec. The committee had advisors: Carmen Belafi, Tristan Von Zahn, Eva Nike Cvikl, Itumeleng Kenneth Mohanoe, Frankie Cena, [3] Martin Rezny, Bojana Skrt, Olesia Yakimakha.
(1) P
THBT the NSA should continue using PRISM despite the reaction to its disclosure
(2) P
THW prohibit the privatization of natural resources in developing countries
(3) I FAMILY ISSUES
1. TH Regrets the decision of children who cut all ties with their parents
2. TH Supports assisted suicide for terminally ill minors
3. THW abolish the right to refuse to give evidence in court cases against family members
(4) I SPORTS
1. TH Regrets giving Russia the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup
2. THBT sports leagues should not use cheerleading performances at their events
3. THW only allow amateur athletes to compete at the Olympic Games
(5) P
Considering its role in the holocaust, THBT Germany should recognize a Palestinian state and urge Israel to do the same
(6) I EDUCATION
1. THW ban traditional circumcision/initiation schools (with info slip)
2. THW pay performance based salaries to teachers
3. THBT social media does more harm than good to education
(7) I SCIENCE
1. THBT the MarsOne mission should be cancelled (with info slip)
2. THW Stop the search for extraterrestrial intelligent life
3. THW not allow social media sites to conduct psychological experiments on their users without their knowledge
(8) I INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. THBT private military companies should be banned from UN Peacekeeping Operations (with info slip) (not picked)
2. THBT the decision to engage in any form of military intervention (including war) should be made by the political executive in a state and not by the citizens
3. THW not pay ransom to terrorist groups that hold hostages
(OF) I DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
1. THBT violence is a legitimate tool for political opposition movements in authoritarian states
2. THBT western nations should make aid conditional on advances in gay rights
3. THBT developing countries should hold the Catholic Church financially liable for the medical expenses of AIDS victims in areas where the church campaigns against condom use. (not picked)
(QF) I EQUALITY
1. THBT the feminist movement should oppose affirmative action for women in western liberal democracies
2. THBT the state should fully subsidise gender reassignment surgery. (not picked)
3. THBT refugees should be granted voting rights in their recipient countries
(SF) I PROTESTS (all with info slip)
1. TH Opposes the extinguishing of Buddhist monks who self-immolate in Protest
2. TH Regrets the American people’s opposition to military intervention (not picked)
3. THBT hacktivism is a legitimate tool of political protest
FINAL P
THBT refugees should be granted voting rights in their recipient countries
*2015
This year motions were created by Motion Committee: Itumeleng Kenneth Mohanoe, Frankie Cena, Mgr. Martin Rezny and Jakub Kadlec.
(1) P
THBT international military intervention against Boko Haram is justified, regardless of the views of the Nigerian government
(2) P
THBT the normalization of relations between the USA and Cuba will result in substantial improvements in civil rights in Cuba
(3) I EDUCATION
1. THW concede to the enjoyment and fulfilment of sex (including sexual gratification) when designing a sex education curriculum
2. THW make sports compulsory for university and college students
3. THW not grade students in public schools
(4) I SPORTS AND ARTS
1. THBT the restriction to use performance-enhancement drugs in sport is unjustified
2. THW not allow owners of culturally important artworks to alter them
3. THW Reveal the work of a dead author, even against his will
(5) P
THBT sexually assertive female pop stars identifying as feminists are harmful for feminism
(6) P
THBT the Eurasian Economic Union is going to be a threat to the European Union in the future
(7) I MINORITY RIGHTS
1. THW consider gender identity when addressing affirmative action
2. THBT the legalization of gay marriage around the world will lead to significant improvements of the LGBTQ Community
3. THBT the enshrining of gay rights in constitutions does more harm than good for the LGBTQ movement
(8) I TRADITIONS, CULTURE AND RELIGION
1. THBT individuals who worship their ancestors should practise that as a faith rather than just “thanksgiving”
2. THW ban polygamy
3. THS individuals who choose to identify from a race they were not born into
(OF) I JUSTICE
1. THW allow individuals to sue religious organisations for making decisions that harm them
2. THW pay reparations to descendants of slaves
3. THW try dangerous youth offenders as adults
(QF) I SOCIAL MEDIA/SOCIAL NETWORKING
1. THBT the reliance of news from social media has damaged the credibility of news-reporting
2. THBT employers should not be influenced by information on social networking sites when hiring and firing
3. THBT the media should be required to cap political advertising by candidates and parties during elections
(SF) I ECONOMICS AND POLITICS
1. THBT a two-party political system is more effective than a multi-party political system
2. In times of economic crises, THW instate a government of expert economists, and not politicians
3. THBT all debts of developing countries owed to developed countries should be forgiven
FINAL P
THBT EU’s development aid should be focused primarily on education
*2016
This year prepared motions were created by Motion Committee: Itumeleng Kenneth Mohanoe (ZAR), Frankie Cena (CAN), Laura Krawczyk (POL), Mgr. Martin Rezny (CZE) and Jakub Kadlec (CZE). Impromto sets were created by Motion Committee: Itumeleng Kenneth Mohanoe (ZAR), Frankie Cena (CAN), Dena Tabyanian (CAN), aura Krawczyk (POL), Simona Mazilu (ROM), Delfina Vildósola (ARG), Mgr. Martin Rezny (CZE) and Jakub Kadlec (CZE).
(1) P
THBT constitutions of liberal democracies should not enshrine LGBTQ rights
(2) P
THBT constitutions of liberal democracies should not enshrine LGBTQ rights
(3) I EDUCATION
1. THW require all public servants voted into office (presidents, deputies, ministers, premiers etc.)to send their children to public school
2. THW require public schools to teach the basic tenets of the world's main religions
3. THBT Boarding Schools have done more harm than good
(4) I POLITICS
1. THBT social media is an effective tool in maintaining democracy
2. Assuming there is a pill that forces politicians to tell the truth, TH would force them to take it when running for office
3. THBT poorly informed voters are the greatest risk to liberal democracies
(5) P
THW pay citizens to house refugees (6) P
THW pay citizens to house refugees
(7) I WOMEN/FEMINISM
1. TH, given the technology, would make men bear children
2. THW condemn chivalrous behavior as sexist
3. THBT A Hillary Election is good for feminism
(8) I MORALITY/ETHICS
1. THW allow the government to implant GPS trackers in everyone
2. THBT unconventional forms of political activism are effective tools for change in a democracy
3. THBT Companies should divulge private personal information of customers if required by Government Authorities
(OF) I ECONOMICS
1. THW nationalize any company that is deemed to be too big to fail
2. THBT people who indulge in dangerous lifestyles should pay higher health care
3. THW not tax the poor
(QF) I IDENTITY POLITICS
1. THW compensate every black family in America regardless of whether their ancestors were enslaved
2. THBT nationalism has more good than harm
3. THBT tourism companies should not be allowed to use previously oppressed groups for marketing purposes
(SF) I GENERAL/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. THBT being an illegal immigrant should not be enough to get someone deported
2. THBT developing countries should prioritize environmental protection over resource extraction
3. THBT the next Secretary-General of the United Nations MUST be a woman
FINAL P
THBT all EU states should remove restrictions from their former colonies
The Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate is the national organization which governs all English language competitive university debating and public speaking in Canada. It sanctions several official annual tournaments and represents Canadian debating domestically and abroad. Its membership consists of student debating unions, sanctioned by their respective universities, from across Canada. CUSID has been described as "a student-run, parliamentary debate league with close ties to the American Parliamentary Debate Association".
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Competitive debate, also known as forensics or speech and debate, is an activity in which two or more people take positions on an issue and are judged on how well they defend those positions. The activity has been present in academic spaces in the United States since the colonial period. The practice, an import from British education, began as in-class exercises in which students would present arguments to their classmates about the nature of rhetoric. Over time, the nature of those conversations began to shift towards philosophical questions and current events, with Yale University being the first to allow students to defend any position on a topic they believed in. In the late nineteenth century, student-led literary societies began to compete with each other academically and often engaged in debates against each other. In 1906, the first intercollegiate debate league, Delta Sigma Rho, was formed, followed by several others. Competitive debate expanded to the secondary school level in 1920 with the founding of the National Speech and Debate Association, which grew to over 300,000 members by 1969. Technological advances such as the accessibility of personal computers in the 1990s and 2000s has led to debate cases becoming more complex and to evidence being more accessible. Competitors and coaches have made efforts to reduce discrimination in the debate community by introducing new arguments and recruiting debaters from underprivileged communities.
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