The University participation was coordinated through the An Najah University Debate Society, under the supervision of the Office of International and External Affairs, and full logistical coordination with the Deanship of Student Affairs to ensure successful participation. The team included Farah Atatri of the Law Faculty, Israa Hasan of the Medical Faculty, and Ahmed Awni Hamadneh of the Mechatronics Engineering Department. 

The debaters completed three months of intensive debate training created by the An Najah University Debate Society and led by head coaches Mr. Shehab Khader and Dr. Tayseer Alawneh under the supervision of Mrs. Alia Gilbrecht.

Trainings also included guest judges including architecture instructor and former competitive debater Mr. Iyad Ghazal, and former debate team members and graduates Ms. Iman Saraj and Mr. Suhayb Sakran, and Ms. Nura Qaswrawi as well as feedback from university professors related to international law including Dr. Ahmed Bishtawi and Dr. Moyad Hattab of the Faculty of Law.  

During the first two months of the trainings, the debaters engaged in weekly in-person practices and completed daily debate activities to prepare them for debating across a range of subjects related to international relations, the economy, climate change, different government and political systems, technology, labor laws, criminal justice, and minority rights.  During the final three weeks of preparation, training and research became intensive with several hours of preparation a day. An Najah University Debate Society coordinated closely with the Deanship of Student Affairs on all logistical details to ensure the University's participation was successful. 

An Najah University Debate Society has consistently ranked high in international debate tournaments in English and Arabic, making it to the quarterfinals of Qatar's Asian Arabic Universities Debating Championship in 2020 and making the final round of prestigious English competitions at such as Bristol University in the UK and Trinity University in Ireland.  

On this occasion, Prof. Abdel Nasser Zeid, President of the University, met in his office the winning debaters to congratulate them on this achievement. He commended their role in promoting the university’s excellence on the local and international levels.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Khayat, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mr. Muhammad Al-Daqqa, Dean of Student Affairs, Mrs. Faten Abu Zaarour, Social Counselor at the Deanship of Student Affairs, and Mrs. Alia Gilbrecht from the IDEA Office at the University.

To get more information about the University’s debate team and training opportunities, contact [email protected] or visit https://m.facebook.com/nnudspalestine Or https://instagram.com/najahdebates.ps?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=.