جامعة النجاح الوطنية
An-Najah National University

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The Office of International Development and External Affairs (IDEA)’s ‎University Debate Society (NNUDS) held a local English debate ‎tournament, ‘NNU Pro-Am Debate Tournament Palestine 2019.’ The ‎tournament included participation of English debaters from Al Quds ‎University and Al Quds Bard College in Abu Dis in addition to members ‎of the NNDUS team.‎


 

This was the first virtual tournament, with international adjudicators virtually chairing each round, to be organized in the Middle East region and marked a huge achievement and step towards the University’s goal of becoming the leading higher education institution in the Middle East region in virtual exchange education.

As Pro-Am structured tournament, the majority of teams were made up ‎of one novice debater (with four months or less of debate training or who ‎has never competed in a tournament) and one experienced debaters (with ‎more than four months of debate experience and has previously ‎participated in a debate tournament). ‎

‎The aim of this type of tournament was to help novice debaters advance ‎their skills through one-on-one practice and mentorship experience with ‎an experienced debater.  The tournament was unique in that it ‎incorporated virtual exchange technology in order to include high level, ‎international adjudicators for each round of the tournament. The virtual ‎adjudicators were U.S. based and included five members of the ‎University of La Verne Debate Team in California and two members of ‎the Cornell Speech and Debate Society in New York.‎

This structure of debate ‎involves four teams competing against one ‎another with two teams per side and two members per team. ‎Each team ‎aims to create the most persuasive case after only 15 minutes of ‎preparation. The tournament included three debate rounds ranging in ‎topics including whether or not women should be more involved in the ‎Palestinian political resistance, whether developing nations are morally ‎justified in implementing protectionist policies and a topic about ‎marginalized people and international funding.  Following the first three ‎rounds, the four teams who's combined rankings were highest moved on ‎to the Grand Final.  These debaters were tasked with debating whether to ‎prefer a world without government.‎

The first place team was Tayseer Alawneh and Rahaf Essam Aloudeh, ‎both Novice speakers of An-Najah's NNUDS. The best experienced ‎speaker award went to Dhalia Alayassa of the Al Quds Bard Debate Union and the second best went to Layan ‎Malhees of NNUDS. The best Novice speaker was Manal Tuffaha of NNUDS, ‎and Marah Adham AbuTaha, Deema Sous, Tayseer Alawneh, Rahaf ‎Essam Aloudeh all tied as second place best Novice speakers.

The Chief Adjudicators who are responsible for creating the debate ‎motions for the tournament included Iman Saraj of NNUDS, Zeina ‎Melhem of Al Quds Bard Debate Union, Fares Abdullah of the ‎University of La Verne Debate Team, and Alia Gilbrecht of NNUDS.‎

The An-Najah University Debate Society (NNUDS) was established in ‎‎2017 and has trained over 200 ‎students and recent graduates in debate ‎and argumentation.  NNUDS has held two international ‎tournaments and ‎numerous smaller competitions and community training workshops.  To ‎get involved with ‎NNUDS and apply to join their team, contact ‎‎[email protected] or visit their site ‎at www.facebook.com/NNUDSPALESTINE


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