Teams from Qatar shine in the 7th Universities Debating Championship

NT Bureau
Doha

The third day of the 7th International Universities Debating Championship (IUDC), an Arabic debating tournament organized by the Qatar Debate Center, witnessed high-level competition and rich debates on its third day as participants fought for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Qatari teams performed exceptionally well, with two teams, including Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and Georgetown University in Qatar, advancing to the quarterfinals for the native Arabic speakers’ category.

The two from Qatar will be joined by Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Yarmouk University, and Middle East University, all from Jordan; An-Najah National University from Palestine; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; and the University of Arts and Sciences in Lebanon. The qualifying teams will debate whether revolutionary leaders and their families should run for political office in post-conflict societies.

Debates on the third day covered several central and impactful issues affecting societies in general, particularly the youth in the Arab region and the world. The competition was equally enthusiastic in the non-native Arabic speakers’ category, where participants showcased outstanding debating techniques and skills in Arabic while vying for a spot in the semifinals. Advancing teams in this category include the Australian National University from Australia, and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet University, Boaziçi University, and Bursa Uluda University — all from Türkiye.

Four teams representing Qatar participated in the Round of 16 held today, including Qatar University, University of Doha for Science and Technology, Georgetown University in Qatar, and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.