Vielbeachtet von Presse und Medien fand in den Tagen um den Jahreswechsel 2012/2013 die World Universities Debating Championship in Berlin statt. Die ersten Highlights können bereits hier nachgelesen werden. Doch auch in den nachfolgenden Tagen und Wochen gab es lesenswerte Berichte und interessante Reportagen, die hier gesammelt zur Verfügung gestellt werden sollen. Jan Ohmstedt und Lucas Danco, die für den Debattierclub Heidelberg Debating antraten, wurden von der Berliner Zeitung während einiger Debatten begleitet und standen ihr Rede und Antwort: So streitet Lucas Danco am Sonntagmorgen auch vehement gegen die Förderung von Projekten in korrupten Staaten. Seine Widerpartner sind ein Student aus Südafrika ...

At the World Debate Forum in Berlin 2013, debaters from across the world talked about using debating in tournaments, trainings and youth projects. In the opening speech, Doug Cochran presented “Ten suggestions for a better Worlds”. Among these points, he suggested to abloish or reform Points of Information during BP debates. As these thoughts might interest you aswell, Achte Minute asked Doug to write down his thoughts. Doug Cohran: Two Potential Reforms to Points of Information At the World Debating Forum, there was a discussion about potential reforms to WUDC debating. I put forward a number of suggestions, including abolition of points ...

For a few years now, it has been a loved and honoured tradition of the South African Delegation to host a Yakka-Party. Until Worlds 2013, the party was organized separately from the official part of the tournament. Money was collected and the ingredients for the Yakka (lemons, wodka and sugar) were bought in a private context. For the first time in 2013, the organizers of Berlin Worlds decided to integrate the Yakka-Party into the official schedule. This led to discussions within the OrgCom prior to the event and to discussions between the participants during and afterwards it. Marcus Ewald, member ...

For a few years now, it has been a loved and honoured tradition of the South African Delegation to host a Yakka-Party. Until Worlds 2013, the party was organized separately from the official part of the tournament. Money was collected and the ingredients for the Yakka (lemons, wodka and sugar) were bought in a private context. For the first time in 2013, the organizers of Berlin Worlds decided to integrate the Yakka-Party into the official schedule. This led to discussions within the OrgCom prior to the event and to discussions between the participants during and afterwards it. Marcus Ewald, member ...

This year’s World Universities Debating Council decided for Malaysia to host the World Universities Debating Championships 2015. After Chennai in 2014, debaters will fly to Southeast Asia in order to experience world class debating. The decision of the council in which all nations are represented that attended WUDC for two consecutive was close: the second bid from Auckland, New Zealand, got 42 votes while Malaysia got 57 votes. The arguments for Malaysia were mostly that it is more accessible for most participants and the registration fee would be significantly cheaper. Teresa Widlok, representative of the German WUDC delegation, tells us that despite ...

For the Malaysian delegation the WUDC 2013 has been a great success. They won the bid to organize Worlds 2015 and broke directly into Open Octos. After the Octos we spoke with the members of the Malaysian Team, Syed Soddiq and Arinah Najwa. Achte Minute: You’re ESL speakers but made the direct break to the Open Octos. Would you like to reveal your secrets? Arinah: It’s our second WUDC together as a team. Last year in Manila, we got to the ESL Final and lost. Since then, we trained every day individually and at least one time a week as a team. Syed: ...

Every year new generations of debaters step up to fill the shoes of past legends. The wudcwatch interviewed two young debaters who are carrying on the tradition of the worlds oldest debating society at the competition’s highest level. Alisha Ricard talked to them. [caption id="attachment_14118" align="alignleft" width="400"] Cambridge A: Rebecca Meredith and Ashish Kumar.[/caption]Achte Minute: Did you expect to be so successful? Rebecca: No. There are a lot of good teams here. But we had hoped for it. Achte Minute: There is a long tradition of debating in Great Britain. Did you feel any pressure to succeed? Ashish: Oh no...it’s my first WUDC, ...

For Jairo Andrés Cortés Torres and Mauricio Alexander Yandar Paz from Colombia, this WUDC is the first English language tournament. Thanks to the scholarship program, they were able to represent the Universidad Cooperative de Clombia. [caption id="attachment_14108" align="alignleft" width="150"] Jairo Andrés Cortés Torres and Mauricio Alexander Yandar Paz from Colombia.[/caption] Achte Minute: Jairo, Mauricio, how are you doing here at the WUDC in Berlin? Jairo: For us, this is our first English competition, so debating can be very hard sometimes. But we like it a lot and we are full of new ideas now! Maybe now we will be able to organize ...

The WUDC Berlin 2013 are officially over, and the debating world has three new World Champions, one new coming WUDC host and a lot of other prices and winners. But first of all, congratulations to the winners of the EFL-final, Porto A, as well as to the winners of the ESL final, Bangladesh A, and  Here is what we would call a preliminary overview - no guarantee on results being complete for the moment. In the EFL final, the teams from Porto A, Freiburg A, Tokyo A and Bucharest A debated the motion "This house welcomes the decline of the United ...

[caption id="attachment_14099" align="alignleft" width="400"] James Beavis and Nita Rao with our reporter Anna Mattes (c) WUDC pretty pictures[/caption] This morning, right after the open semi finals of WUDC, Achte Minute spoke to Nita Rao and James Beavis from the team Monash B from Australia. Tonight it turns out we picked the right team and actually talked to the new world champions. In total, four Australian teams made it through to the open semi finals. Achte Minute: You just finished your debate. How did it go? Were you nervous? Nita: We were really nervous. The topic was really hard. I’m not an economist, but ...

Things were going fast during the second to last day at the World Universities Debating Championship 2013 in Berlin. So many Knockout rounds took place that we had difficulties following all announcements and breaks. But now we tried to sort everything a bit and present you here the break into the day of WUDC Finals. In the Open Break, we have a break into Semi-Finals. They will take place at 10:15 on today's Thursday. In the Open Semi Final 1 there will compete Monash B, Otago A, Sydney A, St Andrews A. In the Open Semi Final 2 we have Sydney ...

Today, Achte Minute had the chance to talk to Alfred Snider, called Tuna in the debaters’ world. Tuna is a debating veteran, having served on many many tournaments as adjudicator and trainer throughout the world. In his normal live, he is a professor of Forensics at the University of Vermont. We talked with him about his WUDC Berlin experience. [caption id="attachment_14071" align="alignleft" width="320"] Alfred "Tuna" Snider answers the questions of Philipp Stiel, President of the VDCH.[/caption] Achte Minute: Hi Tuna, thanks for your time. How are you and your teams doing here at WUDC? Snider: Unfortunately, none of my teams broke. But ...

Marietta Gädeke is Chief of Staff of the WUDC. She has recruited, organized and motivated a team of over 200 volunteers from all around the world. Martin Funck, Chief Editor of the wudcwatch, talked to her. [caption id="attachment_14059" align="alignleft" width="240"] Marietta Gädeke, Chief of Staff, after 4 days of work for WUDC 2013[/caption] Martin Funck: Two hundred sounds like a lot. How did you organize such a large team? Marietta: It took us two days to get things going. Our original plan how to allocate personnel resources didn’t work. So we changed our system dramatically: Now, our volunteer dispatchment uses a huge wall ...

After debates, food is probably the second to most important thing here at Worlds - making sure that no participant goes hungry. This is not an easy task, in the face of the diverse dietary requirements that participants have due to cultural, religious, personal or health reasons. [caption id="attachment_14040" align="alignleft" width="294"] Reuben Thomas is a catering volunteer at the WUDC.[/caption] With a tight budget and no dining hall available, the catering team has had to find creative solutions. “First of all, we try to handle questions, problems and crises with care as soon as they arise”, says Christian Zimpelmann, head of the ...

“Echo Whiskey to Flo,” that’s the one phrase Elina Siivola will dream of after three days of working at the WUDC. Elina, from the University of Helsinki, Finland, is a runner at Berlin Worlds. She is part of the machinery behind the tournament: distributing ballots, guiding debaters into rooms, reminding judges not to go over time and bringing ballots safely back to the tab room. And while getting ballots in quickly is the top priority, Elina still strives to be friendly and helpful to judges and participants. [caption id="attachment_14037" align="alignleft" width="266"] Elina Siivola is volunteering at WUDC in the running team. ...

Es dauerte bis kurz nach Mitternacht, als auf der WUDC Berlin der Break der Vorrunden verkündet wurde - das Chefjurorenteam hatte bis zuletzt am Break und insbesondere am Jurorenbreak gearbeitet. Denn eine kurzfristige Herausforderungen mussten sie bewältigen: Im Main Break sind seit diesem Jahr 48 Team, von denen die besten 16 gleich ins Achtefinale, die restlichen 32 in Zwischen-Achtelfinale müssen (Erläuterungen dazu hat Anja Pfeffermann hier zusammengestellt). Deshalb sind auch 100 Juroren in die KO-Runden gebreakt - eine erstaunliche hohe Zahl. Hier für Euch die Teambreaks in den drei Sprachkategorien auf einen Blick. Wir freuen uns besonders, dass zwei deutsche Teams ...

[caption id="attachment_14010" align="alignright" width="400"] Wo sind sie, die VDCH-Teams? Announcement Hall der WUDC 2013[/caption] "Ich hatte einfach Bock, beim größten Debattierturnier, das es überhaupt gibt, dabei zu sein“, erzählt Lucas Danco. Der 20-Jährige ist zum ersten Mal bei den Worlds und er ist begeistert: "Es ist doch total faszinierend, dass so viele unterschiedliche Leute aus ganz verschiedenen Kulturen zusammenkommen und nach den gleichen Regeln gegeneinander antreten.“ Lucas ist einer von 28 Rednerinnen und Rednern aus VDCH-Clubs, die bei den Worlds in Berlin antreten. Der Verband der Debattierclubs an Hochschulen (VDCH) ist der Dachverband von Debattierclubs in den deutschsprachigen Ländern Mitteleuropas und hat ...

[caption id="attachment_14010" align="alignright" width="400"] Wo sind sie, die VDCH-Teams? Announcement Hall der WUDC 2013[/caption] Ein Blick ins Tab: Der Tabmaster der Berliner Weltmeisterschaft, Jens Fischer, gibt ein paar Informationen raus, die wir uns früher mühselig und nur in Teilen zusammengesammelt haben. Welche Teams wie viele Punkte nach den sechs "offenen" Vorrunden gesammelt haben, könnt Ihr hier nachlesen. Freilich: Die Details, etwa die Einzelrednerpunkte, sind noch geheim. Alle Teams die gleichviele Teampunkte gesammelt haben, sind einfach alphabetisch geordnet. Und die Spannung bleibt: Schließlich stehen heute noch drei Vorrunden an - und für die geben die Juroren weder Feedback noch Teampunkte. Der Break wird ...

Chelesile Ndlovu, Michael Mhlanga, Thabo Arthur Dube and Tatenda Muzamindo from the Lupane State University in Zimbabwe are debating for tree years. After participation at the Zimbabwe National Debating Championships (ZNDC) last summer they applied for the scholarship program and succeeded. Martin Funck, Chief Editor of WUDCwatch, the WUDC newspaper, spoke with them: [caption id="attachment_13991" align="alignright" width="400"] Martin Funck talking to participants of the scholarship program[/caption] Achte Minute: How did it feel to be admitted? Thabo: I feel privileged. That was an inspiring moment. Hopefully this leads to the establishment of scholarship programs in years to come. Achte Minute: It’s your first time ...

Last minute, indeed “no minute” preparation and no team partner by your side – that’s what Emy Finch had to go through when she was called upon as a swing speaker. In round one of WUDC, several teams were discovered missing only when debates were scheduled to begin. So more swing teams than planned were needed instantly - and the runners' team took every WUDC volunteer they found. That's how Emy became an iron swing and had to run to debate in the first round. Emy is a debater from King’s College in London who’s volunteering in documentation at the ...

This morning, WUDC starting with round 1 - a tiny wee little bit late due to missing teams, but with goose bumbs on our arms when the first motion was announced (which read "Round 1: This house would create public housing for the poor in wealthy areas." - see our Facebook page for all three motions of today.) On twitter, you could also feel the emotions: Due to a delay of more than an hour, some debaters poured out their emotions on twitter, while other defended the tab team for doing a great job in a 100 rooms tournament. We then ...

The break is now bigger than ever! 48 instead of 32 teams do break after nine preliminary rounds at this World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC or Worlds). That is twelve percent of all teams breaking instead of only eight percent. “Thus, the system we have now is fairer than any of the other proposed systems for the WUDC break,” Marcus Ewald, president of the EUDC Council, is sure. “Huh?” you may go, “how, mathematically speaking, can 48 teams break to octo-finals? How do they fit into eight rooms?” Well, with the new system, the first 16 teams break save to octo-finals. ...

[caption id="attachment_13931" align="alignleft" width="280"] Dessislava Kirova und Annette Kirste (Pressesprecherin der WUDC)[/caption] Die WUDC schlägt Wellen... Alle großen und wichtigen Zeitungen haben bereits über die im Moment stattfindende World Universities Debating Championship berichtet. Im Folgenden wollen wir euch die schönsten Artikel vorstellen: Schon im Vorfeld berichteten viele Medien über das Großereignis: Vorankündigungen erschienen unter anderem auf dem Blog The European und im Audimax-Blog . Über die Anzeige in der Wochenzeitung DIE ZEIT und die Online-Debatten auf ZEIT ONLINE berichtete die Achte Minute bereits. Wenn Annette Kirste, Pressesprecherin der WUDC 2013, dem Radiosender FluxFM eine Debatte erklärt, dann hört sich das so an: “Stell ...

It is impossible to find out when the first participants of WUDC 2013 arrived in Berlin – too many have already been around and have spent some days in Europe, Germany or Berlin. But just from a glimpse into the WUDC accommodation, Hotel BerlinBerlin, it is clearly visible: today was arrival day! Dozens of participants dropped into the Hotel each hour and stopped at the registration desk in order to check in to their “Worlds” 2013. And in less than 24 hours, Patrick Ehmann, Convener of WUDC Berlin 2013, will open the 33rd World Universities Debating Championship officially. Thus, the biggest ...

[caption id="attachment_13898" align="alignright" width="275"] Anna from Paderborn, boarding the train.[/caption] Today, more than one hundred WUDC volunteers left their cozy Christmas homes in order to get the big WUDC Berlin 2013 project running. During the day, more and more volunteers arrived and added massive manpower to the crew that already ran the WUDC scholarship program since the 25th of December. In order to prepare WUDC novices from countries that would not have participated in WUDC 2013 otherwise, a core volunteer team already started its work on Christmas day. Most of the other volunteers then left their home or university towns today ...

Dem Münchner Wladislaw Jachtchenko (Gesang) und den Mainzern Daniil Pakhomenko (Gitarre) und Willy Witthaut (Video) verdankt die World Universities Debating Championship ihren offiziellen Song! Hier gibt's den Song in voller Länge: Embrace Dissent - Official WUDC Berlin 2013 Song from WUDC Berlin 2013 on Vimeo. Embrace Dissent (Wladislaw Jachtchenko/ Daniil Pakhomenko) I understand your position You have your breaking mission Your debating behaviour is on It has been your decision To stand in competition With the best debaters of the world. You are smart, well-prepared and keen So c'mon bring debating to Berlin You're here to go for the win So here is your chance, so what you're gonna do is: Embrace Dissent Impress with your ...

[caption id="attachment_13845" align="alignleft" width="320"] Die ersten Teilnehmer der WUDC 2013. (Foto: Manuel Adams)[/caption] "It's on." kommentieren die Organisatoren der Berlin Debating Union auf ihrem Blog. Bezogen war dieser Kommentar auf die Ankunft der ersten Teilnehmer der WUDC, die Scholarship-Teilnehmer, welche im Laufe des Tages in Berlin eintrafen. Auf die Teilnehmer wartet ein Workshop am 26. Dezember an der Technischen Universität und ein Besuch auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt. Als Trainer konnten einige der besten, auf der WUDC anwesenden Juroren und Jurorinnen gewonnen werden. Das Scholarship-Programm wurde durch eine Förderung der Open Society Foundations möglich gemacht. Erklärtes Ziel der Initiative ist die Öffnung des Wettbewerbs für ...

In Berlin, for many WUDC organizers, there won’t be an ordinary Christmas celebration this year. Instead of spending Christmas with their families, the core of the WUDC Org Com is already on place in Berlin in order to work on the last preparations. But before the first participants of the WUDC scholarship program will arrive tomorrow, the WUDC Org Com will have its own very private Christmas celebration. Rumors tell us that the celebration will take place at John Eltringham’s home. John was responsible for the WUDC scholarship program in the last year. Among others, Marietta Gädeke, chief of staff, ...

Isabelle Fischer (geb. Loewe) ist Teil des Chefjuroren-Teams auf den diesjährigen World University Debating Championship in Berlin. Seit dem Jahr 2003 debattierte Isa zunächst im Debattierclub der Universität Bonn und lebt seit 5 Jahren in Berlin. Nach ihrer Rednerkarriere, die sie bis ins Finale der Eurpopean Universities Debating Championship 2006 führte, hat sie eine beeindruckende Karriere als Jurorin zurückgelegt. Zuletzt fungierte sie als Chefjurorin auf den Europameisterschaften in Tallin 2008 und in Belgrad 2012. Für die Achte Minute sprach Philipp Stiel über ihre Aufgaben und die Vorbereitungen auf die WUDC in Berlin 2013. [caption id="attachment_13800" align="alignleft" width="270"] Isabelle Fischer[/caption] Achte Minute: Hallo ...

[caption id="attachment_13785" align="alignright" width="300"] Diese Woche in der ZEIT: Eine ganzseitige Anzeige der WUDC. (Foto: Henrik Mädler)[/caption] Der Countdown läuft: Noch sieben Tage bis zur Eröffnung der World Universities Debating Championship in Berlin. Während über 800 Redner, 300 Juroren und 200 Volunteers aus allen Teilen der Welt in den nächsten Tagen ihren Weg nach Berlin suchen, begleitet die Achte Minute den Cowntdown mit Vorberichten der Weltmeisterschaft. Den Countdown beginnen wir mit einem Text von Matthias Winkelmann, der in dieser Woche in einer ganzseitigen Anzeige in der ZEIT erschien. Darin breitet er den Slogan der Worlds „Die Kraft des Widerspruchs“ aus und ...