Debating on the Batics: The Debating Society of the Mykolas Romeris Universityis going to host this year’s MRU IV. The competition, formerly known as the Vilnius Open, will be staged on May 14 and 15. On their homepage, the convenors promise: “Having 8 years of experience organizing fabulous debate competitions we will continue to offer the high quality British Parliamentary debates, well-managed organization and the best of all times in one of the most beautiful capital cities in Europe – Vilnius.”

Language of debate is English, the format is BPS. The MRU IV offers five prelims with 5-minute speeches, plus semis and finals with 7-minute speeches. Also on the schedule of the Lithuanian tourney: an unforgetable party, the best beer of Europe and a guided city tour of Vilnius, as is reported. Will Jones is going to be chief adjudicator (deputy chief adjudicator of EUDC 2007, runner-up WUDC 2007, EUDC winner 2008, WUDC winner 2009). His deputies are Mark Manson (winner Tilbury House Summer Open 2009, CA Estonia Open 2009, final of several IVs), Rob Honig (ESL winner EUDC 2009), Anna Karolin (winner Estonia Open 2008), AisteDumbryte (EFL winner WUDC 2009), Egle Sovaiste und Martins Vaivars (ESL quarterfinalist EUDC 2009, semifinalist Jacobs Open 2009).

More information is available from the homepage of the MRU IV or from mruiv2011 [at] gmail [dot] com.