The winners and chief adjudicators of the Munich Open 2017. From left to right: Nishith Hedge (CA), Gigi Gil, Devin van den Berg, Melda Eren (CA), Paul Smith (CA) – © Julian von Lautz

Gigi Gil and Devin van den Berg from Leiden won the Munich Open 2017, speaking as team Leiden B in Closing Government to the motion „TH supports the creation of an artificial island for those who do not want to live under the jurisdiction of any state.“ They beat Kustin is not to be trusted (Anna Akimova, Artyom Zolotareb) in Opening Government, Stockholm PS (Paidamwoyo Mangondo, Suhail Dhawan) in Openinge Opposition and Vienna Valie Export (Melanie Sindelar, Dariusch Klett) in Closing Opposition. The final was adjudicated by Nishith Hedge (chair), Calyxx Peucker, Ameena Sullivan, Oskar Sherry and Melda Eren. The panel came to an unanimous decision.

Breaking teams:

1. Leiden B (Gigi Gil, Devin van den Berg) – 15 team points | 819 speaker points
2. Vienna Valie Export (Melanie Sindelar, Dariusch Klett) – 11 | 792
3. Munich A (George Goddard, Katharina Heinrich) – 11 | 783
4. Oh, thought it was Berlin (Alexander Chen, Jonas No Sjølund) – 11 | 777
5. Comillas A (Antonio Fabregat, Javier de la Puerta) – 11 | 775
6. Tilbury House Green (Ruben J. Dillmann, Linda Nolden) – 11 | 771
7. Stockholm PS (Paidamwoyo Mangondo, Suhail Dhawan) – 10 | 797
8. Kustin is not to be trusted (Anna Akimova, Artyom Zolotareb) – 10 | 770

Breaking adjudicators:

Ameena Sullivan, Calyxx Peucker, Gustaf Lundgren, Karan Narayan, Lamine Kane, Melda Eren, Miri Muntean, Nastia Grishkova, Nishith Hedge, Oskar Sherry, Paul Smith, Philipp Mueller and Samuel Gall.

Top 10 speakers:

1. Gigi Gil – 82 points on average
2. Devin van den Berg – 81.80
3. Paidamwoyo Mangondo – 80.40
4. Melanie Sindelar, Dariusch Klett, George Goddard and Noa Ovadia – 79.20
8. Suhail Dhawan – 79.00
9. Ruben J. Dillmann and Emma van der Horst – 78.40

Motions:

R1: THW ban zero-hour contracts.
Factsheet: A zero-hour contract is a type of contract between an employer and a worker, where the employer is not obliged to provide any minimum working hours, while the worker is not obliged to accept any work offered.

R2: TH regrets the public shaming of those who commit microaggressions.
Factsheet: Microaggression refers to a subtle but offensive comment or action directed at a minority or other nondominant group.

R3: THBT developing states are better off with elite-led technocratic governments, as opposed to democratic ones.

R4: THBT the US Democratic Party should prioritise the nomination of candidates at all levels of government who favour more radical changes to existing policies and structures over those who are seen as more “electable”.

R5: TH prefers a world without a concept of an afterlife.

SF: TH supports the inclusion of FARC as a political party in Columbian elections.
Factsheet: The armed forces of Columbia – People’s Army (FARC) was a guerrilla movement involved in the continuing Columbian armed conflict since 1964. In June 2016 the FARC signed a ceasefire accord with the Columbian state and on 27 June 2017 FARC ceased to be an armed group, disarming itself and handing over its weapons. One month later, FARC announced its reformation as a legal political party, the common alternative revolutionary force.

F: TH supports the creation of an artificial island for those who do not want to live under the jurisdiction of any state.

Martina Svibic/lok.