2012-12-22

Carina Graf and Nicola Esser, both from the Heidehof-Gymnasium in Stuttgart, have won the first regional rounds ever to take place in Germany, in order to compete as the only qualified team from Germany at the Oxford Schools Debating Competition in Oxford, UK. Runners-up and possible contestants are Venya Blankenagel from the Max-Born-Gymnasium Backnang and Yvonne Kloiber from the Friedrich-Abel-Gymnasium in Vaihingen/Enz (confirmation for a second competing team from the Oxford Union is pending).

Michael Saliba, former Univ. of Stuttgart debater and currently enrolled at Oxford University, has established an agreement with the Oxford Union, the tournament organisers, that makes it possible for German debaters to be able to compete in this highly renowned tournament for the very first time, with the possible addition of a second recall team.

Participation requires two rounds of debates in the British Parliamentary style, organised as regional competitions, that assess winning teams, who are then allowed to go to Oxford University in the spring. The motions used this year were THW legalise recreational drugs, as well as THW subsidise news outlets.

The final rounds at Oxford University will take place on 9 March 2013.

Good luck, Carina and Nicola!

More information about the Oxford Schools Debating Competition