The Berlin Humboldt Intervarsity 2010, formerly known as Berlin Open, was awarded an exemplary project for transnational youth initiatives in Europe by the EU programme “youth in action”. The former executive of VDCH, the Association of Debating Societies at Universities, had encouraged the Berlin Debating Union (BDU) to apply for support of their competition. The tournament held by the BDU was subsidized by the commission of the European Union through “youth in action” among others such as film and theater projects. The website says the following about the Berlin Open:

“‘Berlin Open 2010: The European debate tournament‘ is the biggest and most important debate tournament in Germany. About 140 participants from eight EU nations plus Switzerland, Serbia, Israel and Russia flocked in to Berlin for a weekend in late April 2010. They debated controversial motions and consolidated their skills in argumentation, critical thinking and rhetoric.”

The successful subsidy through “youth in action” was initiated by the VDCH executive board of Tim Richter when they had drawn the Roadmap VDCH 2015. Back then, alternative sources of subsidizing debate tournaments where sought after on a European level. The same way, two tournaments of the ZEIT DEBATTEN series both in Vienna and in Tübingen were supported. On the same ground, VDCH became a partner for the Estonian Open 2010.

Get an impression from the tournament: