Happy debaters after a fabulous training weekend in Paris (c) Olivia Sundberg Diez

Last weekend, on the 3rd and 4th of February 2018, the Debate Training Weekend in Paris took place. It was organised by the Scottish EUDC Training Team, namely Chief Adjudicator of the upcoming Scottish EUDC 2018 Olivia Sundberg Diez in cooperation with the United Debaters of Paris.

Over the whole weekend 7 workshops and 3 training debates were enjoyed by 50 participants from Spain, the Netherlands, Belarus, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the UK and from across France. Alex Harris, Daan Welling, Eleanor Angwin and Martin Devenney served together with Olivia Sundberg Diez as debating coaches, gave workshops, feedback, tips and tricks and chaired training debates. The group of participants was not only diverse in their background, but also had different levels of debating experience. Nevertheless, the highly dedicated trainer team delivered an individual and outstanding training from which every participant could take home something.

Of course, care was taken of the physical well-being, too. In proper french style croissants and baguettes were served for breakfast and lunch. Also, for an exceptional price of 40 ct coffee could be obtained, although some participants referred to it as “only just better than cat piss” while others praised the “reasonable cost-benefit ratio”.

This training weekend happened in the context of the Scottish EUDC training series, which was initiated by the Scottish EUDC Chief Adjudication Team in order to raise the bar of debating in Europe and to “bring debating to every corner of the continent.” Another training weekend is going to be held in Munich on the weekend of the 24th and 25th of March.

Everything needed for the physical well-being was provided – © René Geci

The following topics were covered in workshops:

• Debating Science and Technology
• Building and Maintaining Structure in your Speeches
• Winning from Opening Government
• Analysis and Impacting: Make Your Points Count
• Preparation Time
• Using Principles to Build Cases
• Engagement
• Bump up your Speaker Points: Style and Strategy
• Framing
• Generating Arguments
• Debating Philosophy and Religion
• Winning from Closing Half

rg./lok.