Focus AreasThe Network Debate Program has promoted debate in secondary schools and universities in Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Haiti since 1995. The Debate Program offers students and teachers the opportunity to examine issues affecting their lives and communities. Participants learn that free and open discussion is essential to the establishment and preservation of open societies. More than 80,000 secondary students, 15,000 university students, and 16,000 teachers have participated in the Debate Program, which is active in 31 countries.
The Program has created debate resource centers in each country to provide students and teachers with current publications, reference materials, and computer access. It has published textbooks, source books, training videos, and a magazine, and maintains two websites, http://www.idebate.org and http://www.debatebase.org. Tournaments, training workshops, and Internet debates are conducted throughout the year.
Each summer, students and teachers from 40 countries participate in the International Youth Forum, which takes place in a different country every year and focuses on an important open society issue.
To develop a sustainable system in each country, the Program established the International Debate Education Association to help with fundraising, organize events, and develop international contacts. About three-quarters of the country debate programs have spun off to become legally independent entities.
