Debating in Iraq

The university debating circuit isn’t quite what it once was. Once upon a time it was, if not a closed shop, a cosy cartel organised by Scottish, Irish and English universities with the Australians and the occasional American or Canadian providing whatever passed for international glamour. Changed times and these days English-speakers can lose to debaters from any number of other countries all of whom are trouncing you in a language that is not their own. Gone are the days when being beaten by Zagreb B (“If that’s what they’re like, I wouldn’t want to come up against Zagreb A etc etc”) was considered a rogue result.

This is, doubtless, progress and globalisation and all that. The latest country trying to establish a spot in the international arena is, however, a horse of a different colour. That is, there’s a movement afoot to try and bring some Iraqi debaters to this year’s World Championships, taking place, conveniently, in Turkey.