World debate championship and performance of Arab school
The Peninsula
Arab countries were eliminated early in the world championship debates hosted by Doha some time ago with 57 participating states, where the UAE was ranked the 27th, Qatar 32nd, Kuwait 34th, Sudan 38th, and Palestine in the place before last, 56th, as was initially anticipated. I did not expect more than that in light of the struggle for planting the seeds of democracy in the Arabian desert. In spite of that, I have not been as keen on a project in recent years with as much enthusiasm as I have been today for the debate project in schools. Unfortunately, most of the projects put forth today in the political, economic, educational, health, and, particularly, social realms have been dependent on social exhilaration, excitement, and false advertising, echoing throughout the media (which has transformed into a promotion campaign), without any real results.
Therefore, I would advise organisers of the Qatar Debates Centre not to go for over-embellishment and media gimmicks without a clear message and specific goal, to avoid backfire and loss of credibility. It is better to make the fruits of their labour speak for them. Everyone, near or far, will recognize the significant value of their project both in the present and the future. The operators have done well in dealing with the larger challenge of the Arabic language through the creation of a database to assist debate trainers in the Arabic language to produce innovative methods of training for the art of debating.
The reality of the Arab world is that it is lagging behind its foreign counterparts. The challenge lies in the use of the Arabic language and mechanisms underlying its theoretical concepts in order to achieve a gradual change in the internal mental structure of Arab societies. Rather than solely relying on the use of the English language, which may lead to a very polished external image and the opposite internally.
This reminds me of a time when I was studying abroad and introduced to the magical world of debates, which I learned very much from and accredit to building my awareness and shaping my personality. I still remember the English literature class, which relied on the art of debate in the delivery of information and comprehension of the lessons, that otherwise would have seemed dry and difficult to comprehend. There were many subjects, each multifaceted, ranging from literature to politics, intellectual, religious, cultural, and social issues. I noticed some students (myself included), and especially those who come from the Middle East and North Africa, had preconceived notions and ready-made, manufactured answers, that were subject to scrutiny, criticism, and dismantling. The professor would proceed to intelligently ask why students held certain views, and based on which evidence. After forming positions in the first lecture, we would be asked to argue against the very same argument, using evidence, in the next. What a way to learn! We didn’t recognize the value of this method of learning until growing up, as we had previously been critical of it, nicknaming our professor The Contradictory One. Through that method, we learned the proper way of acknowledging and understanding dissenting views, the meaning of tolerance. Rather than being prejudiced, we learned to carefully consider and examine solutions rather than issuing quick fixes, or belittling others and their points of views through isolation and marginalisation. We learned the profound meaning of Voltaire’s saying, “I may disagree with your opinion, but I will pay with my life for your right to express it”, and the wisdom of Imam Shafi’i: “My opinion is correct but has grounds to be mistaken, and someone else’s opinion is mistaken but has grounds to be correct”.
A report conducted by Pan Arab Media indicates that, a century and a half ago, in 1860, the first and most famous debate in recent history took place between a member of Congress, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, and Senator Stephen Douglas, a democrat. It consisted of seven debates, some in the congressional elections , and some in the presidential election, laying the foundation of the presidential election debates. Most significant of this first debate was the main topic, dealing with slave trade and ownership. As was common practice at that time during debates, each candidate spoke for one hour, then half an hour was allotted for the opposition to respond. In the beginning, Douglas spoke and engaged the audience with tactical questions such as, “do you want a black citizen to be equal to you?”, and some of them exclaimed, “no!” Then he asked, “do you want black-owned farms, such as your farms? And wealth, such as your wealth?”, enticing some to chant, “no!” He was followed by Lincoln who focused on aspects of human rights clauses, and values of equality and freedom in the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence which was digested from the majority in its infancy, and asked, “Did God create people equal?”, and some of them exclaimed, “yes!” He then asked, “Why not commit ourselves to the Constitution and human rights?”, promoting some to proclaim, shyly, “yes we can, yes we can”, which is the same slogan used by President Obama to become the first black man to reach the White House. It took Lincoln two years before winning the presidency, in which he entered debates, posing arguments, and presenting evidence.
He won some and lost others, all in an attempt to build a new concepts of citizenship, equality, and human rights regardless of origin, race and beliefs. It took another two years after that for the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, and then another three years before declaring war and triumphing on the southern states of Confederation, which refused to free slaves.
Qatar’s hosting of the World Schools Debating Championships (2010), which ended a few days ago, calls for pride. Despite the lack of any Arab teams qualifying for the championships, the participation of some Arab countries in and of itself is an achievement and a driving force to progressing forward. I wish for the day that the art of debating is taught within the curricula of Arabic classes, disseminated in civil society organizations, and Arab media, reaching minds and hearts, thereby encouraging the Arab community to overcome the culture of a single opinion, single mindset, single party, and single leader forever. Hopefully, it will propel the Arab community into the Age of Enlightenment, to catch up with the rest of the world.
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