Debate association to host competition in anniversary year

The Jamaica Debate Academy and Open 2024, organised by the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment (JADE) Limited, is set to host an impressive cohort of over 200 secondary and post-secondary level students from across Jamaica.

The group will mark its 10th anniversary January 2-5, 2024 as a premier platform for fostering critical thinking, effective communication, and conflict resolution skills among Jamaica’s youth.

The first two days of the event, known as the Debate Academy, will be held virtually via Zoom and will feature highly interactive electives (workshops) covering topics derived from politics, economics, the environment, sociology, technology, law, and ethics, among others. Participants may also anticipate engaging workshops on debate strategy, as well as sessions on poetry and the spoken word, and public speaking.

The final two days, designated as the Debate Open (Competition), will take place at the Papine Campus of the University of Technology, Jamaica, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Participants will be involved in four rounds of British Parliamentary Debates and a public speaking competition over three rounds. The 2024 edition of JDAO is set to be a landmark event, with the University of Technology, Jamaica, and Campion College returning to defend their titles as champions in the tertiary and secondary divisions, respectively.

Germaine Barrett, JADE founder and executive director, remarked, “JDAO draws on the transformational power of debating to socialise and civilise participants in the ways of critical thinking, effective communication, thought leadership, and importantly, being ambassadors of peace.”

“The significance of debate as an effective mechanism for conflict resolution is particularly crucial within the context of concerns related to indiscipline and violence in Jamaican schools. By instilling the values of critical thinking and effective communication, JDAO 2024 aims to contribute to a culture of reasoned dialogue and peaceful discourse among the youth,” said Barrett.