OSCE Mission to Moldova continues to equip young people from both banks with essential debating skills

A training event held in Vadul-lui-Vodă by the OSCE Mission to Moldova from 16 to 18 June 2017 has equipped some 40 high school students and their teachers with essential debating techniques.

The event brought together students from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River, including from Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia, with the aim of enhancing young people’s engagement in civic processes.

The training event introduced students to the Karl Popper debate format that focuses on how to conduct academic debates, demonstrate leadership, make public speeches, co-operate in teams and apply critical thinking. The aim of the event was to develop students’ analytical and debating skills in order to strengthen their participation in public life. Furthermore, attaining such skills opens up more professional opportunities for young people.

“As someone with no previous experience in debating, this training event has enabled me to structure my thoughts and strengthen my public speaking skills,” said Sergey Murzak, a student at the Theoretical Lyceum in Balti. “At the same time, the training format has taught me the value of team work and of co-operating with my peers.”

The students attending the training will apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in a series of two debate tournaments to be held in the autumn. The training sessions and tournaments are organized as part of a one-year project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Comrat-based NGO Piligrim-Demo that aims to actively engage young people, including those representing national minorities, in civic processes at the local and national levels by developing their debate skills.