OSCE Mission to Moldova trains young people on debate techniques

The OSCE Mission to Moldova held a three-day training event on debate techniques for 40 high school students from Bender, Cahul, Ceadîr-Lunga, Comrat, Taraclia, Tiraspol and Vulcănești on 26-28 June 2015. The training was held at Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the Dniester/Nistru River.

The training introduced students to the Karl Popper debate format that teaches students how to conduct and participate in academic debates, demonstrate leadership, make public speeches, work in teams and apply critical thinking. The aim of the training was to develop students’ analytical and debate skills in order to empower them to participate in and lead civic and political initiatives, while enhancing their capacity to engage in democratic processes at the national and local levels.

“We believe this training will provide the schools involved with additional instruments for civic education while strengthening democratic processes in Moldova. We also hope the training will develop co-operation and contacts between schools and students from different towns and regions,” said Mihail Sirkeli, a trainer at the event.

The students attending the training will apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in a series of three debate tournaments to be held in the autumn. The training sessions and tournaments are organized as part of a three-year project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the NGO Piligrim-Demo to support the engagement of Gagauz youth and civil society in public discussions and public service.