In the second phase of the project – Debates for Better Education – supported by the Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation, teachers from all over Georgia were selected.

The group of teachers was recruited and trainings on debate techniques and club management were conducted for teachers from Tbilisi, Batumi, Zestaponi, Sachkhere, Oni, Khashuri, Gori, Metekhi, Sagarejo, Dedoplistskaro, Tibaani, Arkhiloskalo.

As a result of the successful completion of the trainings, the teachers were certified in full compliance with the regulations and, for the first time, in a hybrid regime.

Following the completion of teacher certification, active club leaders have already started opening debate clubs with both online and face-to-face meetings.

The first event of the project “Organizing a Youth Event in Gurjaani Municipality” supported by Gurjaani Municipality was successfully held with Gurjaani youth.

Representatives of Gurjaani and all villages of Gurjaani Municipality took part in the event.

The project includes the process of advocacy, active involvement of young people in identifying locally existing youth problems, studying their problems, and further finding solutions in the form of project proposals.

At this stage, a survey conducted by young people within the entire Gurjaani municipality was presented. Then a public debate was held on one of the problems they had chosen.

The event was attended by: Gurjaani Mayor – Archil Khandamashvili, Gurjaani Municipality, Gurjaani Resource Center, and other interested guests.

Georgian Institute for Debate and Education announces a competition for the admission of school pupils (13-year-old+) to the Tbilisi Debate School within the framework of the project “Debates for Better Education”.

Direct or online 1-2 hour meetings will be held throughout the school year, once a week, with pre-agreed schedules with participants.

The teaching process will teach formal debate techniques and develop skills in pupils, such as critical thinking, preparation of presentations, time management, teamwork, research, opponent respect, everything related to oratory, and will help students in academic learning through fun activities.

In order to participate in the competition, you need to fill in the contest application in the first stage, shorturl.at/dqzQ3 

The application deadline is September 30, successful applicants will be interviewed, and then the group will be recruited.

Debate School pupils will have the opportunity to participate in all national or international activities or competitions planned under the project.

A debate camp was held in Borjomi with the support of the Youth Regional Center.

Adjarian pupils and students participated in the debate camp and were selected through a competition and cover letters.

Within the camp, young people from Adjara received intensive training in debate techniques, as a result of which a debate tournament was held on both streams for pupils and students.

At the International Academy of Debates, organized by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA), which was held online for the first time this year, Georgian debaters won convincingly five out of five games and were among the top five teams in the academy.

The large-scale debate forum, held for the thirtieth time this year, was attended by over two hundred pupils from more than twenty countries and over fifty successful debate teachers and trainers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Europe, and the rest of the world. The International Debate Academy was held in English.

The 5 best debates from Georgia participated in the International Debate Forum within the framework of the project “Debates for Better Education”, which is supported by the Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation. The pupils participating in the project went through a multi-stage competition to participate in the International Academy of Debates after becoming one of the top twenty speakers of the online public speaking competition. Finally, the 5 best debaters from Tbilisi and Kakheti schools were selected to participate in the International Debate Academy.

With the support of the Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation, the most active, distinguished, and best participants from all over Georgia were awarded within the framework of the project: Debates for Better Education.

The event included a meeting at locations convenient for participants, a project summary, and an award ceremony. The first part was held in Tbilisi, then it continued in Kharagauli and Gurjaani.

The most successful experienced and inexperienced pupils, who were among the top ten winners of the online public speaking competition, as well as the activities of the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation at the initiative of the UNICEF and the European Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, were awarded with certificates, branded prizes, and various electrical equipment.

Also, teachers who opened debate clubs throughout Georgia and were actively involved in the project throughout the year were rewarded with gift cards and certificates.

 

The following guests addressed the events held in Tbilisi, Kharagauli, and Gurjaani and delivered speeches:

📌Davit Songhulashvili – Chairman of the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia

📌Ghassan Khalili – UNICEF Representative in Georgia

📌Eka Dgebuadze – Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of Georgia

📌Maka Beridze – Rector of Samtskhe-Javakheti State University

📌Zurab Kervalishvili – Director of Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation

📌Koba Lursmanashvili – Majoritarian MP of Kharaguli and Baghdati

📌Marine Vepkhvadze – Head of Kharagauli Educational Resource Center

📌Dali Mindiashvili, Head of Gurjaani Municipality Resource Center

📌School principals, teachers, pupils, and students involved in the project

The week of public debates held within the framework of the “6 years of association for Georgia” campaign is over!

The two-month campaign was carried out in cooperation with the NATO-EU Information Center, with EU-funded EU-Georgia Association Agreement Support II and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and at the initiative of the European Integration Committee.

The debaters underwent 2 months of intensive training. The participants were members of the debate clubs of Adjara, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Tbilisi, and Kakheti! After the preparation, 6 online public debates were held within the campaign!

222 pupils from all over Georgia participated in the online competition, each of whom attended the systematic lessons of the remote debate club throughout the semester.

All participants who met the basic requirements were awarded a certificate, and all certified were given the opportunity to undergo special preparatory training for the National Debate Tournament in the summer.

The top 20 speakers, which were selected from the top two ten, included both experienced and inexperienced pupils. In addition to valuable gifts and pre-arranged invitations, they were awarded the most important prize; They are given the chance to enter a competition for the International Debate Summer Academy.

The joint project of the Georgian Institute for Debate and Education and the UNICEF has started, which envisages the existence of an online platform in the form of a Facebook group called “Debates for Education”. Young people from all over Georgia can join the group and engage in exciting and fun activities planned and implemented within the project, including online debates.

The aim of the project is to facilitate interaction between young people and give them the opportunity to share their views on COVID-19.

There will be 3 online debates, 3 webinars, fun quizzes, photo/video contests for 2 months. In addition, pupils will review various films during the project. The above activities are mainly devoted to the discussion of COVID-19.

The main members of the project will be the representatives of the debate clubs established in 2020 within the framework of the project “Debates for Better Education” implemented with the support of the Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation.

The project is in line with the national goals of general education and is based on a constructive educational concept focused on the development of the individual and defines the five basic educational principles that should be based on the teaching-learning process.

The Georgian Institute for Debate and Education (GIDE) is launching a modification of the “Debates for Better Education” project as an online project based on the current pandemic situation. It envisages a speech competition for members of educational debate clubs from all regions of the country. The project is implemented with the support of the Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation and its goal is to develop critical thinking and speaking skills in adolescents, and on the other hand to continue the educational process using modern communication or Internet facilities.

We do our best not to stop educational activities, which is why what we wanted to do face-to-face, is now offered remotely!

The online competition organized by GIDE is open to schoolchildren aged 14-17 who are members of a school or other type of debate club and who present a special letter of recommendation from the head of the debate club.

Those wishing to participate in the online public speaking competition should record a 4-minute video, which should show the speech that will include the pupil’s position and argumentation in connection with one of the following topics (resolutions):
1. Online (live) lessons are justified/unjustified
2. Teaching with video recordings is justified/unjustified
3. Intensified fight against fake news is justified in Georgia

Interested applicants should send videos and letters of recommendation to gedebate@gmail.com by May 31 or at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DebatesGeorgia 

As a result of the competition, 5 winners will be revealed, who will receive the following types of prizes and gifts:

 

I place	·        Tablet ·        Participation in the national debate tournament without competition ·        Certificate
II place	·        Kindle  ·        Participation in the national debate tournament without competition ·        Certificate
III place	·        Portable speaker ·        Participation in the national debate tournament without competition ·        Certificate
IV place	·        Powerbank ·        Sand stopwatch ·        Certificate
V place	·        Headphones ·        Certificate

Sopo Vepkhvadze

599733306

sopo.vepkhvadze@gmail.com