Youth Debate Training and Competition

This cooperative agreement will fund debate training and a series of debate competitions throughout Afghanistan, culminating in a final round of competition in Kabul, Afghanistan. This youth debate program will create opportunities for women and men between the ages of 18 and 30 from provinces across Afghanistan to develop important skills for successful civic engagement, including public speaking, critical thinking, team-building, and in-depth research. Through the process of preparing for and participating in co-educational debate training and competitions to be conducted in English, participants will learn a widely recognized debate format while gaining in-depth knowledge of debate themes from multiple perspectives. Participants will also learn to support arguments with evidence and anticipate objections. The Recipient may engage subject-matter experts (e.g., university faculty, civil society activists, qualified debate instructors) to lead pre-debate research sessions via Skype or in-person. The debates will be amplified through social media and other means to reinforce lessons learned and encourage post-debate engagement among participants and broader society. All debate themes will be approved by PAS and all debate competitions will be conducted in English.