Meeting the Great Debaters Announcement

We are glad to announce “Meeting the Great Debaters”, an event presented by the Babes Bolyai University and the Oxford Union Society, the biggest Romanian British Parliamentary debate competition held in the English Language up to this date. The event is to be held in Cluj Napoca, between the 8^th and the 10^th of April. It is going to be held under the tutelage of the Babes Bolyai University (http://www.ubbcluj.ro/en/) and of the Oxford Union Society (http://www.oxford-union.org/home), one of the oldest and prestigious debate associations worldwide.

Due to this bilateral partnership, four of the most accomplished figures of the debate movement associated with the University of Oxford shall attend the event as part of a delegation.

The head of the delegation shall be Jonathan Leader Maynard, one of the world debating’s finest speaker, having won Newcastle Euros 2009, and having since been a finalist of Cork Worlds 2009 and Koc Worlds 2010. He has also been a finalist in the 2008 Tallin Euros and won numerous other events (including the “John Smith Memorial Mace”, the most prestigious British-only debate competition). In addition, Jonathan has distinguished himself as an accomplished debate judge, having been the chief adjudicator of the last edition of the European debate championships, the Amsterdam Euros 2010 as well as being the convenor of Oxford IV 2009.

The other members of the delegation are equally impressive in their achievements:

Neil Dewar- Finalist of the Newcastle Euros of 2009 and the Amsterdam Euros 2010 and the Former Chair of the Oxford Debating Selection Committee

Lizzie Bauer- Semifinalist of the Newcastle Euros 2009 and winner of numerous IVs (including the King`s College IV 2008 and Warwick IV 2008)

David Watson- National Champion of South Africa in 2010.

We are very grateful to Jonathan and his colleagues for having accepted our invitation, and we find this as yet another confirmation of the progress that Romanian Debate has achieved in the last few years.

The convenor of the event is Emil Mesaros, president of ARDOR Transylvania, international adjudicator at: Cork Worlds 2009, Koc Worlds 2010, Newcastle Euros 2009, Amsterdam Euros 2010, Oxford IV 2008/2009/2010, Cambridge IV 2010 and LSE Open 2011, also organiser of events such as “Yale vs. Babes Bolyai-The Road to becoming a Great Debater” and “Cupa Lingua” 2010.

All in all, we have gone to great lengths to give to Romanian debaters that are interested in international competitions the opportunity to participate in such a tournament, in Romania, at a lower cost but with international guests that would make any tournament organiser proud. Whether you have been to international competitions and want to prepare for upcoming tournaments, or have never been to a international tournament but want to experience debating in English, or just want to train yourself in the British Parliamentary format, “Meeting the Great Debaters” is the ideal opportunity: a complex programme that provides both training and competition as well as the opportunity to meet important members of one of the most prestigious debating movement of Europe, all this in Cluj, at the Babes Bolyai University, one of the best known institutions in Romanian Debate.

Keeping this in mind, we gladly invite any debating enthousiast to join us between the 8^th and the 10^th of April in Cluj Napoca, to take part in our tournament, “Meeting the Great Debaters”, where they will be able to watch and debate under the guidance of some of the greatest debaters of the world. “Meeting the Great Debaters” is an event organised by ARDOR Transylvania and ELSA Cluj, under the tutelage of the Babes Bolyai University and of the Oxford Union Society.

Looking forward to seeing you here,

Emil Mesaros