ACADEMIC OXFORD-STYLE DEBATING COMPETITION UNDER IICS’S PATRONAGE

On the 14th of April 2014 the final part of the annual edition of the Academic Oxford Debating was held. The Academic Oxford Debating competitions are organised by Studenckie Koło Naukowe [Students’ Study Group] “Touching Europe” of the Institute of European Studies, Department of Journalism and Political Sciences, University of Warsaw. The event was hosted under the patronage of the International Institute of the Civil Society. The IICS was also responsible for supporting the organizers with its knowledge and funding prizes awarded to the contesting teams.

This year’s debates were dedicated to the following topic: “European Civic Initiative – idealistic or realistic form of democracy in the European Union”. The project was a part of a bigger programme labelled the European Year of Citizens with Team Europe organised by Euractiv.pl website and the Representative Office of the European Commission in Poland.

The Oxford Debating competition was preceded by the closed workshop for contesting teams held on the 12^th of April 2014. The first part of said workshop, dedicated to the topic of European Civic Initiative, was led by dr Marta Witkowska and the Ministry of Internal Affairs experts. The second part, dedicated to effective argumentation, was presented by the Fundacja Polska Debatuje. [Debating Poland Foundation]

The competition was based on a league-like system where every team is up against all other teams taking part. The jury (including experts from the Institute of European Studies and IICS) finally decided on the winning team: Working Class composed of Messrs. Dominik Brodacki, Wojciech Rutkowski & Michał Skwarek.

The winning team had the honour of actively participating in the discussion panel regarding the European Civic Initiative with the following guests: Vice-Speaker of the Polish Parliament – Wanda Nowicka, Prof. dr hab. Jacek Czaputowicz, dr Krzysztof Iszkowski, dr Renata Mieńkowska-Norkiene and dr Justyna Miecznikowska. Moreover, the winning team will also attend a special meeting with Prof. Jerzy Buzek – the former President of the European Parliament.