Qatar Debate Centre's Executive Director Hails 2nd Int. Universities Arabic Debating Championship

Doha, April 27 (QNA) -QatarDebate Centre's Executive Director Dr Hayat Abdullah Maarafi, has said that the second International Universities Arabic Debating Championship which concluded after four days ,on April 21-24 , at the Qatar National Convention Centre, has given an access to the arab youth for opened new horizons for development. In an address before the participating youths at the conclusion of the championship in which khartoum university has won the prize , Maarafi said the march will continue to strengthen the confidence of all socieites of their capabilities and that youths are the ones who manufacture the dignity and pride of our present and future, thus ," We are entitled to call it the second decade of the third millennium (youth contract). At the outset of her address, dr. Maarafi has highlighted Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) with chairperson HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser to the fore for sponsoring such a championship and her confidence of the qatarDebate centre, which is a member of QF and her unlimited support to the centre for spreading the culture of dialogue and debate , enabling youth and qualifying and empowering the leaders of thoughts , the manufacturers of the future and reviving the enriching Arabic language and promoting the art of debating at global levels. "I am honoured to announce Dohas hosting of the Second International Universities Arabic Debating Championship , under the generous auspice of Qatar Foundation chairperson HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. The motto for this years championship An Arabic Ceremonial of Debate and Dialogue, reflects the central significance of this championship as a meeting venue for self-discovery, establishing connections, introducing and getting introduced, exchanging opinions, and having new acquaintances in debate and dialogue," QatarDebate Centre executive director Dr Hayat Abdullah Maarafi said at a press conference announcing the event earlier this week. "This second version of the International Championship for Universities Debates in Arabic Language is part of the centres efforts in promoting this art and raising awareness about its importance in preparing future generations and training future leaders, on values that are rooted in and better serve the interest of- our distinctive Arab culture, identity and language," the executive director of the centre said . QatarDebate Centre's executive director made clear that the centre will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) next month with the Kuwait university to help it (the Kuwaiti Uuniversity ) establish a DebateClub in English language and supporting the DebateCentre in Arabic language. The participating teams in the aforesaid championship represented 43 universities from 21 Arab countries, in addition to Arabic delegations representing universities in Australia, Turkey, the UK, the US, Canada and Malaysia. The championship aimed to strengthen the ties and relationships in the areas of educational and cultural affairs between the universities of participating countries. It also seeks to develop the ties, create opportunities for increased co-operation and brotherhood links between Arab youth, foster the culture of peaceful and constructive dialogue, which produces knowledge and opens up spaces of enriching diversity and differences; activate Arabic debate and promote it through encouraging freedom of expression and open spaces of dialogue in the Arab world and globally. The championship also hopes to unleash the creative abilities and talents of expressing opinions and interacting with other opinions, in tolerance rather than clashing. Maarifi distinguished the upcoming championship from the previous one, saying it brings together teams from all the Arab countries except Syria, in addition to the participation of non-Arab universities from non-Arab countries. "These universities shall be participating in Arabic language, which thus serves our main objective and vision of reviving the Arabic language and promoting the art of debating at global levels," she noted. She thanked events officials sponsors ConocoPhillips Qatar and Ooredoo for supporting the championship. Dr Maarafi maintained that QatarDebate Centre seeks to better establish the art of debate in Arabic language and promote it within the Arabic surroundings. She said the championships theme comprising a tree-shaped symbol with its leaves representing the participating countries in a distinctive form to reflect the difference in opinions and viewpoints, but eventually all rooted in the same trunk.(END)