The Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament

The Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament is a national debating competition held throughout the year in Scottish Secondary Schools. It is one of the leading debating tournaments in Scotland and is organised annually by the Law Society of Scotland. It was created in 1999 and was held in order to remember the life, work and passion of Donald Dewar, the first First Minister of Scotland. Since 2006, the final of the tournament has been held in the debating chamber of The Scottish Parliament, in Edinburgh. The 2016 competition had 128 teams participating, with winners Finlay Allmond and Caitlin Sherret from Nairn Academy.[1] Craigmount High School have won the competition a record three times- in 2007[2] 2012,[3] and 2014.[4] Glasgow Academy and Robert Gordon's College are the only other schools to have won the competition more than once.

Format of The Competition

The debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament, the venue of the finals since 2006

The competition has four stages of debate. These take place throughout Scottish Secondary Schools from November to June, with the final being held in the Scottish Parliament.

Round Format Venues
1 Teams are given two weeks to prepare Host Secondary School
2 Teams are given two weeks to prepare Host Secondary School
Semi-Finals Teams are given one hour to prepare Host Secondary School
Final Teams are given three weeks to prepare Scottish Parliament

Winners

Year Winning school Runners-up
2016 Nairn Academy Braes High School
2015 Madras College Prestwick Academy
2014 Craigmount High School

See also

References

  1. ↑ McKenzie, Jamie (12 June 2016). "Nairn Academy becomes "best school debating team in Scotland"". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Craigmount wins the argument to take top debating prize". The Scotsman. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "School pupils talk the talk". Milngavie Herald. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  4. ↑ McKendrick, Heather (16 June 2014). "No question about benefits of debate". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 July 2016.

External links

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