Invitation to Slovenia - international debate events in 2008

[bojana.skrt at siol.net]

INVITATION TO SLOVENIA 
International debate events: middle school tournament, high school tournament, academic conference, IDAS 2008 

Dear all, 

On behalf or Slovenian national debate organisation ZIP, Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga I am sending you the information about some of the international events we are  organizing in 2008. It is my pleasure and a privilege to invite you all to come and participate.  I will appreciate a lot if you can send the information about these events to the debaters, debate coaches, teachers, academics in your country. Please, feel free to ask any questions you might have. I will be more than willing to answer.  


INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL DEBATE TOURNAMENT, March 15th 2008  
For the debaters aged 11 to 14, 6th to 9th grade
Debate format: Karl Popper, 3 persons team,  cross examination
Motion: »Media are responsible for anorexia and bulemia among youth.« 
Language: English 
Tournament: 3 debate rounds and the finals.
Participation fee: 15 EUR per person in cash upon arrival. 
Registration will open on January, 15th.  

We do expect debaters from other countries to come a few days earlier and spend some time with the middle school debaters in Slovenia. We will organize home stays for you. You will be guests of middle school debate clubs, visiting their schools, participating in debates at the school as the preparation for the tournament. Your host will also make sure you will have some time for sightseeing having great time.  You will go to the tournament together with debaters from your hosting debate club. 


INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE TOURNAMENT, March 7th and 8th 2008, Postojna 
For high school debaters. 
Debate format: Worlds School Debate Format
Language: English
Debate motions will be announced  at the middle January. 
Tournament will have 5 preeliminary debate rounds (3 on prepared, 2 »impromptu«), semi – finals and finals on prepared debate motions. 
Participation fee: 25 EUR per person in cash upon arrival.  
Registration will open on January, 15th.

Debaters from other countries can come a few days earlier and be hosted by Postojna students, participating in regular classrooms, Postojna debate club sessions, some sight seeining will be organised as well. 


SECOND INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC CONFERENCE ON ARGUMENTATION, RHETORIC, DEBATE AND PEDAGOGY OF EMPOWEREMENT entitled »Speaking and thinking a better world«, 11th to 13th of April 2008, Ljubljana, Slovenia   

For scholars, teachers, university students, debate coaches, trainers and organisers
Participation fee: 65 EUR 

The conference will welcome scholars and educators from diverse fields for vigorous dialogue and exchange.   We intend for the conference to welcome all who are involved in public discussions and debates about different issues. The program for the conference will have three themes.  Submissions are encouraged to center their work on one of the three themes and to submit proposals to the appropriate conference division.  Interdisciplinary work that might fit into more than one category is welcome. You can come to present a paper or you can come to attend the presentations and participate in the discussions. 

Argumentation and rhetoric.  The use of logic and reason to criticize and analyze ideas through communication.  Those interested in research on argumentation theory, criticisms of communication acts and scholarship on argumentation practice are encouraged to submit to this division.

Debate.  The use of formal argumentation forums to educate and empower citizens. Those interested in work on the practice and theory of debate competition, public debates, research on the impact of debate for participants, and theorizing about debate paradigms are encouraged to submit to this division.

Critical thinking/pedagogy.  Teaching and the methodology of teaching in the active classroom.  Those interested in using debate, discussion and argumentation in classrooms, discussion of experiences and teaching lessons relating to communication and critical thinking are encouraged to submit to this division. 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS 
Argumentation: Frans van Eemeren,  University of Amsterdam  
Debate: Omar Salahuddin, Multimedia University, Malasia 
Pedagogy: Kate Schuster, Claremont College, USA 

Paper proposals (a less than one-page abstract) should be submitted as soon as possible but not later than 15 February 2008. The committees will evaluate proposals in hand each month and inform those submitting papers of the committee's decision. Full copies of papers should be provided electronically by the beginning of the conference.

Please, find more information at http://debate.uvm.edu/betterworld.htm 

SIXTH INTERNATIONAL DEBATE ACADEMY – IDAS 2008, 23rd to 30th November 2008, Ormož/Ljubljana 
For university students, coaches, teachers and trainers
The most international British Parliamentary Debate Training in the world with a distinguished training group. Attendees have come from over 26 different debating nations. The program involves a rigorous combination of lectures, skill exercise sessions and two practice debates per day. A major tournament will take place at the end in Ljubljana and it is open to all interested university debaters, so everybody who does not have time to come for the whole week can join us only for the tournament. Detailed information in February 2008, registration will be open in June 2008. 

Looking forward seeing you in Slovenia, 

Bojana Skrt
Director 
Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga 
www.ljudmila.org/debata 
bojana.skrt at siol.net 
+386 (0)41 423377