Supporting the Melanesian schools debate competition
Teams around Melanesia are preparing to send their best debaters to participate in the first ever Melanesian School Debate competition in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Team Vanuatu will also be represented, thanks to sponsorships from the ANZ Bank, National Bank of Vanuatu, Asco Motors, Vanuatu National Provident Fund and Ridgeway Blake Lawyers. Team Vanuatu comprises outstanding speakers who were identified from the Vanuatu National School Debate competition that was staged last month in Port Vila. The Vanuatu competition was hosted by the Pacific Institute of Public Policy in collaboration with the Vanuatu Ministry of Education & Training.
The ANZ Bank of Vanuatu has donated 50,000VT towards traveling costs for the Vanuatu team. The National Bank of Vanuatu has contributed 100,000vt.
The competition is the very first of its kind. Debating teams comprising secondary students from a mixed selection of schools in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and PNG will compete for the sub-regional debating title and major prizes. Students will debate broad current affairs topics of regional relevance and concern ranging from; customary land ownership, climate change to the global development agenda.
The Pacific Institute of Public Policy together with PNG’s Institute of Business Studies are jointly hosting the Melanesian School Debate competition (MSD). The increasing popularity of school debating in Vanuatu, PNG and the Solomon Islands is a testament to the value of competitive learning practices and educational extra curricular activities amongst school age students in the Pacific.
The Pacific Institute of Public Policy exists to stimulate and support informed debate across our region. According to PiPP director of research and programmes, Ms Dulciana Somare-Brash, ‘this school debating competition is an excellent opportunity to engage our young people in critical thinking on the issues that matter to our region. We are very appreciative of the sponsorship by ANZ and others to help provide a platform for further develop debating and the exchange of ideas amongst young people in our region.”
In handing over the sponsorship cheque, Mr Turoa Vatoko from the ANZ, said ‘ANZ is very happy to support an initiative like this and we wish all participating teams a very successful competition.’
The organizing committee of the Melanesian School of Debate Competition welcomes all donation and sponsorship offers to keep this initiative going – please contact Ms Linda Kenni at PiPP on Tel. 29842 or by email to: lkenni@pacificpolicy.org.
