Preliminary rounds
This House Prefers A World where Truth and Reconciliation Commissions were established to deal with the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars rather than the ICTY.
Round 3Sports
This House Would ban sports betting.
Info slide
Sports betting is a form of gambling where people bet money on the outcome of sports events (eg. horse races, boxing matches, the FIFA World Cup). This includes but is not limited to wagering on who will win or lose a match, the margin of victory, the statistical performance of a single player or team, etc.
Round 4Ethics and Philosophy
This House Believes That New Age wellness culture has done more harm than good.
Info slide
New Age wellness culture is the rising focus on promoting self-care and self- improvement, including but not limited to meditation, mindfulness, alternative medicine, healing crystals, and self-help literature.
This House believes that major tourist destinations should significantly limit the number of tourists that can visit.
Round 6Health and Medicine
This House would introduce a governmental basic income for all artists, rather than offering governmental fellowships and grants to certain artists upon application.
Info slide
Basic income for artists is a policy in which governments provide all artists with a regular, unconditional sum of money to ensure a basic standard of living, regardless of income or employment status. Fellowships and grants are programs in which governments or organizations provide artists with financial support, often for a specific project or period of time, based on merit or need. These funds are typically awarded through a competitive application process.
This House supports France's exit from West Africa.
Round 8Society and Culture
This House opposes attempts by the feminist movement to redefine traditionally feminine* roles and behaviours as empowering. *e.g. wearing makeup and heels, wanting to be a housewife, and so on.
Break rounds
Double-octofinalsPolitics and Government
This House would put an upper age limit of 60 years old for individuals running for political office.
OctofinalsEthics and Philosophy
This House regrets the narrative that money cannot buy happiness.
QuarterfinalsInternational Relations
This House, as Serbia, would develop closer ties with China at the expense of ties with the European Union.
Info slide
Serbia applied to join the European Union in 2009 and has been a candidate for membership since 2012. Barriers to Serbia's membership include high democratic requirements and disagreements over the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state.
SemifinalsCrime and Justice
This House would allow violent offenders to opt into Pavlovian conditioning as a substitution for prison time.
Info slide
For the purposes of this debate, Pavlovian conditioning will cause a patient to experience severe nausea when committing or even thinking about violence. The effects of this conditioning are irreversible.
Grand FinalEthics and Philosophy
This House regrets the glorification of champions.
About WSDC
The World Schools Debating Championship is the biggest international high school debate tournament, with national teams from more than 60 countries. Each team has up to five members, three of whom speak in each debate, in the World Schools format, with some motions released in advance and others with one hour of prep.
Motions from the tournament's tab site. Prep notes are written by the Debatery Editing Team to help you start thinking; they are not the only way to run either side.