The 9th PDA High School Parliamentary Debate
World Congress 2024 Report
General Incorporated Association
Parliamentary Debate Personnel Development Association (PDA)
Dates:
2024/1/19(Friday), 1/20(Saturday)
Event Location:
Online (via Zoom)
Hosted by:

Parliamentary Debate Personnel Development Association (PDA)

Co-Hosted by:

Osaka Metropolitan University

Sponsored by:

The Nippon Foundation, KDDI Foundation and Mitsubishi
Memorial Foundation for Educational Excellence

Supported by:

Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (MEXT), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA),The Asahi Shimbun Company, Asahi Student Newspaper, EnglishSpeaking Union of Japan (ESUJ) and Osaka Metropolitan
University.

Participating schools and debate teams:
13countries, 26 teams (6 teams from Japan, 20 teams from abroad)Japan

Seiko Gakuin High SchoolJapan

Asano Senior High School

Japan

Senior High School at Komaba, University of Tsukuba

Japan

Fukui Prefectural Fujishima High School

Japan

Sagamihara Senior High SchoolJapan

Dokkyo Senior High School

MoroccoMorocco Debate Association ※Nepal

Ripumardini Sainik Mahavidyalaya

Cameroon

Zemneh High School 2 teams ※UgandaTrinity College Nabbingo※

UgandaCode High School

UgandaDebate Cranes

Colombia

American School 2 teams

Philippines

Caraga Regional Science High SchoolPhilippines

Xavier School San JuanRomania

CN Al Papiu IlarianRomania

National College Andrei Saguna ※PolandSchools of Communications in Cracow 2 teams

ThailandPrince of Songkla University Demonstration School 2 teams

Mongolia

Hobby School of Ulaanbaatar

Trinidad and Tobago

The Oxbridge International School

Jamaica

Hampton School※= Teams that were absent on the day
Purpose of the Event:
Recently, as the process of globalization accelerates, fostering talents that cancontribute to a global society and understand cultural diversity and different ways ofthinking has become one of the most important goals. The PDA High SchoolParliamentary Debate World Congress (PDA World Congress) aims to help participants
nurture and strengthen their English-speaking skills, logical thinking, presentation
skills, communication skills, general knowledge, and other various skills throughactive participation in British Parliamentary format debates. It is a wonderful
opportunity for students from different countries to achieve personal growth while
exchanging ideas and arguments on an equal footing. The primary purpose of thisevent is to motivate participants to grow into active talents of our global society. To
better assist that process, we have included various educational opportunities such as
keynote speeches and other contemporary lectures. Our main goal is to promote truly
effective cultural exchanges using debate. Moreover, PDA High School Parliamentary
Debate World Congress’s schedule has been designed to resemble international /academic conferences. It is a unique experience for high school students as it provides
them with a chance to visualize themselves being on an international stage.
Furthermore, PDA World Congress integrates the results of a research project
supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Sciences and Technology(MEXT) and uses an impromptu English debate format that can be used in a regularhigh school class (50 minutes). It is a format that is both familiar to the students who2

have some experiences in debates through extra-curricular activities, and at the sametime, friendly to the students who have no prior training in debates.
Motions: (Motions were announced 15 minutes before the beginning of each round)
Preliminary round 1: Living in rural areas is better than living in urban areas.
Preliminary round 2: Zoos should be banned.
Preliminary round 3: Disaster-affected marginal villages should move to other cities
rather than rebuild.
*A marginal village is a village with over half the residents over the age of 65.
Preliminary round 4: African countries should prioritize environmental protection overeconomic development.
Semi Final: Politics is better done by AI than by humans.
Grand Final: STEM education is more important than language education for highschool students.

Keynote speaker:
Dr. Somporn Chuai-Aree
Assistant Professor, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Photos of Participating Schools

RomaniaPolandPoland

Mongolia

UgandaUganda3Uganda

Colombia

Trinidad and Tobago

ThailandThailand

MoroccoJamaica

Seiko, Japan

Komaba, Japan

Fujishima, Japan

Sagamihara, Japan

Dokkyo, Japan

Asano, Japan――

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First day (Opening Ceremony, Preliminary Round 1~3, Cultural Interaction/Culture Night)
The 9th PDAWC has commenced. During the opening ceremony, there werewelcoming remarks from PDA Director Chihiro Nakagawa, as well as introductions ofteams from various countries (26 teams from 13 countries, including 6 teams from Japan).
After that, there was an explanation of the debate rules. On the first day of thecompetition, there were three rounds of preliminaries, international exchange activities,
and a Culture Night (introducing the cultures of various countries). During the opening
ceremony, participants watched introduction videos of the attending schools, confirming
the diverse group of international peers they would be debating with. In the rule review,
participants practiced Point of Information (POI) poses for questioning during debatesand enhancing mutual understanding.

Welcoming remarks from PDA Director

Practice of POI

In the first round of the preliminaries, amidst visible tension, teams engaged indiscussions while exchanging Point of Information (POI). Addressing the question ofwhether one should live in the countryside or the city, the government team argued that"the countryside is safer," while the negative team contended that "the city has morecomprehensive healthcare services," leading to intense debates at some tables.
Discussions on the topic of rural and urban living unfolded from various perspectives,
including environmental and educational aspects. After the debates concluded,
participants found opportunities for deeper exchange, sparked by topics such as whether
their own residences were in the countryside or the city. Following the debates, all teams
received feedback and improvements for the upcoming rounds from the judge.

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POI！（Thailand2 VS Colombia2）

Exchange(Thailand 1 VS Seiko)

POI！（Poland1 VS Philippines2）

Comments from the judge（Dokkyo VS Poland 2）

The topic for the second round of preliminaries was whether zoos should bebanned. During the subsequent exchange, participants discovered diverse backgrounds,
such as some having no zoos, others having zoos but never visiting, and some havingnature parks with animals instead of traditional zoos. This led to moments whereperspectives were broadened through discussions like, 'I believe cultural backgrounds
are also involved in this,' emphasizing the role of cultural diversity and the expansion ofviewpoints through the debate and its topics.

Poland 2 VS Jamaica

POI!
(Fujishima VS Trinidad and Tobago)

6Colombia VS Romania 1

Seiko VS Philippines 1

Shake hands（Poland 1 VS Sagamihara）

Exchange of ide

After the second round of preliminaries, each team participated in a 'CultureNight,' where they introduced their own country's culture to have cross-cultural
understanding. Presentations covered aspects such as food culture, subcultures, andnature from each country. Participants listening to the cultural presentations
expressed excitement, captivated by the performances and visuals.

KomabaSagamihara

Romania

Thailand7

Trinidad and Tobago

Colombia

Seiko

Fujishima

UgandaPhilippines

Mongolia

DokkyoPoland8

After Culture Night, the third round of preliminaries took place, focusing on theongoing debate surrounding the recovery and relocation of depopulated villages, a topic
brought to light again by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Specific discussions were
held on issues such as post-disaster reconstruction funds and the risk of facing anotherdisaster. International teams also had the opportunity to learn more about each other's
countries, with comments like 'We are familiar with the Noto earthquake through TV
and social media' and 'While earthquakes are rare where we live, other disasters are aconcern.' The discussion delved into the specific challenges of the recovery and relocation
process.

Colombia 2 VS Mongolia

Exchange（Sagamihara VS Asano）

POI!（Dokkyo VS Philippines 1）

9Second Day (Preliminary Round 4, Semifinals, Grand Final, Keynote Speech, Closing Ceremony)
The second day began with the fourth round of preliminaries, focusing on the
topic ' African countries should prioritize environmental protection over economic
development.' Given the participation of teams from Africa in the global exchange
tournament, every team seemed to feel a personal connection to the challenge, leading
to lively debates. Teams from the concerned African countries shared insights into theirsituations, and teams from other nations utilized their knowledge to engage in fullfledged debates. Even after the debates concluded, participants continued to deepen
their discussions on the topic, providing an opportunity to enhance the interest of highschool students worldwide in international issues.

Mongolia VS Fujishima

Philippines 2 VS Poland 2

Trinidad and Tobago VS Thailand 2

Asano VS Komaba, Judge: Romania

Thailand 1 VS Colombia 2

Shake hands（Jamaica VS Colombia 1）

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Philippines 1 VS Sagamihara

Shake hands（Romania 1 VS Dokkyo）

During the preparation time, we had a networking event for teachers. Inaddition to English teachers, there were some teachers who teach other subjects, suchas math. We learned about the education system in each country and received tips thatcould improve our education.

Faculty Group PhotoDuring the lunch break on the second day, we hosted a culture night, similar tothe one held at Day1. Presentations were given by Jamaica and Asano High School. The
Jamaican high school performed a famous song, creating an exciting atmosphere. Asano
High School introduced Yokohama, the location of their high school, providing anopportunity to learn about the famous places and culture of each region. Afterwards,
there was time for free interaction, and students from each country could be seen
enjoying cross-cultural exchange by asking each other questions.

Jamaica

Asano11

After a break, following the announcement (revealing the preliminary results),
the semifinals commenced. The topic for the semifinals was, 'Politics is better done by AI
than by humans.' Simultaneously with the semifinals, teams ranking fifth to eighth
engaged in an Exchange Round, debating the same topic, fostering heated debates.

Asano VS Komaba

Mongolia VS Sagamihara

Results of the Preliminary rounds:

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The intense semifinals concluded, and as a result, Asano (1st in thepreliminaries) and Sagamihara (2nd in the preliminaries) advanced to the grand final.
The topic for the championship debate was ' STEM education is more important thanlanguage education for high school students.' In connection with this, a keynote speech
by Dr. Somporn Chuai-Aree was delivered, emphasizing the role of software thatfacilitates programming in promoting STEM education. The students were observed
attentively listening to the speech. In the final debate, discussions unfolded from various
perspectives, including opportunities and necessities for learning after high school
graduation. Judged by PDA certified educational judges and international educators,
Asano High School emerged as the champion.

キーノートの様子

決勝戦の様子At the closing ceremony, awards were presented, and numerous praises wereconveyed to the representative teams and students through the Zoom chat. Finally, thedirector of PDA provided a summary, expressing gratitude for the participation in thisevent and offering best wishes for the future.
Despite being held online for another year, the PDAWC concluded with great
success. We extend heartfelt thanks to all the high school students from around the world,
accompanying teachers, a keynote speaker, and everyone who supported, sponsored, andcheered for this PDAWC.
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Results of the 9th PDA High School Parliamentary Debate World Congress 2024
Team Prize
1st Place: Asano Senior High School (Japan)
2nd Place: Sagamihara Senior High School (Japan)
Semifinalists: Mongolia, Senior High School at Komaba, University of Tsukuba

Individual Prizes
Best Debaterr
・4 times(Asano)・3times(Komaba)(Colombia 1)(Uganda 3)・2times(Dokkyo)(Dokkyo)(Fujishima)(Mongolia)(Poland 1)(Colombia 2)(Uganda 1)

Best Debater Prize14

Best POI・4 times(Romania 1)(Mongolia)(Colombia 2)・3 times(Seiko)(Jamaica)(Thailand 1)(Colombia 1)(Uganda1)・2 times(Trinidad and Tobago )(Sagamihara)(Dokkyo)(Poland 1)(Uganda 2)

Best POI Prize

Culture Prize
Jamaica
Philippines 2
Dokkyo Senior High SchoolThailand15

Impressions on PDA World Congress 2024
（Students）-I really liked the time we had to talk with participants with other countries. It'salways nice to get to know another culture.（Poland）-

It was really enjoyable the debates, very well organized.（Colombia）-

Definitely the interaction with other members, it was very educative and fun!
（Colombia）-

It was such a wonderful opportunity to be able to debate with people from foreigncountries.（Asano, Japan）-

I enjoyed debating in this format, becoming my favorite format. Also, theopportunity to play with students all around the globe is priceless.（Romania）-

3 words. Very amazing experience.（Mongolia）-

Debate round with foreigners was so uniquely interesting.（Seiko, Japan）-

Great opportunity to meet people from all over the world and engage inenlightening debates. Staff members were very friendly.（Trinidad and Tobago）-

I appreciate the competitive but friendly spirit you have managed to create, thegreat efficiency and kindness of PDA.（Romania）-

Before joining this interaction competition, we didn't think we can win because
opponents will be people who speaks English in daily life. However, we can win
two. And we could interact with other countries. Moreover, we could watch such
wonderful a debate matches semifinals and final game.（Sagamihara, Japan）-

Because we enjoyed communicating with international students and sharing
cultures.（Fujishima, Japan）-

Everyone was so friendly and kind. It was fun meeting new people and learning
about their countries. I really enjoyed it.（Uganda）-

This competition open my world to meet with new foreigners students.（Thailand）（Teachers）-

I always appreciate the kindness and preparedness of the staff. Especially, theenthusiasm of you all is what I admire most. That is actually what drives me toimprove myself in everyday life. You guys are my ideal model!!

-It’s good opportunity to enjoy debating with team all over the world.

-I love it, my students were excited despite the 14 hour difference.

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Memorial photo 1

Memorial photo 2

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