Thursday, July 7, 2011

Ghana National Debate Team for Youth Forum in Istanbul, Turkey





















Dear all;

Three students, one from Adisadel College, Ghana National College, and, Edinaman Senior High School have been chosen to represent Ghana in the upcoming Youth Forum in Istanbul, Turkey, from July 19 to August 1, 2011.

The students include Yormesor Elinam Sharon of Ghana National College, Emmanuel AgyarkoMinkah of Adisadel College, and Peace Naa Borteley Mensah of Edinaman Senior High School.

The students were selected from their various schools after taking part in a competition that saw their schools debating each other on some selected topics relating to youth empowerment.

These students will join over 280 students, teachers and trainers of debate from over 40 countries in the world in this year's Youth Forum, organised by the International Debate Education Association (IDEA). This year's event is being organised with support from the European Union (EU), and Open Society Foundations Youth Project.

Simon Tsike Sossah, the Executive Director of Abusua Foundation, the accredited organisational partner for the implementation of the project in Ghana, said: 'as the event brings together diverse international audience, it helps us to implement new ideas into the existing debate network and advance the overall quality of debating within our network. In addition it empowers youth by developing their life skills and by building contacts and international networks. On top of that via the means of peer to peer learning and facilitated informal interaction, the event helps young people to find out what is going on in the countries of their colleagues in other countries'.

The students will be engaged in the process of learning more about the issues affecting the two continents, thus Africa and Europe, and their mutual relationships.

They are also expected to represent Ghana in the IDEA Karl Popper Debate Championship, which is a world debate competition.

Explaining further, the Programmes Manager for Abusua Foundation added that the purpose of an IDEA Youth Forum is to bring together students and educators from around the world to develop their public debating skills and about content of the debate topics. It also includes three debate tournaments. The IDEA youth Forum offers unique and diverse occasions that facilitate exchange of ideas and experience as well as help create networks essential for future cooperation and development.

Abusua Foundation wishes them all the best as they leave the shores of Ghana for Turkey to hold the flag of Ghana high, and to acquire a life-time experience that forums like these bring.

We also wish to express our gratitude to the following agencies and organisations for their enormous support in the organisation of the debate and the trip to Turkey.











Regards,

Rashedul Hasan Stalin