Palestine Debate Team Raising Money for Pre-WSDC Training

Short Summary

With the help of many sponsors debate training of school students is well underway in Palestine, and it will expand even without this campaign. A sponsor has agreed to fund a team to the World Schools Debating Championship in Singapore in July-August 2015. The five student team was selected in February. More training will happen in April and June. 

BUT, we do not want them to arrive in Singapore never having been in international competition. Thus, this campaign is designed to raise money to send all team members and their teacher to the World Schools Debate Academy in Slovenia in late June. There they will learn from the world's best trainers as well as meet and compete against students from over 18 countries. That way they will be able to represent Palestine better and also learn to be teachers and leaders when they return to Palestine. 

What We Need

Here are the details:

• We need a total of $7000 to make this happen.
• Airfare 6 x $650, plus $2040 tuition, housing, meals, plus $1270 for visas and travel to Amman, Jordan, where they can catch their flights.
• If we do not reach our entire goal, we will send as many students as possible.
• All funds will be handled by Za in Proti (ZIP), the national debate program of Slovenia, home of world champion debaters, and veterans of handling complex initiatives like major European Union youth grants. ZIP is administering the debate training students will attend in Slovenia, the World Schools Debate Academy. http://debateacademy.net/Debate_Academy/WSDA_Sl...
• Every donor will receive a handsome "Palestine Debates" gift to commemorate their support. Cost of gifts will not come from these donations. 

The Impact

Making sure that these very bright and articulate students get this crucial training will have many beneficial effects.

• They help to demonstrate the competence and excellence of Palestinians in a major international forum.
• They will receive instruction that will allow them to be peer trainers and spread debating to more and more Palestinian youths. .
• They will serve as a springboard to future expansion of debating in Palestine in existing programs with the support of the World Debate Institute USA, Za in Proti Slovenia and Singapore debating community.
• The organizers of this effort have done successful debate outreach programs in over 40 nations already. Now, Palestine!

Challenges

It is hard for Palestinian youth to engage with the world on a level playing field given their political and physical isolation behind walls and barriers. We can break down these barriers!

• Training so far has shown these students (over 60 of them) to be very bright and extremely articulate. They are determined and hard working. 
• The five students that have been selected for the international team have been judged to be very competitive and able to represent Palestine by a group of experienced debate trainers who have already won world championships. 
• They are opening up the Internet gates of information to learn about the major issues of the world and prepare to debate them. Skilled trainers are helping them learn how to educate themselves. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Some just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean you can't help:

• Ask folks to get the word out and make some noise about this campaign.
• Talk it up, Let like minded people know about this amazing opportunity. 
• Use your social media presence to expand the audience for this appeal.
• Tell people not just to complain about the absence of Palestine in the global discussion, actually do something about it.