England call-up as Alex heads for World Schools Debating Championships
Tonbridge Sixth Former Alex Chan has been selected for ‘Team England’ in the World Schools Debating Championships.
Alex (PH4) is one of just five students to have been chosen for a place on the national side at next year’s competition, which will be taking place in Vietnam in July.
The championships represent the pinnacle of English-language secondary school debating. Aged between 14 and 19, competitors have the chance to test their skills of articulacy and persuasion against other highly talented students from across the world, as well as enjoying opportunities for travel, personal development and networking.
A member of the School’s Debating Society, Alex already has a strong track record in competitions, having reached the grand finals of the Shanghai International Debate Open and the Asian Online Debating Championships.
His favourite part of the whole process, however, is the friendships that are formed during competitions. “I started debating in Hong Kong, which makes this my sixth year of competitive debating,” he said. “While I enjoy the process of winning, I find that debating, especially in face-to-face tournaments, is incredibly effective in building strong friendships.
“I also feel that debating helps me to learn more about the world, and to see things from different perspectives, as there’s sometimes a requirement to support a view that I may not actually agree with. This is a huge help in developing my critical thinking and problem-solving skills.”
The Vietnam World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC 2023) will be hosted by Vin University between 8 and 23 July, with finals staged in the Hanoi Opera House. There will be approximately 55 teams taking part, with eight preliminary rounds spread across four days, before the knockout stages begin.
As a member of Team England, Alex anticipates a rigorous training schedule in the coming months. He will be taking part in online debates each week, as well as other preparation work which looks at improving the students’ general knowledge. There will also be some in-person weekend training, when all team members meet up with the England coaches.
