ADMU tops world universities’ debate competition in Spain

ATENEO de Manila University (ADMU) emerged victorious among 260 higher educational institutions in the world’s largest debate stage this week.

Carrying the country’s colors in the contest, the duo of David Africa and Tobi Leung outwitted and outsmarted international peers at the 42nd World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC), which ran from December 27 to January 4.

Africa and Leung triumphed over counterparts from the United States (Princeton University), Israel (Tel Aviv University), Bulgaria (Sofia University) during the grand finals in Madrid, Spain’s Cines Callao theater early morning last Wednesday, Philippine time. It was a breakthrough victory for the Philippines in the tournament’s 42-year history.

Their debate centered on the motion of the preferability of a world where all individuals have a strong belief in the philosophy of “I am, because we are,” as embodied by the idea of “ubuntu.”

In the final round, an information slide flashed the tenet of ubuntu, which asserted that “people’s identities should be shaped by their communities, and their obligations should be primarily owed to such.

A fourth-year bachelor of science in Applied Mathematics with Specialization in Data Science student, Africa shared that their WUDC success is “a dream come true.”

He stated in an interview with CNN Philippines that their win “means being able to proudly represent the school, country and continent on the international stage, and show the world that Filipino eloquence and critical thinking have always been world-class.”

Adjudged as the tournament’s eighth-overall best speaker during the elimination rounds, the Atenean added that the victory was “a culmination of a long period of heartbreak and struggle.”

A great majority of winners and grand finalists have so far emanated from English-speaking countries such as the US, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand since the tournament started in 1981.

In 2004 the group from Singapore Institute of Management was the lone Asian team to break the trend, on behalf of the continent.

Two delegations from ADMU were able to land in the final round in 2021, one of which was headed by Africa. It was the first time the Philippines landed in the grand finals of the said tilt.

The country though failed to capture the title in the said year and in 2022, but finally bagged the WUDC crown in its recent edition.

For Africa, “the period of regaining the motivation and inner strength to try again was difficult—especially now that I would have to travel [to the tournament] in person. It means the world to give this journey the closure and satisfaction of a job well done.”

Leung, a sophomore Atenean in the same course and specialization of Africa, was hailed as the competition’s second-best speaker---the highest ever achieved by a Filipino in the WUDC.

The debate adheres to the British Parliamentary format, where four teams of two members composed of the opening and closing sides of mock government and opposition benches will argue on a motion, which is given a mere 15 minutes prior to the round.