Debating competition kicks off again

Law Society of Scotland's annual contest for schools begins local heats stage

News, 26 November 2007

Schools from across the country are ready to take part in the opening rounds of the Law Society of Scotland’s annual Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament.

Up to 134 teams of pupils from 84 schools – from the Isle of Skye and Stornoway to Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders – will debate the motion "This House believes the principle of equality has gone too far". A total of 35 local heats will take place on 29 November, 5 and 13 December. From these rounds, 64 teams will qualify for the second round early next year, before the regional finals and grand final in June.

The tournament is being partnered by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Collette Paterson, New Lawyers’ Coordinator at the Law Society of Scotland, said: "I’m looking forward to hearing pupils debate highly topical and important issues based on equality, diversity, discrimination, and human rights.

"Providing a theme also means pupils will learn an increasing amount about these issues as the tournament progresses over the course of academic session 2007-08, which we are really thrilled about."

A number of new schools are competing this year and Ms Paterson said it was clear that the competition was not solely the preserve of the well-known debating schools.

"In previous years we have had regional finalists from new debating clubs entering a competition for the first time and I hope to see some of this year’s new competitors go on to further heats."

The competition, commemorating the late Donald Dewar, himself a former solicitor as well as Scotland’s first First Minister, was launched to mark the 50th anniversary of the Law Society of Scotland in 1999 and has since become the biggest schools debating tournament in the country.