AUS team wins debate championship

The Debate Club Team One from American University of Sharjah (AUS) emerged as winners of the all-AUS final of the Eighth AUS Intercollegiate Debating Championship held at the university's Main Auditorium on December 22, 2011.

The AUS Debate Club had two teams competing for this year's championship. Both teams prevailed against 16 other teams from 11 universities that were also vying to become this year's champions. The teams that participated in the competition came from American University of Sharjah; Preston University, Ajman; University of Dubai; United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain; Middlesex University, Dubai; American University of Ras Al Khaimah; University of Sharjah; Skyline University, Sharjah; Gulf Medical University, Ajman; University of Bolton,  Ras Al Khaimah; and Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences Pilani, Dubai.

The winning team comprising Anam Merchant, Badar Ud Duja and Juhi Chanchalani clinched their final victory as they opposed the motion, "This house believes that global warming is nothing to be concerned about," against AUS Team Two, which supported the motion.

"This year we witnessed 72 students from 18 talented teams representing 11 leading universities from all over UAE fighting for the top title of the most prestigious debating competition this country," said Jashan Jot Singh, President of the AUS Debate Club. "The four-day event was judged by Toastmasters. Teams debated a wide variety of issues that ranged from technology matters to the economy and the environment.

"Today I feel extremely privileged and lucky because it is only the second time in the tournament's history that both AUS teams qualified for the finals. As president of the AUS Debate Club, there is no better feeling than to see our teams succeed, guaranteeing victory for AUS," he concluded.