العربية
On April 4th and 5th, the Villafranca Campus of Camilo José Cela University became the epicenter of one of the most important educational events in Europe: the final of the 9th CICAE-UCJC Pre-University Debate League, considered the largest school debate competition on the continent and the only tournament held simultaneously in both Spanish and English.
More than 300 secondary and high school students from 32 schools across Spain debated a topic of great international relevance: “Will Donald Trump’s presidency be harmful to the world?” They did so in a dynamic and demanding format, with positions assigned randomly just minutes before the debate—requiring participants to master the topic in depth and argue with agility and rigor.
SEK International Schools had a standout performance. The Winston Churchill team from SEK-Atlántico was crowned champion in the Spanish category, while the team from SEK-Ciudalcampo took second place. In the English category, Guillermo Carmona from The Claimers team at SEK-El Castillo was recognized as Best Speaker of the tournament.
The tournament brought together 75 teams (41 in Spanish and 34 in English) who competed in intense rounds throughout the event. This league, promoted by the Association of Private and Independent Schools (CICAE) in collaboration with UCJC, aims to develop skills such as strong argumentation, empathy, critical analysis of current affairs, and respect for diverse opinions.
UCJC Rector Jaime Olmedo opened the event by highlighting the value of debate as a teaching tool: “Never lose the will to debate—it will help you in the future.” Carmen Morodo, deputy editor of La Razón, also participated, emphasizing the importance of intellectual dissent as a driver of innovation: “Great ideas are born from the clash of different thoughts.”
In addition to the competition, teams received training throughout the academic year with internationally renowned debate figures. This was complemented by additional resources including reading materials, webinars, and practice sessions with expert feedback.