Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 28: A team of two young enthusiastic orators from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack won the ‘great debate challenge’ organised by the British Deputy High Commission in association with British Council. The event was held on the premises of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Training (KIIT) in the city Friday afternoon.
A total of 12 students divided into six teams from different educational institutions took part in the debate on the issue ‘Developed countries should take a larger burden in mitigating climate change’. The debaters locked horns with some speaking for the motion and others against it.
Viabhav Das and Abhishek Parija from Ravenshaw University, who spoke against the motion, received an overwhelming response from the audience and bagged the state-level winner award. The duo will now take part at a national-level debate where teams from 10 different cities will participate. The mega event is slated to be held in January next month. Trident Academy of Technology, meanwhile, bagged the runners up trophy.
The colleges/universities that participated in the event were KIIT, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, Silicon Institute of Technology, Trident Academy of Technology, School of Electronics and Engineering, and Ravenshaw University.
Vaibhav Das said, “The onus of mitigating climate change should not only be on the developed nations as calamities and disasters do not discriminate between countries. Thus in order to negate the consequences of environmental degradation preventive steps should be taken in time to move towards a greener and a safer planet.”
The session was moderated by British Deputy High Commissioner Scott Furssedonn-Wood. Every team was given three minutes to put forward its point of view, besides the opportunity to counter question opponents and furnish concluding remarks.
According to Scott the winners of the upcoming national-level debate will be given to the chance to visit UK for seven days on an education tour where they are likely to visit many reputed educational institutions, meet government officials and tour other prominent places. The Commission will bear the expenses of the tour.
Similar debates have been organised in different cities in the country to bring the best orators from different parts under one umbrella. Organisers said the debates were organised in Bangalore, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad among other cities.
The debates were judged by a four-member panel comprising Andrew Sober from the commission, Soma Mondal, director (commercial), Nalco, Sruti Mohapatra, disability activist, and Jajati Karan, senior journalist.
