Overseas Debates
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Thursday, January 12 2012This House believes Turkey is a bad model for the new Arab states
The statements and views expressed in the debate are solely those of the Doha Debates and the participants. They are neither endorsed by nor represent the views of Bogazici University.
Ece Temelkuran, Writer and journalist FORMOTION PASSED by 59% to 41%
Sinan Ulgen, Carnegie Europe AGAINST
Hassan Mneimneh, German Marshall Fund FOR
Aboubakr Jamai, Lakome.com AGAINST
Broadcast: 21-22 January, 2012
Venue: Bogazici University, Istanbul
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Wednesday, October 26 2011This House believes the Egyptian military is not interested in genuine reform
Mohamed Fahmy Menza, Founding member, Misr Al Horreya Party/ Professor, AUC FORMOTION PASSED by 85% to 15%
Sameh Seif- Elyazal, Chairman, Al Gomhouria Center AGAINST
Heba Morayef, Human Rights Watch FOR
Gamal Abdel Gawad Soltan, Professor, Political Science AGAINST
Broadcast: 5-6 November, 2011
Venue: Cairo, Egypt
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Monday, March 14 2011This House believes for the sake of democracy Egypt should postpone elections
Marwa Sharafeldin, Human rights campaigner FORMOTION PASSED by 84% to 16%
Esam el Erian, Spokesman, Muslim Brotherhood AGAINST
Shaheer George, Activist FOR
Sherif Taher, Politician AGAINST
Broadcast: 19-20 March, 2011
Venue: AUC Tahrir Square Campus, Cairo, Egypt
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Tuesday, February 22 2011This House believes that Arab revolutions will just produce different dictators
Raoudha Ben Othman, University of Tunis FORMOTION REJECTED by 26% to 74%
Shibley Telhami, Author and scholar AGAINST
Kamal Ben Younes, Political analyst FOR
Fares Mabrouk, Yale World Fellow AGAINST
Broadcast: 26-27 February, 2011
Venue: Tunis, Tunisia
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Monday, February 15 2010This House believes Muslims aren't getting a fair deal in India
The Doha Debates was held for the first time in Asia at St Stephen’s College, one of India’s most prestigious university campuses.
With a strong history of debating, the university was a fitting venue to host the debates and the college’s active debating society was instrumental in ensuring a large audience for the event, which was attended by more than 300 people.
Seema Mustafa, Journalist and political commentator FOR
Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for Communications and IT AGAINST
Teesta Setalvad, Civil rights activist FOR
M.J. Akbar, Journalist and author AGAINSTA group of 10 high school and university students from Doha travelled to India to participate in the debate and get a taste of student life in New Delhi. They met various members of the College’s faculty, politicians and prominent Indian journalists and took in a few of the capital’s most famous sights.
MOTION REJECTED by 38% to 62%
Broadcast: 20-21 February, 2010
Venue: St. Stephen's College, Delhi
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Wednesday, March 25 2009This House believes it's time for the US to get tough on Israel
This event was held at Gaston Hall at Georgetown University in Washington DC.
The statements and views expressed in the debate are solely those of the Doha Debates and the film participants. They are neither endorsed by nor represent the views of Georgetown University.Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA’s Bin Laden Unit FOR
Dore Gold, President, Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs AGAINST
Avraham Burg, former Speaker of the Israeli Knesset FOR
Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law Professor AGAINSTTen students from universities and high schools across Qatar – all with a demonstrated commitment to debating – travelled to Washington to attend the Debate. During their week-long trip, they saw the White House, Washington Monument, Georgetown University, the Pentagon, Camp David, the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. They also managed to find time to debate Georgetown students and meet New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman.
- See a photo gallery
Broadcast: 4-5 April, 2009
Venue: Georgetown University, Washington DC
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Monday, November 26 2007This House believes Britain's role in the Middle East is in terminal decline
This event was held at the famous Cambridge Union Debating Society in the UK, marking the second time The Doha Debates have been held outside Qatar.
Shlomo Ben-Ami, Former Israeli Foreign Minister FOR
Raghida Dergham, Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, Al Hayat AGAINST
Baroness Falkner, Liberal Democrat Peer, House of Lords FOR
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, British Foreign Secretary 1995-1997 AGAINSTA group of 15 students from high schools and universities in Doha traveled to the United Kingdom to attend the Debate. They also participated in a range of educational and cultural activities, including debating skills workshops and a tour of Westminster.
MOTION REJECTED by 32% to 68%
Broadcast: 1-2 December, 2007
Venue: Cambridge Union Society, Cambridge, UK
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Tuesday, May 01 2007This House believes the pro-Israeli lobby has successfully stifled Western debate about Israel's actions
This event was held at the world famous Oxford Union debating society in the UK, marking the first time the Doha Debates have been held outside Qatar.
Norman Finkelstein, Professor of political science, DePaul University FOR
Martin Indyk, Brookings Institution AGAINST
Andrew Cockburn, Full-time writer and lecturer FOR
David Aaronovitch, British journalist, broadcaster and author AGAINSTA group of 15 students and recent graduates from high schools and universities in Doha were selected to travel to the UK to attend the debate and participate in a range of other activities.
They were given the opportunity to learn debating skills from some of the world’s leading debaters, gain an insight into life at the university and meet politicians and other policy makers. A film crew and photographer followed the students from Doha to the UK to document their trip.
MOTION PASSED by 66% to 34%
Broadcast: 5-6 May, 2007
Venue: Oxford Union Society, Oxford, UK
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