ITB Debate Team Won Asia Debate Competition in Asian English Olympic 2013
By Diviezetha Astrella Thamrin
Editor Diviezetha Astrella Thamrin
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Again, ITB debate team consists of the representatives from Student English Forum (SEF) ITB brought glory for ITB. SEF debate team succeeded in winning Asian English Olympic (AEO) 2013 debate competition which was held on Sunday-Thursday (17-21/02/13). In this debate competition held in Bina Nusantara (Binus) University Indonesia, SEF debate team surpassed debate teams from Philippines, Malaysia, and teams from other universities with the assessment of international juries.
Asian English Olympic is an annual English Olympiad which is claimed to be the biggest in Asia. This Olympiad is held by Bina Nusantara English Club, and is a series of other competitions beside debate; such as speech delivering competition, news-casting, short-movie making, and other competitions. AEO 2013 debate competition was unique because its debate format was adopting British Parliamentary system, where there were 4 fractions; each of it played a role as opening and closing government, as well as opening and closing opposition.
ITB debate team represented by Vicario Reinaldo (Industrial Engineering 2010) and Fauzan Reza (Civil Engineering 2011) from SEF had a role as opening government. In this debate, teams debated whether the film "This House Would" gives stimulus in the form of incentives for Hollywood movie makers to produce other movies which frame Muslim in a positive way or not.
As an opening government, SEF debate team carried the importance of this movie in emerging tolerance between Americans and Muslims, who have always been involved in dispute. With tolerance, peace is expected to be created between these two parties. Beside that, SEF debate team also emphasized the importance of Hollywood movies as the right media to propagate this value.
Victory was achieved by this team for their success in defeated and refuted the arguments from other debate teams representing opposition, and because of the team contribution was greater than the debate team who was represented closing government fraction. "It's such a proud to win this debate competition. I'm also happy to both meet and learn from international juries to expand the insight of debate world internationally," said Vicario.