Karl Popper Debate Program in Estonia
Debate Center
Address: Estonia Avenue 3/5, EE 0001 Tallinn, Estonia
Phone: (372 6) 313-791
Fax: (372 6) 313-796
Program Coordinator: Erko Karing
E-mail Address:
erko@oef.org.ee
Open Estonia Foundation Homepage
History of the Debate Program in Estonia
Project “Estonian Debate Programme” was launched in Estonia in 1994 after the Soros Foundation arranged a seminar in Budapest (March 1994). In the following two months, the Open Estonia Foundation (Enel Mägi) started to make plans how to integrate debating with the school program. This was to happen in cooperation with Tallinn Pedagogical University (Michel Rebane). From then on, the main purpose of the project was to support the main principles of democracy and open society in their spread and development in the Estonian Republic. Because of that, the main stress of the Estonian debate project is set on debating in the native language of the country. Due to the help of the Open Estonia Foundation, debating is now a part of standard education via the curriculum of high schools. Thus, the schools in Estonia have once more taken a small but important step towards democracy and the open society.
Provisionally, the project was planned for two academic years and to be carried out in three stages.
The preparing period (May-September, 1994)
The primary task of the preparing period was to create appropriate structures for carrying out the project, to translate research materials plus to form a group of people who would later on support the development of the project. Thus, the Center of Advertisement and Rhetoric was opened at the social department of Tallinn Pedagogical University in cooperation with M.Heidmets. The first public debate between undergraduates was also held in Tallinn Pedagogical University, as well as the seminar for would-be teachers. The first undergraduates to have attended that seminar now take active part in debating as judges (R.Milistver, T.Kastik, J.Uibo etc.) and help organize the necessary meetings in order to develop the project. With their help, an audio-visual learning material was put together in the Estonian Television.
Arranging the seminars and workshops (1994/1995)
The primary task of this stage was to introduce the main ideas of debating to as wide an audience as possible, to find people who can and want to teach debating, to form debating-clubs in schools, to offer training facilities to judges, to organize the first tournaments, to distribute research materials and to enable the teaching of debating in schools via curriculum. In other words, to thoroughly introduce competition debating of students, to popularize it and to inform the public, that rhetoric and debating are not only the means of self-regulation in a democratic society, but the basis for everyone’s personal success in nowadays world as well. Altogether, 24 seminars and workshops were held during that period, attracting more than 500 students and teachers to take part. With increasing success, debating became popular in Viljandi, Rapla, Paide, Mustla, Tallinn Secondary School nr. 49, and the Tallinn English College, resulting in organizing of several competitions both in and between different schools. At the end of the period, 50-60 students and 10 teachers were actively engaged with debating. The very same people took part in the first annual Summer Debating Camp in Arbavere (August 1995), holding a competition between different schools for the first time in Estonia.
On March 5, the Estonian Television caught public attention by broadcasting an exemplary debate on the resolution “Totalitarianism is more humane than democracy”. Several articles were published, even more exemplary debates were held in Viljandi, Kuressaare, Tallinn, and soon there were more people willing to go in for debating than it was expected. After Estonia participated in international tournaments in Hungary, debating was introduced in the English language as well.
At the end of the period, the purpose of the second stage had been achieved. The essence and idea of debating had been acknowledged all over Estonia, and although there wasn’t yet enough active participants, the amount of s.c. passive supporters gave hope, that there was a ground for extending debating greatly during the following stage.
Directing the independent development of debating through the debating-society and debating-clubs (1995/1996)
The main task of this stage was to form a debating society, that would unite the debating-clubs in itself in order to create an organizational basis for constantly active debating-league. While seminars and workshops continued to be carried out, launching the national championships in Estonia and organizing tournaments in primary debating centres was of no less importance either.
The academic year was opened with an exemplary debate in Kuressaare and a seminar, that brought together most of the coordinators involved in debating. Several important issues were under discussion, such as the resolutions for the following year and the national championships.
Between September-December, there were practically two or three tournaments per month, that were carried out in different parts of Estonia. Altogether, more than 70 students took active part in them. It was during the tournament in Viljandi (November 1995), that the decision for establishing Estonian Debating Society was first announced. The government confirmed it in January 1996. However, the most important event of the academic year was the national championships held in Väätsa, not far away from Paide. The finals were broadcast through the Estonian Television to an even wider audience, so they could be watched all over the country. By then, the Estonian Debating Society had reached the point were it could award the debaters with certificates carrying the Society’s logo and a challenge cup could be given to the winning team. As Rapla was the first team to receive the challenge cup, this encouraged even more people around Rapla and Paide to take part in debating.
Other important events of the academic year include the national tournaments held in April (arranged by the debating clubs of Mustla and Tallinn English College, respectively), several exemplary debates and not forgetting the international tournament in Latvia, of course.
Latvia was a real success for Estonia (represented by the debating club of Viljandi) -- as a result of a tight competition with 30 other teams, Estonia became the first. Even more important, the overall level of performance had increased greatly compared to the previous year in Hungary. The academic year ended with necessary preparations for the international tournaments in the Czech Republic, that would obviously have the best debaters in Eastern and Central Europe competing with each other.
In conclusion, we can see that the primary tasks of the third stage (and the project planned for two years as well) have been fulfilled successfully. The Estonian Debating Society is able to operate through different debating-clubs, directing the debating activities, and guaranteeing the extension of debating. Thus debating has found its place in Estonian schools and after two years the structure of the project is strong enough to continuously integrate debating with the country’s education.
The prime directives of continuing the project.
There are 120 students and 15 teachers currently involved in debating, with Viljandi County Grammar School (Indrek Meos) and C.R. Jakobson Grammar School (Jaan Usin), Mustla Secondary School (Anne Mädo), Rapla Vesiroosi Grammar School (Siri Jehe), Paide Grammar School (Merle Kaldjärv), Tallinn Secondary School nr. 49 (Liis Savisaar), and Tallinn English College (Katrin Aava) being the main centres of debating. Also Märjamaa, Saku, Kuressaare, and several other schools in Tallinn have started debating. Võru and Tartu have showed interest in joining in, too. In spite of the great number of people who attended seminars, the amount of active participants is quite small and doesn’t yet include people from such provinces as Ida-Virumaa, Tartumaa and Pärnumaa. The scarcity of judges and active coaches is also a problem. Thus the key word for continuing the project should be multiplicity, i.e. the high quality of debaters should be guaranteed by making debating part of every school in Estonia.
Deciding upon the above-mentioned, the project should most definitely continue. Thus, the prime directives of the upcoming two years are shortly presented here:
- rhetoric and debating must be introduced in every Estonian grammar school and university
- every province and university must have their own debating-club that coordinates the activities in the area
- central structural units are the clubs -- it is necessary to find possibilities to financially support more advanced clubs.
- seminars and workshops must be organised in the future as well.
- Estonian Debating Society must be developed, be engaged in the state budget, have its own stationary rooms near a school that is actively engaged in debating, have its own library containing important debating materials, plus the most active students should be applied in the Society’s everyday work. Besides, it would be necessary to find a sponsor and apply for computer connections.
- special attention should be paid on extending the number of judges and coordinators. Students, who have graduated from high school and would like to continue debating could also be involved for that purpose.
- a broadcast of debating should be made regular, so the debating-league could ultimately be established and the audience’s interest could be maintained. The international tournaments should also be introduced to Estonia.
The people responsible for carrying out the project
Katrin Aava
- debating coordinator for students, responsible for organising, communication.
Mihkel Rebane
- debating co-ordinator for undergraduates, responsible for organising, training, public relationships, “Dialogue of the Future”.
Erko Karing
- Soros Foundation (Open Estonia Foundation) Coordinator, responsible for organising, public relationships, financial activities.
The main principles of financing the project.
To finance the events of the academic year -- incl. summer camp, national championships, international tournaments, transport costs of representatives. The main purpose of the summer camp is to guarantee multiplicity; championships and international tournaments are the guarantee for obtaining, maintaining and motivating the high level of debating.
To finance the debating-clubs, that have obtained the leading position in their area and that arrange the local events, thus helping to integrate debating with schools. Such clubs include the Viljandi C.R.Jakobson’s Memorial Grammar School, Rapla Vesiroosi Grammar School, Paide Secondary School and Tallinn English College.
To support the debating-clubs of Tartu University and the universities in Tallinn.
The project’s inevitable expenditures include arranging workshops, transport costs, business trips, communicational and postal costs.
Scholarships for persons responsible for carrying out the project.
Installing computer connections.
Calendar of Events June 1996 -
June 1997
June-August
- preparing the team for International Debate Tournaments in the Czech Republic (analysis of the resolution, research, improving skills of cross-ex -- K.Aava, M.Rebane)
- international tournament in Latvia (July 8.-14.). Two teams have been asked to take part with their co-ordinators. The tournament serves the purpose of preparing the Estonian team for the international tournament in the Czech Republic as well.
- international tournament in the Czech Republic (August 5.-11.; coordinators K.Aava, M.Rebane, E.Karing).
- preparations for summer camp in Estonia -- compiling research materials, and putting together the necessary literature for the debating library, preparing the resolutions for the next year in accordance with the project “Dialogue for the Future”, dealing with information and organising (M.Rebane, K.Aava, and Tallinn English College).
- summer camp at Mändjala (August 19.-21.)
This symbolises the start of a new academic year, 120 students and 30 teachers all over Estonia have been asked to take part. The main purposes of the summer camp are the following: engaging new people in debating, providing the more experienced debaters with the opportunity to compete with each other, giving sessions to them and the coordinators, training new judges, making debating more attractive and enjoyable to the audience.Estonian Debate Camp 1996
August 19. SESSIONS AND TRAINING.
- opening ceremony (future plans are introduced by M.Rebane)
- the program “Dialogue for the Future” (K.Tohver)
- sessions for new teams and their co-ordinators (M.Rebane)
- sessions for judges (M.Rebane and Erko Karing)
- the new teams are assisted by experienced debaters and co-ordinators
- session for everybody -- “Debating is the Art of Persuasion or How to be Attractive” (M.Rebane)
- sample debate by two of the best teams
- session for co-ordinators (M.Rebane)
August 20. DEBATES AND ANALYSIS.
- debates for the new teams, experienced debaters will be judging (K.Aava)
- skills in cross-ex are improved by debaters from Viljandi
- preliminary rounds
August 21. TOURNAMENTS.
- final rounds
September-October
Key words: training, publicity, sample debates, “Dialogue For the Future”.
During the period, everyone should be provided with the opportunity to obtain instruction and to join the debating league. Thus, it is important to take advantage of the media (especially in September) and organise exemplary debates. Attention must be paid on captivating the audience from the very beginning of the academic year.
Seminars in Pärnu and Rakvere.
Founding and coordinating the activities of debating clubs in universities.
November
- internal championships in schools
- internal tournaments in universities
- seminars in Võru and Tartu
December
- preliminary rounds for the national championships
- tournaments between universities
January-February
- finals of the national championships shown on the Estonian Television
- championships between universities
March-May
- finals of the championships between universities shown on the Estonian Television
- international tournament for 12 teams (organised by Tallinn English College)
- tournaments are held in Viljandi, Paide, Rapla and Tartu
- best debaters take part in the international discussion “Dialogue for the Future”
June
- the ending academic year is concluded, the best team is prepared for the international tournaments
Debate Clubs
English College
Hariduse 3
Tallinn EE0001
Tallinn Sec. School No 32.
Mooni 100
Tallinn EE0029
H. Treffner Gymnasium
Munga 12
Tartu EE2400
Tartu Sec. School No. 10
Vanemuise 48
Tartu EE2400
Märjamaa Secondary School
Tamme tee 1
Märjamaa EE3521
Tallinn Sec. School No 21
Raua 6
Tallinn EE0001
Tallinn Sec. School No 49
Ed. Vilde tee 62
Tallinn EE0034
Tallinn Sec. School No 62
Läänemere tee 31
Tallinn EE0038
Saku Secondary School
Tallinna mnt. 10
Saku, EE3400
Rapla Vesiroosi Gymnasium
Viljandi mnt. 69
Rapla EE3500
Paide Gymnasium
Aiavilja 3
Paide EE2820
Viljandi C.R Jakobsoni Gymnasium
Riia mnt. 91
Viljandi EE2900
Mustla Secondary School
Kevade 1
Mustla EE2922
Viljandi Maagymnasium
Uueveski 1
Viljandi EE2900
Võru Sec. School No 1
Kooli tee 2
Võru EE2710
Tallinn Old Town School
Vene 22
Tallinn EE0001
Kuressaare Gymnasium
Nooruse 1
Kuressaare EE3300
Gustav Adolf Gymnasium
Suur-Kloostri 16
Tallinn EE0001
Saare Coeducational Gymnasium
Hariduse 13
Kuressaare EE3300
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