The debate “Karl Popper” Tournament

Peja, 29-30 January 2011- Movement FOL along with BIRN, and in cooperation with organizations: Syri I Vizionit in Peja, Initiative for Progress (INPO) in Ferizaj and Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) in Pristina, held on 29 and 30 January 2010, the debate “Karl Popper -” tournament “Peja Open 2011 ” on the topic” Kosovo needs to implement electronic voting. “The format of the debate ‘Karl Popper’ aims to deal and handle the essential elements of a controversial issue. It stresses above all the development of critical thinking, tolerance and assessment of different views. This format is being developed in high schools.
Movement FOL and BIRN with the support of SOROS/KFOS Foundation since the beginning of January 2010 have been working along with partner organizations INPO, SIV and YIHR to establish debate clubs in town and to train the club members in Karl Popper debate. Currently in Kosovo there are 3 debating clubs in 3 municipalities (Ferizaj, Prishtina and Peja) and the number of debaters from city high schools is constantly growing.
“Peja Open 2011” is the third tournament held in Kosovo since 2010, and since the debating program had began. The innovation of this tournament has been the participation of two teams from Gjakova, a team from the American School of Kosovo and a team from RAE community.

A major contribution to the Tournament “Peja Open 2011” was given by the municipalities of Peja, respectively the Department of Culture, Youth and Sports. Aver Husaj, an official of this department said that Peja Municipality supports the organization of this tournament, and will do so in the future.

On Saturday (29 January) during three rounds of debate have been faced 21 teams from four municipalities of Kosovo: Prishtina, Peja, Gjakova and Ferizaj. Meanwhile, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the debate were held on Sunday. On the semifinals were qualified four teams that have colllected the most points based on the number of the wins and points that were collected by speakers of the teams.
Semifinals teams of this debate were: Manekenet from Prishtina debate club, Feniks and Supernova from Ferizaj, and The Young Europeans from Peja. On finals were qualified, Phoenix and The Young Europeans.

Judges in this tournament were former debaterrs who have previously taken part in the debate, “Karl Popper”. The jury of the judges who judged the finals of this tournament, announced the winner of this tournament The Young Europeans from Peja, with six votes in favor and one against.
The tournament was held in Elementary School “Lidhja e Prizrenit “, while the final was held at the Theater of Peja.
Last September was organized a National Tournament in the format of the debate ‘Karl Popper’, “Ferizaj Open 2010”. Meanwhile, the next National tournament “Prishtina Open 2011” will be held in April this year in Prishtina.
Movement FOL in cooperation with BIRN this month will expand their network of debate clubs in Mitrovica, Suhareka and Malisheva.