Inaugural Taiwan Speech & Debate Invitational Was an International Success
Taipei American School hosted the Inaugural Taiwan Speed and Debate Invitational from October 11-13. Teachers, students, and debate coaches from 4 countries attended and participated. Chase Williams, TAS Director of Speech & Debate, described the tournament as a resounding success, saying, 'This tournament was a unique opportunity to spotlight TAS Speech & Debate and celebrate what our students have built over the past six years."
This tournament was significantly larger than the Taiwan-only tournament that TAS normally hosts in the Spring. Featured competition categories over 3 days included Policy Debate, Public Forum Debate, World Schools Debate, Impromptu Speaking & Original Oratory. Students discussed topics like surveillance on the southern U.S. border, intellectual property laws, and more. While hundreds of similar tournaments happen around the U.S. every weekend, this was the first international gathering of its kind, an event that merged opportunities for cultural exchange with the debate tournament experience.
Since speech and debate can be a life-changing activity that empowers young people to use their voices to advocate for causes they believe in, the impact continues when the voices go quiet. Beyond technical skills, the event allowed students to learn from peers across the globe, broadening their understanding of international perspectives, which is essential for shaping future global citizens.
While the debates took place on the TAS campus, Taipei was featured prominently in every visitor's experience. "We were thrilled to show off Taipei with local, off-campus tours for all our visiting teams," explained Mr. Williams. Of particular interest to participants on their first visit to Taipei were organized visits to the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Shilin Night Market, Din Tai Fung, and the Ximending shopping district.
"Giving students from around the world the opportunity to explore this beautiful island and learn about Taiwanese culture and history first-hand is so important," related Mr. Williams. "The weekend was a truly enriching experience for our students as hosts and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our program."