Veritas Debate League is Egypt’s First High School Debate Tournament
Egypt’s first competitive high-school debate tournament, organized by the Veritas Debate League, took place on 1 February at Hayah International Academy in Cairo, marking a major milestone for the debate community in the country.
The event brought together 28 teams from eight international schools, with around 75 students participating in two rounds of structured debate using the World Schools Debate format, where teams take turns arguing for and against a topic, with a mix of prepared and impromptu motions.
A Growing Debate Culture
The tournament aims to introduce a competitive debate culture to Egypt, offering students a platform to sharpen their public speaking, critical thinking, and argumentation skills.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to establish regular debate tournaments in Egypt and potentially form a national team to compete in international championships.
“Debate has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life, and I wanted to provide that same opportunity to students in Egypt,” said Bryan Cory, founder of Veritas Debate League, in an interview with Egyptian Streets.
“We’ve trained students and judges leading up to this event, and the response has been overwhelming. The goal is to make debate a sustainable and thriving community here,” he added.
At their first event, students from Hayah, AIS West, AIS Main, Futures, Forsan American School, Kayan International College, the International School of Elite Education, and GEMS British International School Madinaty debated the motion “full-time students should take part in compulsory charity work,” with each team arguing both for and against the topic in separate rounds.
The team that won both rounds with the highest speaker points, Angie Saifeldin and Gemma Saifeldin from AIS Main, received a trophy.
A Transformative Experience for Students
For many participants, the tournament was an eye-opening experience that pushed them to think on their feet and refine their arguments in real time.
“I think I learned how to adapt quickly,” said Sophia Sabry, 16, a Grade 11 student from Hayah International Academy. “I came into debate with all my organizing down and all my statistics, and then the opposition had totally different points. I learned how to map out the situation, the benefits, the costs, and how to make a calculated argument out of that.”
Others highlighted how the competition helped them build confidence and improve public speaking skills. “If I had issues with public speaking before, debate has helped me overcome them,” said Habiba Amin, 16, from Hayah International Academy. “It’s exciting to be part of something that’s never happened in Egypt before.”
Participants also emphasized the importance of adaptability and critical thinking. “Critical thinking is such an important skill because you can use it anywhere, whether you’re applying to be an engineer or a doctor or anything really,” Sophia added. “Adaptability helps you think on your feet, so if you’re in any situation, even if it’s an emergency, you learn how to map out your situation and make a calculated argument.”
Another participant, Jana Al Badrashini, 14, a Grade 9 student from AIS Main, shared, “I’ve learned many things in the debate team that I’m going to be using in the future, such as public speaking and how to persuade someone to my opinion. I would definitely recommend other students to participate in the same experience.”
Yassin Eweis, 17, a Grade 12 student from Hayah International Academy, expressed his enthusiasm for the potential expansion of debate in Egypt: “I’d love to see this grow into something even bigger in the coming years.”
The Future of Debate in Egypt
The event was widely regarded as a success, with students demonstrating strong engagement, thorough preparation, and enthusiasm throughout.
Positive feedback from participants and organizers has paved the way for future tournaments, with Cory planning to hold several more throughout the year.
Looking ahead, Veritas Debate League hopes to expand its reach, bringing structured debate competitions to more schools, and eventually forming a national debate team.
“In five years, I envision monthly tournaments with participation from at least 15 different schools and even middle school divisions,” Cory explained. “I’d also love to see Egypt competing internationally in debate championships.”
With growing interest from students and educators alike, the tournament marks the beginning of what could become a thriving debate culture in Egypt, offering students a unique platform to develop essential life skills and engage in meaningful discussions.
