New ARGO Debaters 2010

 Anul acesta echipa ARGO s-a mobilizat ca niciodata si astfel am reusit sa organizam demonstrative in 4 scoli ploiestene: CNMV, CN Al I Cuza, Colegiul Spiru Haret si Scoala Nr.8.

 Dezbaterile demonstrative au atras in jur de 80 de elevi participanti la sesiunea de anul acesta a ARGO Interviews.

 Interview-urile au fost o mare placere pentru comisia de selectie formata din Simona Mazilu, David Moscovici, Eveline Dicu si Serban Pitic. Tinerii doritori de a deveni membrii ai ARGO s-au dovedit cu adevarat talentati si dornici de dezbatere.

 La sfarsitul zilei a trebuit sa fie luata o decizie si astfel au fost selectati 53 de noi debateri.
Acestia vor fi impartiti in patru grupe. ARGO Freshmen (clasele a -8-a, a -9-a si a -10-a) cu cele trei grupe : RED Squad (coordonata de Serban Pitic), PURPLE Squad (coordonata de Simona Mazilu) si BLUE Squad (coordonata de David Moscovici) si ARGO Juniors (clasele a 6-a si a 7-a ) - coordonata de catre Eveline Dicu si Serban Pitic.

Se arata un an foarte bun de debate!

World Schools pentru Profesori la Slanic Moldova

In perioada 1-4 septembrie trainerii ARGO Nae Sovaiala si Serban Pitic au fost invitati de catre ARDOR Muntenia si ARDOR Moldova sa sustina trainingul de World Schools Debating pentru profesori-instuctori de club din toata tara, organizat de ARDOR Moldova la Slanic Moldova.

Evenimentul a fost o ocazie foarte placuta de discuta si de a schimba idei cu profesori implicati in miscarea de dezbateri.

Discutiile si trainingul pe tema dezbaterilor World Schools s-au axat pe Istoria Formatului, prezentarea generala a regulilor in prima parte si ,modul de predare si arbitraju, in partea a doua.

La sfarsitul zilei ne-am simtit bine impreuna prin jocuri de socializare si culminand cu un foarte distractiv Fun Debate.

Vrem sa multumim pe aceasta cale domnului si doamnei Zaharia pentru organizarea acestui foarte util si placut eveniment, lui Emi Beteringhe care ne-a recomandat pentru acest proiect si tuturor participantilor care contribuie cu energia si timpul lor la miscarea de dezbateri din Romania.

Mult succes tuturor celor care au participat si sa ne vedem cu bine la viitoare evenimente

Trainerii ARGO dau o mana de ajutor in prezentarea formatului World Schools la Nationala

 Anul acesta Forumul National ARDOR a marcat o premiera foarte importanta pentru miscarea de dezbateri din Romania. Primul turneu national in formatul World Schools, turneu care a avut loc in urma unui training prin care detaliile formatului au fost clarificate atat pentru debateri cat si pentru arbitrii participanti.

 Vrem pe aceasta cale sa multumim Asociatiei de Educatie Sociala si in special organizatorilor Formului pentru curajul de a implementa aceasta schimbare si pentru profesionalismul cu care a fost tratat intregul eveniment. De asemenea ne bucuram ca am putut prin reprezentantii nostri Serban Pitic si Iulian Maier, care au sustinut alaturi de traineri AES instructajul despre WS, sa contribuim la o prima nationala de WS cat mai faina!

Pentru cat mai multe nationale de WS!

Debate Answering the Challanges of Immigration and Multiculturalist Project - European Project ARGO in Partnership

          

The project is supported by European Union,  “Europe for Citizens’ Programme”

Title of the project »DEBATE ANSWERING THE CHALLENGES OF IMMIGRATION AND MUTLICULTURALISM«

The  national Slovenian debate organisation ZIP,  Za in proti, zavod za kulturo dialoga/Pro et contra, institute of culture of dialogue www.zainproti.com  is a  leading applicant and a coordinating organisation.

Other partners in the projects are:

from Italy, Associazione per una cultura e la promozione del  dibattito, Padua

from Lithuania, Debatų Centro/Educational Debate Center, Druskininkai,  www.debate.lt  

from Macedonia,   Mladinski obrazovni forum/Youth educational forum, Skopje, http://www.mof.org.mk/

from Poland, Fundacja Res Publica im. Henryka Krzeczkowskiego, Warszawa, http://publica.pl/aktualnosci/

from Romania, ARGO Debate Ploeiesti/Asociatia Romana pentru Gandire si Oratorie, Ploiesti, http://argodebate.blogspot.com

Description of the project

The event aims to deliver a high-standard public exchange of opinions on diverse topics surrounding the integration and expansion of the European Union and the challenges and opportunities these processes bring for the future of the European polis and wider. The main features of the planned event are: i) high-quality training for the development of skills necessary to express opinions in the public sphere. By integrating students into a week-long educational event they are able to upgrade their factual knowledge gained in the sphere of formal education with the tools necessary to successfully implement it and at the same time promote importance of non-formal learning (public speaking, argumentation lectures and drills in small groups with highly qualified trainers from across Europe and wider); ii) to provide a safe and open forum for the participants to express their opinions and views on the development of the European union, its role and form of the European citizenship. The multi-cultural background of the participants will help them to become more aware of the diverse cultures that Europe has to offer and at the same time provide them with the tools necessary to critically evaluate and promote the idea of the common values that they share (open forum discussions, lectures on diverse European processes, integration of the selected themes into the methodology of formal debating); iii) to educate young intellectuals  now, so that they will be able to use their role and skills to further the idea of the need to promote a trans-national public discussion of the European citizenship and its relations to the world (materials will be available for the dissemination before, during and after the event); iv) to provide a platform for the visibility of the selected themes and the importance of non-formal education (in the event promotion we will inform media partners and invite experts and elected representatives and local authorities to participate in discussions). 

ARGO Premiership Semis Qualifications

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to announce the Semi-Finalist teams for the ARGO Premiership 2009-2010.

These are: Shakur, The Maveriks, New Outlook and OMG We've Killed Kenny.

The semi-finals, grand final and award ceremony will all take place on the 25th of july.

The team Ranked 1st will debate the team ranked 4th and the team ranked 2nd will debate the team ranked 3rd.

Thusly the Semi-Finals will be.

1. Shakur vs. OMG We've Killed Kenny

2. The Maveriks vs New Outlook

Speaker, Reply Speaker and full Team tabs will be revealed after the final and award ceremony.

So be there to claim your prizes!

Everyone will recieve a participation certificate.

Special prizes will be awarded for: The ARGO Champions, The Second Best Team, The Best ARGO Speaker, The top 6 speakers, The Top 2 Freshmen Speakers and The Best Reply Speaker.

Thank you and see you all on the 25th,

Serban

Convener and CA for ARGO Premiership 2009-2010

World Schools: Training pentru Instructori de Club PARTEA a 2-a

Serban Pitic si Nae Sovaiala au sustinut pe 8 mai a doua parte a Trainingului in formatul World Schools pentru instructorii de club din ARDOR Muntenia.

Discutia s-a concentrat pe Constructia Cazurilor in formatul WS si modul de predare a formatului catre elevii incepatori.

Acest proiect isi propune pregatirea cluburilor de dezbateri pentru o trazitie spre folosirea formatului WS ca format standard la nivel regional si national.

Emi Beteringhe in calitate de presedinte ARDOR Muntenia a avut aceasta initiativa si ne-a sustinut constanta in aceste doua editii.

Vrem sa-i multumim din plin pentru tot ceea ce a facut pentru promovarea WS in Romania.


Echipa ARGO 

ARGO la ONG Fest

  Vineri 7 mai, intre 12:00 si 14:00 am fost invitatati sa ne prezentam clubul si asociatia la standul ARDOR.

Serban Pitic, Nae Sovaiala si Ana-Maria Neacsu au reprezentat ARGO. 

Am impartit pliante, am facut schimb de informatii si idei cu alti reprezentanti ai ONG-urilor din Romania.


Vrem sa multumim pe aceasta cale ARDOR-ului si Monicai Mocanu pentru aceasta ocazie de a face activitatea noastra vizibila publicului larg.

Training World Schools pentru instructorii din Muntenia

Serban Pitic, Nae Sovaiala, Alexandra Neacsu si David Moscovici au sustinut un training despre formatul de dezbateri WS pentru instructorii de club din ARDOR Muntenia pe data de 22 aprilie 2010

Discutia s-a centrat pe relgulile esentiale ale formatului, diferentele esentiale intre WS si Karl Popper.

Acest training face parte dintr-un efort mai larg pe care noi alaturi de ARDOR Muntenia si alte asociatii regionale il gandesc pentru raspandirea acestui format international in miscarea de dezbateri academice din Romania.

Cu ocazia traningului am dezvolat si un mic indrumar in limba romana pentru instructorii de club dar si pentru debateri care prezinta elementele esentiale ale dezbaterilor WS: Rolurile Vorbitorilor, Criteriile de evaluare si statutul arbitrului.

Aceasta prima parte va fi urmata de inca doua care vor trata : Constructia Cazurilor si modul de predare al formatului si un Ghid al Arbitrului in WS.

Fiecare parte a indrumarului va fi prezentata cu ocazia unui nou training. Cel de al doilea training va avea loc pe 8 mai, la Colegiul National Mihai Viteazul din Bucuresti la fel ca si primul. Partea a treia, trainingul pentru arbitrii va avea loc la o data ulterioara ce va fi anuntata.

Cu aceasta ocazie vrem sa-i multumim cu tarie lui Emi Beteringhe care a avut initiativa sa creeze aceasta oportunitate de raspandire a WS in ARDOR Muntenia.

Le multumim si celor de la Pache (CNMV) pentru ca ne-au fost gazde foarte bune, in special lui Bogdan Draghicescu care ne-a ajutat sa punem totul in ordine din punct de vedere logistic la fata locului.

Nu in ultimul rand tinem sa multumim tuturor studentilor si profesorilor care au participat si vor participa la traningurile noastre despre formatul WS. Deschiderea lor este un motor ce va ajuta ca miscarea noastra de dezbateri sa creasca intr-un mod constructiv si serios.

Toate cele bune,

Echipa ARGO

First Premiership Round Goes Well

This sunday, after the Premiership Grand Opening, the teams debated the motion:

This House believes that Transnistria should be an independent state


The teams debating were:

OMG We've Killed Kenny (PROP) versus New Outlook (OPP)

Piticii Pufosi Dementi de Menta (PROP) versus The Maveriks (OPP)

Elysium (PROP) versus BTH (OPP)


The debates were judged by Serban Pitic, Nae Sovaiala and Horia Tudor.


The winners this round were : OMG We've Killed Kenny, The Maveriks and Elysium.

Congrats to all and be ready for the next challange,

Serban Pitic
Conveener and Chief Adjudicator

ARGO Premiership Grand Oppening

Duminica viitoare la ora 11:00 va asteptam la deschiderea ARGO Debate Premiership League.

Se vor prezenta echipele, se vor discuta live toate regulile concursului si se va plati taxa de participare de 10 RON.

Se va juca prima runda a Premiershipului de catre 6 din cele 7 echipe (in total 3 meciuri, desfasurate concomitent)

Toate echipele sunt rugate sa confirme citirea acestui anunt. Participarea este obligatorie pentru toate echipele participante (people can be excused doar in cazuri pe bune de forta majora). Este un concurs si nu doar o intalnire la club. Daca exista o asemenea forta majora, anuntati ASAP.

Toata lumea inclusiv debateri care nu participa la Premiership, traineri, etc. sunt invitati sa participe la dezbateri si deschiderea concursului.

Also, un open call pentru time-keeperi disponibili.

Dress code: smart-casual/ semi-formal

Motiunea va fi despre subiectul general: Republica Moldova deci read up on the issue.

Program orientativ:

11:00 - Deschidere/Prezenta rea Echiplor

11:40 - Anuntarea Motiunii pentru Runda 1

12:40 - Runda 1

13:00 - Feedback si Decizie

ARGO WSDC Delegation Welcomed Home

Yesterday, in the Festivity Hall of CNMV, the ARGO debaters part of the Romanian National Team just back from Qatar, were given a grand welcome by ARGO debaters and trainers. In exchange for our little pleasantry, Evy, Lola and Catalin offered us a great Demo Debate. They debated against David, Serban and Nae on the WSDC Final Resolution: " This House would never bail out big companies ".

The audiance was impressed and a lot of fun and useful memories of the WSDC were shared.

Romania scores 5 wins out of 8 at the WSDC

Romania achived one of the best if not the best result in it's history at the World Schools Debating Championship, comparable only to that of the 2005 WSDC in Canada.

Romania is 23rd out of almost 60 teams.Romania won 5 out of the 8 preliminary rounds of the Championship.

The team composed of Eveline Dicu, Raluca Pasare, Dragos Ghita, Radu Valeanu and Catalin Barbu, and coached by Ms. Alexandra Neacsu has done great pride to Romanian Debating by showing once again that we are a powerful player on the global deabating scene.

For details about the results check : http://globaldebateblog.blogspot.com

Workshop on Economy and Economics with the ARGO Freshmen

This week the ARGO Freshmen posed some difficult and very interesting questions on the core issues of the modern economy. We've tackled issues like the monetary system, monopolies, fair competition practices, technical innovation and its influence on future economy and whats fair or unfair in a modern economy.

Romania at the 2010 WSDC Qatar

Sunday on the 7 th of February, the Romanian National Team for the 2010 WSDC left for Qatar. The team is composed of 5 people Eveline Dicu, Raluca Pasare and Catalin Radu Barbu, from ARGO, students at CNMV Ploiesti, Dragos Ghita, from AES, student at CNMV Ploiesti and Radu Valeanu, from CDAIS (Iasi), student at Colegiul National "Emil Racovita" Iasi, and is being coached by Alexandra Neacsu. Romania's official judge to the WSDC is Mrs. Simona Mazilu. We all know and love them and we should cheer for them. Update your YM status and show them your support, go online on Facebook (http://www.facebook .com/group. php?gid=47016259 5415&ref= mf), become a member of their group and show them your cheering and stuff like that :D.

Right now they're getting ready for the first round of the championship which will take place today. They've been working arround the clock in the past months prepairing for a the challange that is a high school debaters greatest. The quality of their debates and debating skills are a great example for all of us and a huge kudos for them.

For more details on the 2010 WSDC : http://www.schoolsd ebate.com and http://www.wsdc2010 qatar.com/.

Here are some videos and images from previous WSDCs: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=IoQ0Z00G5zo, http://video. google.ro/ videoplay? docid=8516998176 439721446&ei=ih1xS5zRI6Le2wKv 4aHdBg&q=2009+WSDC&hl=ro&client=firefox- a#, http://video. google.ro/ videoplay? docid=2114489137 963293139&hl=ro&emb=1#

This House believes that direct democracy is better than representative democracy

The ARGO Freshmen have debated last weekend on an interesting topic that puts social structures in question and puts their developing debating skills to the test. The results were thrilling.
The debates have shown fresh and bold ideas about acountabillity, legal stability and active citizenship.

After this experience we have no doubt that our debaters are prepaired to pick up the difficult cups that competitive debating will have in stall for them.


Bravo and keep up the good work guys !

Society->State->Politics

The ARGO 1st year debaters have gone through the first of five Lectures and Workshops on the subject of Systems of Political and Economical Tought.

The lectures and exercises are build to bring a fresh and clear perspective to new debaters about concepts such as democracy, separation of powers, economics, politics and the various political philosophies.

Until now we have had spirited debates in our talks about the functions of all societies and the rules that govern them and the instutions of a modern republican democracy. Next stop will be Economics and Political Philosophies.

The final grad end to this series of lectures will be the ARGO Model Parliament, where debaters will become representatives of different political parties based on the different poltical ideologies and will have to debate current issues debated in parliaments across the world abiding to the particular philosophy of their own party. It will be fun, it will be hard and we hope very interesting for all who watch and participate.

The model parliament debates will be available on our youtube channel and on the blog.