DUBAI // Raeesa Munshi, 18, loves winning an argument. She enjoys it so much, she tests her skills by arguing with complete strangers.
Ms Munshi, a student of Dubai's Wellington International School, is among a new generation of teenagers who have an opinion about everything and want a platform to air them.
Young, confident students like her have been bitten by the "debate bug", says Grant Smith, founder and coach of the UAE Debate Federation.
"Two years back, very few schools had a tradition of debating and it was largely in-house," says Mr Smith. "But the push for more school involvement happened when I organised a debate during the Literary Festival in 2009 and we had four teams participating then."
Now there are 14 schools in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that have set up debating societies and meet regularly to practice their oratory skills.
"Debating is still in its infancy in the UAE but we are trying to encourage more schools to develop it," Mr Smith says. "As a federation, we also hope to put a team into the annual World Championships."
To make that possible, the best speakers from various schools across the country need to be groomed.
Among the cream of the crop are students like Anirudh Sivaram, Aman Gupta, Deepak Nayak, Taahir Munshi and Ms Munshi, who meet once a week to prepare for the world championships, which will be held in Scotland this year.
"What excites me is that when you go for the debate tournaments it feels like you are sitting in a room with the leaders of tomorrow," says Taahir Munshi. "Debating is an art that culminates all the skills needed to be successful in today's globalised world."
Mr Sivaram, 17, was one of the first debating students at Dubai Modern High School and the winner of the "best speaker from a new nation" at the world championships in Doha last year. "It helps foster critical thought on current topics and relevant issues," he says.
Mr Smith says his students need to keep abreast of global happenings and must be quick to grasp concepts if they want to compete with their counterparts in the US and Singapore, where the debating culture dates back decades.
"The best debater is one who can pick up on sophisticated ideas being thrown about with an almost instinctive ability to evaluate whether an argument is good or bad," Mr Smith says.
It boosts their academic skills, too, he adds, who is also an English teacher at Jumeirah College in Dubai.
"Debating encourages them to read broadly and is complementary to everything that is necessary in education," he says.
"It teaches the logical organisation of ideas and educates students about things outside their immediate circle of interest making them politically and economically inclined."
The group members have been training under Mr Smith for two yearsand are now transferring their skills to peers and juniors in their spare time.
"We focus on sparking interest among students at school by having huge mass debates - including teachers versus students - and start with basic topics like iPhone versus BlackBerry to familiarise them with it," said Raeesa Munshi.
Students interested in starting their own clubs and learning the art of debating can contact Mr Smith at grant.s_jcdaahmed@thenational.ae"
aahmed@thenational.ae
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
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What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
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