Debaters to battle it out at Hulftsdorp this weekend

By Senuri de Silva 

The fourth Hulftsdorp Debates will kick off at the Sri Lanka Law College today (5). The two-day event is organised annually by the English Literary Association of Sri Lanka Law College. Justice Buwaneka Aluwihare, PC will grace the event as the Chief Guest.

Debating is considered to be an important part of tertiary education as it develops important soft skills such as public speaking, language skills as well and argument generation. The British Parliamentary style of debating takes place among four teams of two debaters. This style enhances student’s argumentative abilities and problem solving skills as a single topic is debated from four different angles. 

Students will sharpen their creativity and the ability to think outside the box as they consider the proposition, opposition and extended arguments of a given issue. Therefore in its short history, the Hulftsdorp debate has come to be regarded as one of the highlights of the university calendar as the only debating competition in Sri Lanka exclusively for tertiary level education institutes. 

Participants for this year’s debate will represent seven top universities and other tertiary education institutes in Sri Lanka. Students of both the legal profession and other disciplines from the University of Peradeniya, University of Sri Jayawadenapura, University of Jaffna, Royal Institute, CFPs and BCAS will battle it out at the Law College premises on 5 and 6 September for the coveted J.L.M. Cooray trophy. Novice debaters will simultaneously take part in the novice trophy. A parallel competition will also take place for adjudicators. The J. L. M. Cooray trophy has been won by Law College, Arts faculty and the University of Peradeniya at the previous tournaments. 

Judges and the topics for the competition will be provided by the Sri Lanka Debaters Council to maintain the high standard of debating that is to be expected this weekend.