On December 21, 2023, The national stage of the International Debate Championship of Eurasian Muslim countries on the theme of the Heydar Aliyev Oratory School was held at Tashkent State University of Economics in Uzbekistan. The championship was co-organized by the Youth Union of Uzbekistan (O’zbekiston Yoshlar Ittifoqi) and the Eurasian Regional Center of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF-ERC), with support of Tashkent State University of Economics and the public union “Debates in Civil Society” (DVC). It is worth noting that this event commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Azerbaijan’s National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, within the framework of the national stage of the International Debate Championship of Eurasian Muslim countries on the theme of the Heydar Aliyev Oratory School.
At the opening ceremony, Vusal Gurbanov, Acting Director General of the ICYF-ERC, welcomed the participants and gave brief information about the flagship projects of ICYF-ERC, such as the Model OIC IR Academy, the Debate Championships and Kazan OIC Youth Entrepreneurship Forum. Moreover, he highlighted that the championships dedicated to the 100th birthday anniversary of national leader Heydar Aliyev had taken place in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. He also expressed gratitude for the support from Uzbekistan’s youth during challenging times and affirmed ICYF-ERC’s commitment to the empowerment and solidarity of Muslim youth as well as preparing future diplomats. Abdulaziz Muminov, the Deputy Chairman of the Central Council of the Youth Union of Uzbekistan, underscored the pivotal role debate plays in honing critical thinking skills, emphasizing its ability to empower individuals to articulate thoughts confidently and precisely. Furthermore, he elucidated that engaging in debate not only cultivates constructive thoughts but also instills a sense of assurance in expressing ideas without hesitation and serves as a cornerstone for intellectual growth and effective communication, fostering a culture of robust dialogue among the youth of Uzbekistan.
The participants from different universities in Uzbekistan, during the debate championship, delved into critical issues, ranging from the ecological repercussions of electric vehicles to the potential prohibition of electronic devices at universities, the prospect of robotic replacement in major industries, and the efficacy comparison between online and offline education. Tashkent State University of Law triumphed as the 1st Place winner in the esteemed debate championship, with Tashkent State University of Economics securing 2nd Place and Webster University achieving the distinguished 3rd Place. Winners and participants received well-deserved certificates and valuable prizes, underscoring their exceptional contributions to this competition.
The main goals of the debate championship are to contribute to the improvement of young people’s public speaking, communication, and leadership skills, to contribute to the activities of young people in the social and political sphere, as well as to achieve the recognition of the personality of Heydar Aliyev in a wider audience.