BINUS University Holds First Internal Debate League to Foster New Debating Talents

On Saturday, September 8, 2024, BINUS English Club (BNEC) held its first internal debate competition, exclusively for BINUS students. The event aimed to introduce debate to newcomers in a less competitive environment, giving participants the opportunity to experience debating without the pressure of formal competitions. The tournament took place across three BINUS campuses: Alam Sutera, Kemanggisan, and Senayan, and received an enthusiastic response, reaching the cap of 8 participating teams.

The event opened with a coaching clinic led by core adjudicator and esteemed debate coach, Moh. Batara Mulya, S. Kom., alongside senior talents Nico Chainando, Regina Stephanie Wuisana, and Rachel Chen. They provided fundamental insights on debating, guiding participants as they embarked on their debate journey.

The competition consisted of three rounds: two preliminary rounds followed by a grand final. Despite the event’s length—lasting a rigorous 7 hours—participants showcased perseverance and potential. Four teams advanced to the final:

• Very Demure (Klarissa and Danny, Kemanggisan)
• Es Teh Panas (Wilbert Kinsley and Aiden Hioe, Alam Sutera)
• idk (Jason Nicholas Tedja and Yulius Satya Adi Nugraha, Senayan)
• JB (Beyounce Lorraine A. Guingab and Jessalyne Liu, Senayan)

As the competition progressed, individual excellence stood out, especially when it came to speaker performance. The Best Speaker awards were given to those who demonstrated outstanding debating skills, persuasiveness, and clarity of argument. The winners were as follows:

• 5th Best Speaker: Wilbert Kinsley (Es Teh Panas)
• 4th Best Speaker: Jason Nicholas Tedja (idk)
• 3rd Best Speaker: Klarissa (Very Demure)
• 2nd Best Speaker: Beyounce Lorraine A. Guingab (JB)
• 1st Overall Best Speaker: Danny (Very Demure)

In addition to individual recognition, the team performances were equally noteworthy. The teams battled it out fiercely through each round, with the top performers being awarded based on their collective debate achievements. The team awards were as follows:

• 3rd Runner-Up: idk (Jason Nicholas Tedja and Yulius Satya Adi Nugraha)
• 2nd Runner-Up: JB (Beyounce Lorraine A. Guingab and Jessalyne Liu)
• 1st Runner-Up: Es Teh Panas (Wilbert Kinsley and Aiden Hioe)
• Champion: Very Demure (Klarissa and Danny)

This inaugural event demonstrated the resilience and skill of BINUS students and further solidified the foundation of the university’s debating community. BNEC plans to continue fostering this talent, paving the way for future success in debate competitions.