QatarDebate, the national debating organisation, yesterday announced the names of the eight students who will form the 2010 Qatar National Team. The members of the team are: Chantelle D’mello, Sara al-Shamlan and Tammam al-Ghraoui (Qatar Academy) Dana al-Ansari (Park House English School), Moiz Abid Mohra (Birla Public School), Sarah Salih (Al Khor International School), Mohamed Zuhair Hubrack (Cambridge School), and Arwa Alsanosi (Amna Bint Wahab Secondary School for Girls). Qatar has participated in the World Schools Debating Championships since 2008. The students chosen from this team will go on to participate in the annual World Schools Debating Championships that are being held in Doha in 2010. The team were chosen after selection trials held at the Education City last week. Sixty students from over 15 schools took part in the trials that included debates, a current-events quiz and interviews. ”We were impressed by the high quality of debating we witnessed and were overwhelmed by the dedication and commitment of the students, some of whom rushed back from their exams at school to participate in the trials. The calibre of the finalists is reflective of QatarDebate’s commitment to excellence,” QatarDebate executive director Hayat Maarafi said. “The level of competition among debaters indicates the bar is being raised every year,” she added. QatarDebate executive logistical co-ordinator Hamda al-Thawadi explained that all the participants during the trial were trained by local and international coaches who worked to hone the debating skills of students. The 2010 Qatar National Team will now travel to Slovenia next month for seven days of workshops and training. http://gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=296111&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

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