The Eurasian Schools Debating Championship (ESDC) is an annual open English-language debating tournament for high school-level teams representing different countries that takes place in Robert College, Istanbul. ESDC is open to international and school teams alike, depending on team cap. ESDC is organized by members of Robert College Debate Society. ESDC is the world's first and only international WSDC debating championship that is organized completely by high-school students.
The first edition was hosted by the Robert College Debate Society in Istanbul with 50 teams from 20 countries. The most recent edition was held between the 17th-19th of January 2026. Dates concerning ESDC'27 have not been communicated yet.
Format
Eurasian Schools Debating Championship debates use a special format known as 'World Schools Style Debating' as most of the teams esteem the tournament as a preparation for WSDC. World Schools Style is a combination of the British Parliamentary and Australian formats. In each debate there are eight speeches delivered by two three-member teams (the Proposition and the Opposition). Each speaker delivers an eight-minute speech; then both teams deliver a "reply speech" lasting four minutes, with the last word being reserved for the Proposition. Between the end of the first and the beginning of the last minute of an eight-minute speech, the opposing party may offer "points of information". The speaker may refuse these, but should take at least one or two points during his or her speech.
Teams in ESDC debate six rounds before "breaking" into partial octo-finals. After first round, teams are paired with each other with power pairing. Team with the same number of wins play against each other. If there are more than one teams on the same point, then teams are paired randomly. Top sixteen teams with highest number of wins and speaker points advance into single elimination octo-finals.
Principles of the Eurasian Schools Debating Championship
Openness: ESDC will remain open to all teams of any formation as long as the space allows Flexibility: ESDC will seek to govern itself in a non-bureaucratic way Innovation: ESDC will seek to try novel ideas in debating
Registrations
Registrations to ESDC are done through https://www.esdc.info/registration.
Past championships Year Champions Members of Winning Team Winning Team Coach Runners-up ESL Champions Best Overall Speaker Venue Convener Chief Adjudicator2026ARDOR Romania RedDavid Saroși, Andrei Gîrcoveanu, Sophia Butac, Sara Gheorghe Laura DrăgoiARDOR Romania BlueNot AwardedDavid BăgăceanRobert College, Istanbul, TürkiyeMehveş Hatemi & Ahmet Bera SevimKallina Basli, Klaudia Maciejewska, Reja Debevc, Anı Deniz Gündüz2025Team GreeceArtemis Papastavrou, Ellie Kitinou, Kai Yuet Zhang, Marianna ArgeitiCW Pink Flamingo Not AwardedIda Joung Istanbul, TurkeyDoruk Takım & Defne AluçKallina Basli, Harish Natarajan, Klaudia Maciejewska, Anı Deniz Gündüz 2024 Greece GreenArtemis Papastavrou, Eleana Dalakoura, Kai Yuet Zhang, Marianna ArgeitiGeorge Fragedakis Greece Blue Not AwardedKai Yuet Zhang Istanbul, Turkey Ece Öğrenci & Ayşegül Kula Kallina Basli & Ruth Selorme Acolatse 2023 Aitchison College Nixor A Not AwardedIbrahim Qazi Istanbul, Turkey Hena Yaman & Tuna Sağdan Benjamin Goh & Kallina Basli 2022 Not AwardedRafay Ahmed Istanbul, Turkey Aybala Esmer & Tuna Sağdan Kallina Basli, Eric Kazadi & Luca Petrović 2021 WSDC Singapore China Mulan Not AwardedEmma Soulanticas Istanbul, Turkey Lara Selin Seyahi & Atakan Topaloğlu Kallina Basli, Tasneem Alias, Sharmila Parmanand & Rok Hafner 2020 Romania Blue Not Awarded Istanbul, Turkey Emir Kırdan & Ilgın Sezer Serban Pitic 2019 Team Greece Mzansi Team LGS Paragon Not Awarded Istanbul, Turkey Beliz Aluç & Ege Özgüroğlu Kallina Basli 2018 Karachi Grammar School Team Greece Blue Not Awarded Istanbul, Turkey Ece Korkmaz & Aysu Sarıgül Kip Oebanda & Kallina Basli 2016 Team South Africa Team Romania Blue Team Romania Blue Istanbul, Turkey Ilayda Orhan & Tolga Ferdi Çalışır Kip Oebanda & Kallina Basli 2015 Team South Africa CIS - Hong Kong Romania Dristor Istanbul, Turkey Deniz Keleş & Tayfun Gür Kip Oebanda 2014 Team Singapore Gauteng Red Team Romania Istanbul, Turkey Barışcan Göç & Ege Sözgen Tom McLennan & Kip Oebanda 2013 Team South Africa Team Canada Team Romania Istanbul, Turkey Ayşenur Biçen (Aisenour Bitsen) & Mert Zorlular Beth James 2012 Anglo Chinese Junior College Sweden B Sweden B Istanbul, Turkey Kaan Ülgen & Koret Munguldar Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed & Eirianna Kouri 2011 Team Singapore Greece C Greece C Istanbul, Turkey Cem Zorlular Evanthia Giannakouri & Can Talaz
Future championships
The 17th annual Eurasian Schools Debating Championship will be held in January 2027 at Robert College.
References
External links esdc.info