The final of the German Debating Competition took place 19 May 2022 and it was an exciting event!
The team from St Finian's College Mullingar was victorious, with Templeogue College (Dublin) coming in close second. It was so great to see the German language come alive in such a passionate way, and the students said it was an unforgettable experience.
Thank you again to our wonderful partner Siemens, as well as our guests Deutsche Botschaft Dublin / German Embassy Dublin and the GDI (Gesellschaft der Deutschlehrer Irlands).
German Debating Competition 2022-23
Dear longstanding friends, participating schools and supporters of the Goethe-Institut's German Debating Competition Debattierwettbewerb in deutscher Sprache,
It is with a heavy heart that we have to communicate regrettable news to you today. We are all aware of the current difficult global situation, and unfortunately this has impacted upon our work at the Goethe-Institut worldwide. Events beyond our control have led to funding shortages across all areas of our work, which includes the Language Department. This has transpired on very short notice for us, too. We regret to inform you that the longstanding Goethe-Institut German Debating Competition Debattierwettbewerb in deutscher Sprache will not be able to take place during the school year 2022/23.
We are aware that this is a longstanding successful project with a fantastic trajectory and deep-rooted tradition among secondary schools throughout Ireland, and that it has enriched many students' and school communities' use and love for the German language. After the huge success of the competition over the last few years we were greatly looking forward to the competition in 2022/23, and are truly upset that it cannot go ahead.
However, after this exceptional break we hope to organise the competition for the school year 2023/24. We count on all our partners, participating schools, friends, and supporters of the Debattierwettbewerb in deutscher Sprache to stand by us and stay "treu" to our work. We look forward to welcoming you back to the competition in the next school year. Until then, viel Spaß und Erfolg beim Deutschlernen und –sprechen!
Yours sincerely,
Language Department
Goethe-Institut Irland
*As a good alternative to the Debating Competition this year, there is always the possibility to get involved in our other educational projects. The Goethe-Institut also organises the school project “Unternehmen Deutsch” (Enterprise German). Registration is still open, and all relevant information can be found via the following link: Enterprise German - A Project for Professional Orientation - Goethe-Institut Irland
(C) Goethe-Institut Irland
“Discussion has to be learned. Discussion involves wanting to listen and being able to listen. Discussion also involves wanting to empathise with the other person’s view, in order to get to the core of the matter.” (Herbert Wehner, 1906 - 1990)
(C) Goethe-Institut Irland
Questioning things critically, expressing views on political topics or listening to other people’s opinions and empathising with other persons’ views and responding to them in an objective and fair way are all key skills which can be improved by debating.
Since its beginnings, the German language debating competition provides a fantastic opportunity for Irish pupils to learn the art of debating and with that, to better their language knowledge, especially their speaking skills. Pupils benefit further, as debating also trains additional qualities, which can be used to prepare them for their future professional lives. Furthermore, pupils are enabled to participate in the formation of their political opinions.
The Goethe-Institut invites secondary school students to take part in our competition and engage with questions about current affairs.
There will be different rounds in which the participating schools compete against each other. At the end, all students will be invited to the final in which the two winning teams will show their language skills.
