WSDC 26 brings together students, educators, and debate communities from across the world for a week of rigorous competition, cultural exchange, and shared learning.
Our programs are led by experienced coaches and debate champions who bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to each session, ensuring you receive top-notch guidance and mentorship.
Intensive, fun, and transformative training for Primary and Secondary school students. Build confidence, critical thinking, and champion-level communication skills.
True mastery is proven in competition. We offer students unparalleled access to elite tournaments, where rigorous training meets real-world application. These events are designed to challenge debaters, refine their strategic thinking under pressure, and build a formidable competitive record.
Debate trains students to think independently, analyze complex issues, and make reasoned decisions based on evidence. In an increasingly complex and information-driven world, these skills are essential for leadership, innovation, and responsible decision-making.
Public speaking empowers students to express ideas clearly, confidently, and persuasively. Through structured practice, students overcome fear of speaking, learn professional communication, and gain the confidence to engage in classrooms, workplaces, and public forums.
Debate exposes students to diverse perspectives and teaches them to engage respectfully with opposing viewpoints. This cultivates empathy, ethical reasoning, and inclusive leadership—qualities critical for building cohesive communities and strong institutions.
By engaging with real-world issues such as governance, social justice, and development, debate prepares young people to participate meaningfully in civic life. Students learn that disagreement can be constructive and that dialogue, not conflict, is the foundation of democracy.
Graduates of debate programs consistently demonstrate improved academic performance, leadership capacity, and employability. Investment in debate and public speaking delivers sustainable impact by building lifelong skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
This special event is dedicated to fostering foundational public speaking skills, creative expression, and early leadership qualities in a fun and encouraging environment. It is more than a festival; it is where young learners take their first powerful steps toward becoming persuasive communicators and thoughtful future leaders.
Location: Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Start Date: 8th May 2026
End Date: 12th May 2026
In this arena of eloquent persuasion and critical analysis, students demonstrate not only mastery of logic and rhetoric but also the poise, integrity, and vision that define tomorrow's changemakers. It is more than a contest; it is a showcase of how disciplined thought and powerful speech lay the foundation for transformative leadership.
Location: Oxford University, United Kingdom
Start Date: 16th March 2026
End Date: 22nd March 2026
The Junior Speaker Challenge is a multi-day, festival designed to celebrate and develop young public speakers across primary schools. Hosted by the African Debate Academy, the Challenge gives learners a friendly, high-quality platform to present prepared speeches, tackle impromptu topics, and practise storytelling and persuasion in a supportive environment. Our focus is on growth: constructive feedback, coaching moments, and a final showcase where the best young speakers shine.
Venue: Strathmore University
Term 1 Dates: 7th to 8th March 2026
Term 2 Dates: 6th to 7th June 2026
The Mashujaa Schools Open Championship is ADA’s premier school debating festival hosted at the world-class campus of Strathmore University, Nairobi. Designed for Senior (high-school) teams, the Open Championship combines elite adjudication, practical coaching, and a high-energy competitive format to develop public speaking, critical thinking and leadership.
Venue: Strathmore University
Term 1 Dates: 14th to 15th March 2026
Term 2 Dates: 13th to 14th June 2026
Term 3 Dates: 26th to 27th September 2026
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As a leading institution, we are dedicated to shaping the future by nurturing the critical thinking, eloquence, and leadership potential of youth across East Africa and beyond.
