The Oxford Schools Debate Championship is a prestigious academic competition hosted in the historic university city of Oxford. It offers students a unique opportunity to engage in rigorous debate within an environment renowned for centuries of scholarly excellence and leadership.
Location: Oxford University, United Kingdom
End Date: 15th March 2026
The Pan African Junior Debate & Public Speaking Championships 2026 is set to bring together some of the brightest young minds from across the African continent.
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Start Date: 16th April 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
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
The USA Nationals Speech and Debate Tournament stands as the pinnacle of forensic excellence in the nation, bringing together the country’s most talented and dedicated young orators and debaters in a premier competition of intellect, eloquence, and leadership.
Location: Richmond, USA
Start Date: 12th June 2026
End Date: 21st June 2026
The Pan African Senior Debate & Public Speaking Championship 2026 will stand as the continent's definitive gathering of oratory excellence, uniting Africa's most promising young voices in a summit of intellectual exchange and rhetorical mastery.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Start Date: 13th August 2026
End Date:19th August 2026
The Pan African Junior Debate & Public Speaking Championship 2026 will stand as the continent's definitive gathering of oratory excellence, uniting Africa's most promising young voices in a summit of intellectual exchange and rhetorical mastery.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Start Date: 19th August 2026
End Date: 25th August 2026
The Qatar Debate Open stands as a premier international forum for intellectual exchange, where diverse voices converge in Doha for a celebration of rigorous argument and eloquent public discourse.
Location: Doha, Qatar
Start Date: 30th September 2026
End Date: 7th October 2026
The Tanzania World Schools Debate Championship stands as the nation's premier platform for academic debate, bringing together the brightest young minds in the vibrant, coastal hub of Dar es Salaam.
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Start Date: 6th August 2026
End Date: 11th August 2026
The UAE Junior World Schools Debate Championship emerges as a distinguished platform for young voices, gathering the most promising junior debaters in the dynamic and forward-looking setting of the United Arab Emirates.
Location: Dubai, UAE
Start Date: 13th November 2026
End Date: 18th November 2026
The Shanghai Speech and Debate Invitation represents a prestigious gathering at the crossroads of global dialogue, hosted in the vibrant and forward-looking metropolis of Shanghai. This exclusive invitational convenes exceptional student orators and debaters to engage in culturally rich and intellectually rigorous discourse
Location: Shanghai, China
Start Date: 19th November 2026
End Date: 25th November 2026
The Johannesburg School Open is where arguments gleam like gold and voices rise to meet the city's skyline. In the electric pulse of South Africa's heart, this is more than a debate—it's an intellectual excavation.
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Start Date: 29th November 2026
End Date: 6th December 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
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
EAWSDC brings together top junior-and-senior high-school debaters, national teams and school delegations from across East Africa for an international-standard World Schools competition. Hosted by African Debate Academy in partnership with regional education and university partners, the Championship combines high-quality adjudication, coach development, judge training and a cultural programme to develop debate skills, leadership and cross-border civic engagement.
Venue: USIU Africa
Dates: 15th to 17th May 2026
The Nairobi Speech & Debate League is a competitive season for primary and secondary schools across Nairobi that blends regular debate fixtures with speech contests, skills clinics and adjudicator development. Running across the school year with termly rounds and a season finale, the League offers Junior and Senior tracks, multiple competitive formats, and coaching delivered in partnership with the Harvard Debate Council.
Venue: German School
Term 1 Dates: 21st to 22nd March 2026
Term 2 Dates: 20th to 21st June 2026
The Mombasa Schools Open Championship is African Debate Academy’s regional school tournament hosted in Mombasa. Open to Junior (primary) and Senior (high-school) teams, the Open Championship offers rigorous competition, coaching clinics, judge development, and a warm coastal atmosphere for schools from across the county and beyond. The event prioritises learning, fair play and community engagement while preparing teams for higher-level competition.
Venue: Aga Khan Academy Mombasa
Term 2 Dates: 23rd to 24th May 2026
Term 3 Dates: 7th to 8th November 2026
The Nairobi Schools Debate Championship is a twice-yearly tournament held at USIU Africa, Nairobi. Designed for Senior (high-school) teams, the Championship combines top-level adjudication, practical coaching, and a high-energy competitive format to prepare students for regional and international competition while strengthening critical thinking and civic skills at the local level.
Venue: USIU Africa
Term 1 Dates: 7th to 8th February 2026
Term 2 Dates: 13th to 14th July 2026
The Mashujaa Junior Opens Championship is ADA’s flagship junior debating competition, welcoming primary-school teams from across the region. The Championship combines friendly competition with practical coaching, storytelling sessions, and personalised feedback so young learners develop strong speaking skills, teamwork and civic confidence. The event is ideal for new debaters and emerging teams who want a high-quality, supportive tournament experience.
Venue: Strathmore University
Term 1 Dates: 21st to 22nd February 2026
Term 2 Dates: 30th to 31st May 2026
This regional round of the Oxford–Cambridge Schools Debate Championship is an annual, high-standard British Parliamentary tournament for Senior (high-school) teams across East Africa. The event is run in partnership with the Oxford Union Debate Council and the Cambridge Debate Council and emphasises competitive excellence, adjudicator development, and coach training. Expect rigorous preliminaries, high-quality feedback, and a final showcase judged to international standards. The Championship is ideal for experienced BP teams preparing for international competition and national qualifiers.
Venue: USIU Africa
Dates: 14th to 25th October 2026
The Junior Speakers Cup is African Debate Academy’s signature speaking competition for primary learners. Focused on confidence-building and skill development, the Cup features age-appropriate categories (Prepared Speech, Storytelling/Interpretive, and Impromptu) and offers both lower- and upper-primary tracks. With constructive feedback, coach-led clinics, and a celebratory final showcase, the event is ideal for first-time competitors and developing speakers alike.
Venue: University of Nairobi (Main)
Term 1 Dates: 14th to 15th February 2026
Term 2 Dates: 6th to 7th July 2026
Term 3 Dates: 19th to 20th September2026
The Rift Valley Schools Open Championship is African Debate Academy’s regional tournament for schools in the Rift Valley and neighbouring counties. Open to Junior (primary) and Senior (high-school) teams, the Championship combines rigorous competition, practical coaching, judge development and community engagement to nurture confident thinkers and ethical leaders across the region.
Venue: Greensteds Internation School
Dates: 14th to 15th February 2026
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.
