Dewar Debate semi-finals take place tomorrow

Pupils from 16 schools across Scotland will contest tomorrow evening the semi-finals of the Law Society of Scotland’s Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament.

The teams have won through from the 128 who took part in the opening rounds of the competition, debating in the opening round whether monuments to controversial figures should be removed, and then the ethical implications of democratic countries boycotting the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

In the semi-final the students are presented with an unseen motion just one hour before the debates begin.

Winners will go forward to the grand final in the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 7 June.

Law firm TC Young and publishers Hodder Gibson are event sponsors. The Society provides the first prize of £1,000 and the donation of a runners-up prize of £250 has now been confirmed by the Glasgow Bar Association. The top two schools will also share educational books to the value of £500 donated by Hodder Gibson.

Lyndsey Thomson, careers and outreach coordinator at the Law Society commented: "The Donald Dewar debate is an absolutely fantastic initiative and a real pleasure to be involved with.

"It offers unique and developmental experiences for our young debaters who are of course, 100% focused on making it to the grand final in the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

"The debaters will get sight of the motion just one hour before the semi-final debate kicks off. They won’t have any access to newspapers, computers or smartphones in that final hour, which is a real challenge for our young debaters. I can’t wait to hear what they have to say."

The 16 semi-finalists are:
St Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen
Fortrose Academy, Fortrose
Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen
Strathallan School, Forgandenny

The Royal High School, Edinburgh
Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh
Craigholme School, Glasgow
Perth Academy, Perth

Hamilton Grammar School, South Lanarkshire
Wellington School, Ayr
Lenzie Academy, East Dunbartonshire
Our Lady & St Patrick's High School, Dumbarton

Dunfermline High School, Fife
Peebles High School, Peebles
Perth High School, Perth
Holyrood Secondary School, Glasgow