Debating Matters Berlin Championship 2026
The Debating Matters Berlin Championship 2026 is a high-school level debate competition held in Berlin, Germany. This event provides a platform for young individuals to engage in rigorous intellectual discourse, fostering critical thinking and public speaking skills. Participants will delve into complex contemporary issues, presenting well-reasoned arguments and responding to challenges from judges and peers.
Committees & topics
General Assembly (GA)
United Nations General Assembly: Reform and the Multilateral Order
Security Council (SC)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Food and Agriculture Organization: Conflict-Driven Food Insecurity and Climate-Resilient Agriculture
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UN High Commissioner for Refugees: Protection in an Era of Record Displacement
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Economic and Social Council: Sovereign Debt Restructuring in Developing Countries
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: Combating Trafficking and Illicit Finance
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)
United Nations Environment Assembly: Plastic Pollution and the Triple Planetary Crisis
Why it matters
The championship is significant for its role in cultivating informed and articulate citizens. By focusing on substantive debate rather than rhetorical flourish, it encourages participants to deeply understand diverse perspectives and the nuances of global challenges. This approach is crucial for developing future leaders who can navigate complex diplomatic landscapes and contribute meaningfully to policy discussions.
Hosting such an event in Berlin, DEU, a city with significant historical and political importance, adds another layer of relevance. It places young debaters in a context rich with the history of international relations and political thought, potentially inspiring a deeper engagement with the topics at hand. The competition's emphasis on evidence-based argumentation and respectful disagreement mirrors the ideal processes of international diplomacy and policy-making, making it a valuable preparatory experience for those interested in global affairs.
How to prepare
Participants should focus on developing robust arguments supported by credible evidence. A key aspect of preparation involves understanding the various stakeholders involved in any given issue, as discussed in the "What Is Stakeholder Mapping?" and "Hidden Stakeholders" lessons. This includes identifying not only the primary actors but also those with indirect influence or interest.
Effective debate also requires strong "Engagement Strategies" to present arguments persuasively and respond thoughtfully to counter-arguments. Students should practice "Dynamic Analysis" to anticipate opposing viewpoints and formulate effective rebuttals. Understanding the broader geopolitical context of debate topics, including the perspectives of countries like USA, CHN, and RUS, will be crucial for a comprehensive approach.
Country perspectives
Where the most-relevant 4 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.
GermanyAs the host nation, DEU provides a central European stage for intellectual exchange among high-school students.
Role in topic
DEU's historical and contemporary role in European and global politics offers a rich backdrop for debates on international relations, economic policy, and social issues. Its commitment to democratic values and multilateralism often shapes the discourse around global challenges.
United StatesThe USA's global influence often positions it as a key reference point in debates concerning international policy, technology, and cultural trends.
Role in topic
Discussions frequently involve the USA's foreign policy, its economic impact, and its role in international institutions. Understanding American perspectives on various topics is essential for a comprehensive debate.
ChinaCHN's growing economic and political power makes its perspective vital in discussions on global trade, development, and geopolitical strategy.
Role in topic
Debates often touch upon CHN's Belt and Road Initiative, its technological advancements, and its stance on human rights and environmental issues. Analyzing CHN's role provides a critical dimension to many contemporary topics.
RussiaRUS's geopolitical actions and energy policies are frequently central to debates on international security and resource management.
Role in topic
The country's role in regional conflicts, its energy exports, and its relationship with Western powers are common themes that require careful consideration in debate topics.
Topics & background
The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.
General Assembly (GA)
United Nations General Assembly: Reform and the Multilateral Order
Key players
- United States
Largest financial contributor; defends current Charter architecture while resisting expanded GA authority over P5 prerogatives.
- China
Champions multilateralism rhetoric and South-South cooperation; cautious on reforms that would dilute Security Council privileges.
- Russia
Increasingly isolated in GA votes on Ukraine; uses the chamber to contest Western-led narratives.
IndiaLeading voice for G4 Security Council expansion and for developing-country representation.
BrazilG4 member and bridge between Global South coalitions; pushes governance reform of international financial institutions.
- Germany
Major contributor and G4 aspirant; promotes the Pact for the Future agenda.
Security Council (SC)
United Nations Security Council: The Situation in Sudan
Key players
SudanConflict state; the SAF-led government claims sovereignty and rejects external mandates it views as infringing it.
United Arab EmiratesAccused by UN experts of supplying the RSF via Chad; denies involvement and shapes Gulf diplomacy on the file.
Saudi ArabiaCo-host of the Jeddah talks; balances ties to the SAF with regional stabilization concerns.
- United States
Penholder on Sudan sanctions; imposed bilateral measures and designated atrocities as genocide in January 2025.
- Russia
Vetoed the November 2024 UK-drafted ceasefire resolution; cultivates ties with both belligerents and Port Sudan access.
EgyptBorder state and longtime SAF backer; pivotal to any regional ceasefire architecture.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Food and Agriculture Organization: Conflict-Driven Food Insecurity and Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Key players
- United States
Largest FAO donor and major agricultural exporter; promotes productivity-led approaches and biotech.
- China
Hosts FAO leadership ties and pushes South-South cooperation; major investor in African agriculture.
- Brazil
Agricultural superpower; shapes debates on commodity trade, deforestation and tropical agronomy.
- India
Largest population food-security stakeholder; defends public stockholding and smallholder protections.
EthiopiaAnchor of African Group positions; exemplifies the conflict-climate-hunger nexus.
ItalyFAO host state in Rome; coordinates EU positions and the Rome-based agencies architecture.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UN High Commissioner for Refugees: Protection in an Era of Record Displacement
Key players
- United States
Historically the largest UNHCR donor; resettlement policy swings sharply with administrations.
- Germany
Largest European host of Ukrainians and Syrians; key voice on EU asylum reform.
TurkeyHosts the world's largest refugee population, mainly Syrians; central to return debates.
UgandaModel African host with progressive settlement policy; advocate for predictable burden-sharing.
BangladeshHosts roughly one million Rohingya in Cox's Bazar; presses for Myanmar accountability and returns.
PakistanLong-standing Afghan host; recent expulsion policies have tested UNHCR's protection mandate.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Economic and Social Council: Sovereign Debt Restructuring in Developing Countries
Key players
- United States
Largest IMF/World Bank shareholder; resists a UN statutory mechanism, prefers contractual and Common Framework solutions.
- China
Largest bilateral creditor to developing economies; central—and contested—participant in every major restructuring.
ZambiaTest case for the Common Framework; symbol of the slowness of current architecture.
KenyaVocal African advocate for debt-architecture reform and climate-debt linkages.
ArgentinaRepeated sovereign restructurer; historic champion of a UN debt resolution framework.
- Germany
Influential Paris Club creditor and EU coordinator on FfD4 outcomes.
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC)
UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: Combating Trafficking and Illicit Finance
Key players
- Italy
Host of the Palermo Convention and historic anti-mafia jurisdiction; pushes implementation review.
- United States
Leads on counter-fentanyl and sanctions-based disruption of trafficking networks.
MexicoFrontline state on drug and migrant smuggling flows; shapes Western Hemisphere positions.
- China
Source of precursor chemicals; influential on cybercrime norms and Southeast Asian scam compounds.
ColombiaKey voice on cocaine economies and the limits of supply-side enforcement.
NigeriaMajor node for trafficking in persons and cyber-fraud; central to African Group positions.
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)
United Nations Environment Assembly: Plastic Pollution and the Triple Planetary Crisis
Key players
NorwayCo-chair of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution; pushes binding production caps.
RwandaCo-chair of the High Ambition Coalition; African leader on plastic bans and circular economy.
- Saudi Arabia
Leads the 'Like-Minded Group' of petrochemical producers resisting upstream production limits.
- United States
Shifted toward a downstream approach in 2024; pivotal swing player in the plastics treaty endgame.
- China
World's largest plastic producer and major recycler; shapes feasibility of any production-side measures.
- Kenya
UNEP host state; convenes UNEA and amplifies African Group environmental priorities.
Resources
News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for Debating Matters Berlin Championship 2026.
Recent reporting to ground your prep
Lessons
Bite-sized lessons to build the basics
Courses
Guided courses that go deeper on the topic
The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance
GermanyCountry dossier
United StatesCountry dossier
ChinaCountry dossier
RussiaCountry dossier
IndiaCountry dossier
BrazilCountry dossier
SudanCountry dossier
United Arab EmiratesCountry dossier
Saudi ArabiaCountry dossier
EgyptCountry dossier
EthiopiaCountry dossier
ItalyCountry dossier
Country dossier
UgandaCountry dossier
BangladeshCountry dossier
PakistanCountry dossier
ZambiaCountry dossier
KenyaCountry dossier
ArgentinaCountry dossier
MexicoCountry dossier
ColombiaCountry dossier
NigeriaCountry dossier
NorwayCountry dossier
RwandaCountry dossier
Frequently asked questions
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