Canes go to Dublin! First international trip in Canes history.

 The University of Miami Debate Team took their talents across the pond for their first international competition in Dublin, Ireland. Though the competition was fierce, the Hurricanes had a strong showing and came away with huge wins, including a top ranking over the team from Oxford. The tournament, known as the Trinity Inter-Varsity competition, brought in 167 speakers from around the world to compete in the Worlds debating format over various issues including domestic abuse, marriage equality, and the role of women in the military. Countries being represented at the tournament included France, England, China, Singapore, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Finland, Russia, and of course the U helped represent the American delegation.

Throughout the course of the tournament, the varsity team of Ryden Butler (sophomore, political science major) and Ali Jessani (sophomore, communication major) competed against international powerhouses such as Oxford, King’s College in London, ISM University of Management and Economics, University of Limerick, National University of Ireland, Willamette University, and The Chinese High from Singapore. Even though it’s their first international tournament, Ali and Ryden finished in the top third of the overall rankings as individual speakers. In the Oxford round, Ali and Ryden out debated the British team over the merits of teaching Shakespeare in the classroom, specifically calling for the removal of Romeo & Juliet from the high school curriculum.

Throughout the tournament, the team was helped by assistant coach Randall Martinez. Prior to the elimination rounds, Randall was recognized as one of the top adjudicators of the tournament and was given the honour of judging the quarter-finals round based off the popular vote of the competitors throughout the weekend. Randall was the only American judge picked to judge elimination rounds throughout the Trinity IV.

Once the competition was over, the team explored various historic sites throughout Dublin including the historic Kilmainham Gaol, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and the famous Book of Kells. Though the sites of Dublin were beautiful, the team felt a strong need to explore the civil unrest occurring in Northern Ireland and decided to take a trip to Belfast to visit the Peace Line as well as ground zero for many of the conflicts in the North, Belfast City Hall. The trip to Northern Ireland was motivated out of a sense of social justice, similar to the team’s trip last year to visit the Occupy Wall St. movement in Zuccotti Park. Moved by the personal stories and narratives engaged in the conflict, the team came away with quite a different perspective not portrayed by the media in the current conflict over the Union Jack flag being flown over City Hall.

Overall, the trip was a huge success for the Canes as they networked and made quite an impression on the world debating community. Though the Canes often play host to the Irish national team when they tour the United States, it was a welcomed change of roles to be the hosted. The team was personally invited back to the Trinity IV next year, and the Canes warned them that next time, the team will certainly be making a run for the prestigious Trinity Cup.   

Posted in: tournament