National Popper Debate Tournament about the topic “Latvia’s participation in NATO has/has not improved Latvia’s external security”
On 29 March, 2014 in the Riga State Secondary gymnasium the annual National Popper Debate Tournament took place. This time, the youth discussed the question “Latvia‘s participation in NATO has/has not improved Latvia‘s external security”. The tournament brought together 44 teams, including 132 debaters, 21 debate coaches and 28 judges from all over Latvia.
Three rounds of debate were played in both Latvian and English, with rounds for semi–finalists and then finalists. In the final for the debate in Latvian language, the team from Cēsu State gymnasium won over the team from the Riga State 1. gymnasium. Meanwhile, the team from the Riga State 1. gymnasium competed in the English debate together with the Liepāja 15. Secondary School, from which the Liepājas team won the National Debate Tournament.
Defence Minister Raimonds Vējonis praised the erudition and skills of the young people and congratulated the winners, as well as asked the youth to continue following the topic of security issues, because, as the recent events in Ukraine show, the topic should not lose its spotlight.
The debate tournament was organised by the Debate Centre and the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation with the support of the NATO Public Diplomacy Division.