It’s happening again, debating under the mistletoe! The 3rd edition of the international high schools debate tournament Winter Holidays Open (WHO) will take place from 18th to 20th December 2015 in Croatia’s capital city of Zagreb. Last year’s tournament hosted 38 teams and featured a well-balanced mix of advanced, intermediate and beginner groups that offered an excellent and challenging debating experience for everyone. This year Zagreb will host 93 teams registered with debaters and adjudicators coming here from 25 different countries.
WHO will consist of 6 preliminary rounds (power paired), quarterfinals, semifinals and the Grand Finals. The best eight teams coming out of the preliminary rounds will advance to elimination rounds. Winners will meet in the Grand Final.
WHO started in 2013 as an effort to provide the debate community with an intensive, challenging and affordable debate tournament. So far we think we are doing ok. In the past two years, we have had over 70 teams visiting Zagreb, enjoyed over 450 debates featuring a well-balanced mix of advanced, intermediate and beginner teams that offered an excellent and challenging debating experience for everyone. We have hosted teams and adjudicators from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Germany, Macedonia, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore and the USA and we are looking forward to expanding the list this year to come. We hope you will join us in our goal of creating a 100 team high-school tournament in Europe!
