Nestled amidst the heart of the Sri Lankan justice system, Sri Lanka Law College is bringing back Hulftsdorp Debates after a hiatus of four years. The town that is home to a myriad of black cloaks and the birthplace of some of the most convincing speakers to have graced the stage or stood before a judge or jury, hosting a Championship to determine the best debaters is always a special occasion.
The profession of law is one that very much values the skills of a good debater; critical thinking, a sharp wit, building on arguments, and public speaking are but a few of these abilities that are part and parcel of the profession in itself. The importance of the Hulftsdorp Debates is best highlighted in this context, in presenting the opportunity for university students all around the island to improve and showcase their debating prowess.
The Hulftsdorp Debating Championship, also referred to as the “Hulftsdorp Debates”, is a British Parliamentary style debating tournament organized by the English Literary Association of Sri Lanka Law College. This year, the series of debates will be held on the 12th and 13th of August, 2023. Seeing the steady improvement in the schools’ debating circuit, as well as the resurgence of schools outside of the Colombo suburbs has been very heartening. Hulftsdorp Debates will also be looking into building upon this solid foundation and giving students access to a healthy debating atmosphere after school, where they will be able to engage in competitive debates while also creating the opportunity to expose more students to this debating environment and mingle with like-minded contemporaries.
Hailed by many prominent lawyers and debaters alike as a platform that will serve towards setting the foundation for students for an understanding of the overall legal system in Sri Lanka, the debates will also provide the students of Sri Lanka Law College access to a competitive debating environment so that they may improve on and showcase their debating abilities.
Many eyes are upon those who will take part in this year’s Hulftsdorp Debates to determine the Champions of inter-university debating!