Eurasian Schools Debating Championship 2026 – High School Level, Istanbul
In mid-January 2026, the 16th Eurasian Schools Debating Championship (ESDC) convened at Robert College in Istanbul, Türkiye (Jan. 17–19).
This high-school level world-schools-style tournament drew teams from across Eurasia.
In the grand final, both ARDOR Romania Red and ARDOR Romania Blue qualified from the semifinal rounds. The final motion was “This house believes that the feminist movement should embrace the concept of the ‘feminine genius’.”. After a close debate, ARDOR Romania Red (coached by Laura Drăgoi) was awarded the championship, with ARDOR Romania Blue finishing as runners-up.
The ARDOR Romania Red team members – David Saroși, Andrei Gîrcoveanu, Sophia Butac and Sara Gheorghe – delivered strong speeches, and Romanian debater David Băgăcean was named Best Overall Speaker.
Notable judges and coaches included Turkey’s Doruk Takım and Defne Aluç (serving as Chief Adjudicator) and Romanian coach Laura Drăgoi. Observers noted that having both finalist teams from the same school (ARDOR Romania) was unusual and highlighted the depth of that program.
No major controversies were reported; the event was celebrated for its lively debate topics and high attendance, and is seen as preparation for the upcoming World Schools Debating Championships.
