Starting from 2015, when Community Development and Continuing Education Institute was accredited as the hub of the debate club in Bethlehem governorate, as part of “Young Arab/ Mediterranean Voices Program” sponsored in Palestine by the British Council and Anna Lindh Foundation, until now, the program has been achieving continuing successes on various levels, most importantly:
- A large number of participants in the program; the institute received more than 500 Application for enrollment in the program and reached more than 200 direct participants in this program until the end of 2018.
- Training a qualified team of master and peer trainers, and judges (15 CDCE-I staff and trainers).
- Excellent results of (CDCE-I) teams; won four out of eight first places in the national debate competition in 2018.
- Representing the Palestinian debate club in several regional and international competitions Including, the regional competition in Tunis in 2016. In this competition, the Palestinian debate team came in the first place in the Arabic track and in the third place in the English one.
- CDCE-I utilizes public debates in its activities and projects, more than 20 public debates were organized.
- Forming the debate club for school students aged between 14-16 years old. Until now, 40 teens benefited from the services of the teens club.
- As a result of Bethlehem debate club events, the institute succeeded in networking and participating with several institutions and local universities. Including Palestine Ahliya University, Bethlehem University, Student forum organization, and others.
- Hosting visitors’ delegations from the British Council, British Embassy and Parliament. In addition, organizing meetings between European delegations and the debate club Beneficiaries for the purpose of explaining the program and its positive effects on youth.
- Organizing an event for certificates distributing and honoring for beneficiaries from the project in the southern West Bank in 2016
Due to its remarkable success, CDCE-I plans to expand the implementation of this project in the Bethlehem area. Indeed debating has become one of CDCE-I most important programs.
