British High Commission brings The Great Debate to Faisalabad

The British High Commission’s fifth annual GREAT Debate competition continued with a regional round at the Faisalabad Medical University in Faisalabad.

The regional round in Faisalabad followed previous rounds in Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and Islamabad. The competition featured 21 students from universities across Faisalabad. At the end of an intense competition, Aimen Anwaar Pannu and Syeda Darain ul Hibba from Faisalabad Medical University were declared the winner and runner-up respectively.

The GREAT Debate competition is taking place from December 2019 to March 2020 in six cities across Pakistan.

Fouzia Younis, Director of Communication at the British High Commission said:

I am delighted that our GREAT Debate competition has returned to Faisalabad which is one of Pakistan’s most important business cities. The aim of our GREAT Debate competition is to support the next generation of Pakistan discover the value of debate, persuasion and discourse. Over the last five years we have engaged thousands of debaters in 12 cities across Pakistan.

I have seen first-hand the culture of debating in universities and I am pleased that the GREAT Debate gives debaters and future leaders of this country a platform to showcase their skills

I look forward to seeing the winner and runner-up do well in the final.

Prof. Dr Zafar Ali Choudhry (T.I), Vice Chancellor, Faisalabad Medical University said:

Strong communication and argumentation is the need of the hour. Debate transforms us as individuals. I express gratitude to the British High Commission for providing such a platform.

This is the fifth annual edition of the British High Commission’s GREAT Debate competition. Since 2015, the competition has taken place across 15 universities and 12 cities in Pakistan. The previous winners of the GREAT Debate competition have included: Gaudhan Aslam from Forman Christian College in Lahore, Taha Ahmed from Aga Khan University in Karachi, Mohiba Ahmed and Haris Ali Virk from Government College University in Lahore.

Further information

The GREAT Debate is a debating competition for university students. There will been six events – in six different cities (Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Faisalabad) involving students from leading universities across Pakistan – and the winner and runner-up of each round will compete in the grand final in Islamabad.

The regional rounds have taken place in Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad and Faisalabad. The last regional round is in Karachi in February.

The winner and runner-up of the overall competition will receive a scholarship reward to contribute towards their tuition fees.

Notes to editors

For updates on the British High Commission, please follow our social media channels: