Global Debates Intensive Summer Camp
English
Five Days
Equip your child to speak with impact, think with clarity, and lead with confidence.
The Global Debates Intensive Summer Camp offers an immersive debate and leadership experience for students aged 12 to 17. Over the week at the camp, participants dive into hands-on debate training, sharpen their strategic thinking, and take part in a showcase debate. The program leverages the same interactive, social-learning pedagogy that distinguishes our flagship Young Leaders’ Program.
Program Overview
The Global Debates Intensive Summer Camp delivers a focused, one-week experience for students aged 12 to 17. Participants engage in an immersive journey of debate training and strategic thinking, designed to build confidence in public speaking, sharpen reasoning skills, and foster the ability to listen and respond thoughtfully. The camp adapts the "Learn > Reflect > Apply > Showcase" approach inspired by the acclaimed Young Leaders' Program to scaffold the Summer Camp experience.
Each day of the camp is thoughtfully structured with a clear purpose. The first two days cover the essentials. Through interactive icebreakers and structured mini-debates, participants begin to construct compelling arguments, develop rhetorical skills, and explore the importance of body language and collaboration. They are encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas, and support one another. On days three and four, the focus shifts to real-world topics, strategy techniques, and stimulating group activities. Participants examine current global issues, collaborate in teams, and practice analyzing challenges from a 360° perspective. The final day marks a celebration of progress and achievement. Campers step up on the stage to present their ideas in showcase debates, applying their new skills before an audience of peers and parents.
The Summer Camp embeds approaches such as natural learning, collective engagement, mutual support, and co-operative learning towards ensuring that the child is not forced to learn or to respond to any activity. The camp is designed to nurture natural curiosity and develop robust communication skills, democratic-leadership, social skills, debating skills, decision-making skills, collaborative skills by unleashing their competitive, logical, analytical, critical, and creative thinking. Attributes and skills that extend in applicability beyond just debate competitions. Summer Camp certification is offered in association with the Global Citizenship Foundation.
Flexible Delivery
This Summer Camp is currently delivered as an independent offering. However, it can also be offered as an in-school or after-school program at select partner schools. It is fully adaptable to the unique needs and priorities of each school. Each day at the camp involves around 210 minutes including breaks.
Ideal For
Schools
Youth
Students
Delivery Formats
Our programs are delivered in in-person, online, and hybrid formats, primarily through collaborations with educational institutions, training partners, and professional organizations. In addition, we offer select programs independently online or at external venues to ensure broader access and flexibility.
A five-day intensive and immersive program for ages 12–17, focused on building argumentation and critical thinking skills. Designed as an intellectual sports coaching, participants develop confidence, analyze global issues, and sharpen reasoning through debates, teamwork, and real-world challenges.
A five-day intensive and immersive program for ages 12–17, focused on building argumentation and critical thinking skills. Designed as an intellectual sports coaching, participants develop confidence, analyze global issues, and sharpen reasoning through debates, teamwork, and real-world challenges.
A five-day intensive and immersive program for ages 12–17, focused on building argumentation and critical thinking skills. Designed as an intellectual sports coaching, participants develop confidence, analyze global issues, and sharpen reasoning through debates, teamwork, and real-world challenges.
A five-day intensive and immersive program for ages 12–17, focused on building argumentation and critical thinking skills. Designed as an intellectual sports coaching, participants develop confidence, analyze global issues, and sharpen reasoning through debates, teamwork, and real-world challenges.
A five-day intensive and immersive program for ages 12–17, focused on building argumentation and critical thinking skills. Designed as an intellectual sports coaching, participants develop confidence, analyze global issues, and sharpen reasoning through debates, teamwork, and real-world challenges.
Program Goals
Enhance critical, creative, & analytical thinking
Sharpen communication & decision-making
Develop confidence & leadership presence
Develop collaborative skills
Engage in meaningful debates on real-world issues
Indicative Program Outline
Day 1-2: Foundations of Argumentation and Debate
Day 3-4: Real‑World Issues and Strategy Techniques
Day 5: Debate Games and Showcase
This indicative session outline provides a general overview of broad topics and tentative session titles. It is suggestive in nature and subject to change based on learner needs, contextual relevance, session duration, and program structure. The detailed and finalized agenda is shared separately through the specific program you plan to apply for. Please check the specific Program Agenda Section or your program brochure for more information.
Certification Criteria
To receive certificate of completion, participants shouild meet the following criteria:
Attend the showcase event at the end of the program
Complete the designated activities
At least 90% Attendance
Certificate of Program Completion issued by Global Debates in association with the Global Citizenship Foundation.
Facilitator(s)
Aaryan Salman
Debate Coach
About the Global Debates Experience
The Global Debates’ Experience is time-tested & one of the leading set of programs in debate education, public speaking, & democratic-leadership development. Our programs are designed to leverage the power of natural, social and peer-to-peer learning through a heterogeneous group of learners in two age categories— ages 08-17 and 18-27.
Our fun & unforgettable debating & leadership-building experiences promote the development of self-esteem, independence, and responsibility. The Global Debates’ Four-Team Format is unique & acclaimed in developing sound thinking & decision-making skills.
Global Debates is an independent, non-partisan, progressive initiative seeking to develop confident communicators, critical-thinkers, & empowered global citizens and leaders — of today & tomorrow — equipped to shape a more just, inclusive, peaceful, secure & sustainable future for all.
Interested in bringing the Young Leaders' Program to your institution?
Write to us!
Frequently asked questions
Global Debates has intentionally designed this program to bring together a diverse age range of participants to foster social and natural learning, collaboration, and peer-to-peer influence. Mixed-age groups create rich opportunities for younger participants to learn from older peers, while older participants develop leadership, mentoring, and communication skills. This dynamic environment mirrors real-world interactions and encourages inclusive dialogue, empathy, and adaptive thinking—core competencies in debate and global citizenship.