The winning team is made up of ULPGC law degree students and will represent the university in a national competition
Team ‘Damocles’, made up of ULPGC law degree students, was crowned the winner of the 14th ULPGC Debate League, organised by the ULPGC Social Council in cooperation with the Vice-rectorate for Students, Alumni and Employability.
‘Damocles’ earned victory after facing ‘Odisea’ in a close final held in the Economics, Business, and Tourism Faculty’s auditorium (Tafira Campus). In addition, the judging panel decided that the Best Speaker prize would go to Ismael Hernández (‘Damocles’) and gave a special mention to the speakers Carla Coba (‘Odisea’) and Raquel Pérez (‘Gaia’).
For 34 minutes each team had to debate this edition’s question, which responds to the situation created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “Should the European Union develop its own defence system?”, with one in favour and the other against.
Making up team ‘Damocles’ were Ana Doreste, Ismael Hernández, Lucía Tejera (captain), Ainhoa Dávila, and Anabel Ojeda. The winners received a financial prize of €1,000 and will represent the ULPGC in the National University Debate League to be held this year. The second-place team, which received a prize of €500, consisted of Carla Coba (cpatain), Ysleduy Mundaray, Joel Godoy, and Youness El Mousaoui. The Best Speaker, Ismael Hernández, recieved a 150 euro prize.
‘Damocles’ earned victory, at the discretion of the judges, after three intense days of encounters between the ten participating teams, 9 of which were formed by ULPGC students with one guest team of students from the Universidad Fernando Pessoa de Canarias.
Attending the awards ceremony were the rector of the ULPGC, Lluís Serra Majem, along with Angel Tristán Pimienta, the chairman of the ULPGC Social Council who congratulated all the participants and confirmed the support of the academic institution which heads up the organisation of new editions of this debate league. The main aim of the league is to encourage dialogue and public debate among university students, grounded in teamwork for the research and analysis of the topic for debate. “These debates promote among students the art of speaking, dialectic, and debating skills, along with critical thinking. These have become the cornerstones of university education,” stated Tristán Pimienta.
On the judging panel for the Final Debate were: Marian Álvarez (journalist), Miguel Guedes (head of Canarias Radio La Autonómica), Vicente Llorca (deputy head of Canarias7), Betsaida Gónzalez Rodríguez (head of the Gabinete de la Delegación del Gobierno de España en Canarias [office of the central Spanish government delegation in the Canary Islands]), Josué Iñiguez Otero (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria city councillor for security and emergencies), Ignacio García Marina (civil servant with the Cuerpo General de Administradores de la Comunidad Autónoma [The Canary Island’s General Administration Corps]), Ciro Gutiérrez Ascanio (Lecturer [Profesor Contratado Doctoro] in evolutionary and educational psychology at the ULPGC and the ULPGC head of sustainability), Antonio María Martín Rodríguez (Professor [Catedrático de Universidad] of Latin language and literature and head of the ULPGC publishing service), and Alejandra Sanjuán Hernán-Pérez (Senior Lecturer [Profesora Titular] in cartographic, geodetic, and photogrammetric engineering).