At the 1st Tournament of the 10th CICAE-UCJC Debate League, students debated whether it is legitimate to sacrifice fundamental rights in the name of public safety
Madrid, November 17, 2025– This weekend, Mirabal International School became a hub for critical thinking among young people with the First Tournament of the 10th CICAE–UCJC Pre-College Debate League, which brought together more than 340 students from 35 schools across Spain.
This tournament kicks off the 10th edition of the League, which has established itself as the largest school debate competition in Europe and the only one held simultaneously in Spanish and English, with a total of 84 teams.
For two days, the young people debated a highly topical issue: “In countries facing serious internal conflicts and security problems, is it legitimate to sacrifice fundamental rights in the name of public safety?”
The Secretary of State for Justice opens the tournament with a powerful message about democracy
The opening ceremony was attended by the Secretary of State for Justice, Mr. Manuel Olmedo Palacios, the tournament’s ambassador, who was able to witness firsthand the quality of the students’ arguments and the rigor with which they addressed the dilemma presented.
In his speech, he conveyed a deeply inspiring message to the young people about the value of debate in a democratic society: “Western democracy is the synthesis of debate among those with differing views.”
Olmedo emphasized that this democratic model reflects the diversity of our societies—past, present, and future—and that only through mutual understanding among individuals and groups is it possible to build a society in which everyone can live together harmoniously. He also noted that today’s democracies are the result of a long historical dialectic between opposing positions, which has given rise to systems that, while imperfect, guarantee human dignity—especially for the most vulnerable minorities. And he underscored the need to preserve and strengthen democracy, especially at a time as delicate as the present.
The Secretary of State praised this educational project, which fosters essential skills such as public speaking, critical analysis, the search for accurate information, rational thinking, tolerance, and empathy.
A competition that demands depth, rigor, and empathy
True to the League’s educational spirit, the teams did not know which position they were to defend—for or against—until just before each debate, which requires comprehensive preparation, flexibility in argumentation, and the ability to understand opposing viewpoints.
In the end, the “Generación V” team from SEK Ciudalcampo School was crowned champion in Spanish, while the “Noesis” team from Salliver School took home the victory in English. The titles for best speakers of the tournament went to Mía Nájera (Generación V) from SEK Ciudalcampo School and Patric Gutu (Talkaholics) from King’s College Murcia.
Ten Years of Fostering Critical Thinking: A Unique Educational Project in Europe
The CICAE–UCJC Debate League, now in its tenth year, has established itself as a leading educational initiative in Europe: it is the largest school debate competition in Europe and the only one held simultaneously in Spanish and English.
All participants in the Debate League—students in grades 3 of ESO through 2 of Bachillerato—receive training throughout the school year from experts in competitive debate and world champions in debate and public speaking, such as Antonio Fabregat and Javier de la Puerta. In addition, webinars are organized throughout the school year to explore the debate topics in greater depth, and students are provided with a reading list to help them advance their preparation.
The practice of debate among schoolchildren is aimed at developing public speaking skills, teamwork, as well as the search for truthful information, the analysis of evidence or the definition of arguments on the issue to be addressed.
The Debate League promoted by the Association of Private and Independent Schools – CICAE and the Camilo José Cela University, is joined each year by schools that are committed to give prominence to debate in their classrooms, and there are 40 schools throughout Spain that are part of the initiative.
