International Debate Education Association

Description

The International Debate Education Association (IDEA) is a global network focused on empowering underserved youth through debate. With offices in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, South East Europe, Mexico, the Middle East and the North Africa Region (working in more than 50 countries around the world), IDEA helps to foster the next generation of civic leaders by supporting lively discussion and the exchange of ideas. Through debate--a powerful means of encouraging critical thinking, personal expression and tolerance for the opinions of others--IDEA provides students and teachers the opportunity to examine issues affecting their lives and their communities. To this end, IDEA creates broad and inclusive debate clubs that encourage participation by all segments of the population, including ethnic minorities, and establishes independent, national debate associations to promote, organize, and sustain debate activities in countries throughout the world.