JCI Debating

Competition Toolkit

2025 Edition
Introduction
The JCI Debating Championship is a prestigious competition that
aims to sharpen and showcase the debating abilities of JCI
members. This competition promotes personal and professional
development by enhancing participants' analytical thinking,
argumentation skills, and poise, which are essential for effective
leadership. As a key activity under the Individual Development Area of
Opportunity, this event significantly contributes to advancing JCI’s
mission and reputation by highlighting the persuasive debating talents
of its members.
Registration
Details
Opening of Applications
All Four Area Conferences will open their applications on:
Tuesday, February 25, 2025

World Congress
Thursday, August 21, 2025

Deadlines
Conference of America: Thursday, April 3, 2025, 23:59 GMT
Africa and the Middle East Conference: Tuesday, April 15, 2025, 23:59 GMT
European Conference: Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 23:59 GMT
Asia and the Pacific Conference: Thursday, May 8, 2025, 23:59 GMT
World Congress: Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 23:59 GMT

Eligibility and Submission

Each contestant must receive approval from their National President.
Only one team per National Organization per language is allowed to
participate.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Registration
Process
Online Registration
Participants must complete event registration and purchase by the specified
deadlines provided by JCI World Headquarters. All contestants must be
registered for their respective Area Conference or World Congress. All
contestants must be active members of JCI.

Application Approval
Each team's application must be approved by their National President. A
National Organization may field one team per language per championship at
both Area Conferences and the World Congress.

Priority and Waitlist

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, with spots guaranteed for the
first 8 teams. Any subsequent teams will be added to a waiting list and could
be moved up if spaces open up. We advise teams on the waiting list to attend
the Team Draw event (refer to Section 4.3) on the initial day of the Debating
Competition. Please note, only teams already on the waiting list may fill spots
made available by any last-minute withdrawals; no new teams will be added at
this stage. This is due to potential withdrawals—often for logistical reasons—
creating opportunities for waitlisted teams to participate.
Competition
Structure
Team Composition and Speaking Languages
Teams consist of three members: one Team Captain and two speakers.
Competitions are conducted in the official JCI languages: English, Spanish,
and French.

Speaking Structure
The speaking order and allotted times are as follows:

PROPOSITION - Team Captain: 2 minutes

OPPOSITION - Team Captain: 2 minutes
PROPOSITION - 1st Speaker: 3 minutes
OPPOSITION - 1st Speaker: 3 minutes
PROPOSITION - 2nd Speaker: 3 minutes
OPPOSITION - 2nd Speaker: 3 minutes
OPPOSITION - Team Captain: 2 minutes
PROPOSITION - Team Captain: 2 minutes
 Bracket
Structure and
Session Planning

Bracket Formation
The formation of the debate bracket depends on the number of teams
registered for the competition. The final bracket setup and the number of
debates per session are determined by the Program Chairpersons
based on:
Total number of participating teams.
Overall schedule of the event.
Number and duration of available sessions.

The official brackets can be found here.

Session Division
The debating competition may be split into one or two sessions,
depending on the total duration allotted for the debates and the logistics
of the event:
Single Session: All debates are conducted in a continuous session
with brief intermissions.
Two Sessions: Debates are spread over two separate sessions,
based on the event's overall timeline and participant needs.
Draw and Placement
The draw for team placement within the bracket occurs 20 minutes
before the competition begins. The procedure is as follows:
All teams gather, and the draw is conducted in their presence.
Teams are drawn sequentially and placed into matchups: the first
team drawn competes against the second, the third against the
fourth, and so forth, setting the lineup for the initial round of
debates.
The order of the draw not only determines team placement but
also whether a team will Propose or Oppose a motion. The first
team drawn will Propose the motion for the initial debate, while the
second team drawn will Oppose it. This pattern continues for each
subsequent debate in the initial round, dictating roles in the same
sequence.
If there is an odd number of teams, the last team drawn will
receive a "pass" and advance to the second round of slots.
Any team absent during the draw will be automatically disqualified
from the competition. It is mandatory for all debaters to be present
at the draw for their team to be eligible to compete.
After the initial round of debates, the first team to advance will
Propose the motion in the subsequent round, and the second
team to advance will Oppose the motion. This procedure will be
followed for all teams that win in the initial round of debates.
For the Fina Debate, team order is established through the
following method: Prior to announcing the motion, the highest-
scoring team among the finalists earns the right to call a coin toss
(heads or tails). The outcome of this coin toss determines the roles
of the teams. The team that wins the toss will choose whether to
Propose or Oppose the motion. After the teams have selected
their positions, the motion will then be announced.
Timekeeping

Role of the Timekeeper

A Timekeeper is assigned to monitor and display the time during debates
to ensure adherence to the timing rules. The Timekeeper's responsibilities
include:
Time Display: Time will be visibly displayed to participants, Program
Chairs, and the Judging Panel using official timecards marked with 3
minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds, 10 seconds, and time
up. These will be shown either on printed paper or a tablet to ensure
both visibility and accuracy.
Visibility: The Timekeeper’s location will be strategically positioned to
be visible to both the participants and the Judging Panel, ensuring
that all parties are aware of the time remaining during each debate
segment.
Debaters have a leeway of +/-10 seconds for their allocated
speaking times. If a debater speaks outside this window, a penalty of
one point per second will be applied for each second over or under,
up to a maximum penalty of 10 points.
For instance, if a Team Captain has 2 minutes for their debate
and speaks within 1 minute 50 seconds to 2 minutes 10
seconds, no penalty is incurred. However, if the Captain finishes
at 2 minutes 15 seconds, a penalty of 5 points will be assessed.
The initial minute of each debater's speaking time is designated as
Protected Time. During this period, no Points of Information can be
offered to the speaker currently addressing the audience (refer to the
section on Points of Information for more details).
Motions
and Draws
Initial Motion Draw: The motion for the first debate is selected 15 minutes
before the commencement of the competition, involving a public draw by
the Program Chairpersons.
Subsequent Motions: The process for selecting motions for each
subsequent debate is structured and timed. After the 1st Speaker for the
Opposition concludes (and before the 2nd Speaker for the Proposition
begins), the Chairperson(s) will summon the two teams for the next
debate. The motion will be announced, and both teams will receive 15
minutes to prepare. After this preparation time, they must return to the
debate room.
For the Final Debate, each of the two teams will have 30 minutes to
prepare their arguments before the start of the debate.
Points of Information
(PoI)
Opening of Applications
Procedures for Points of Information are as follows:
Only a participating speaker in the current debate may offer a Point of
Information. Substitutes, supporters, and members of the audience cannot offer
or answer Points of Information.
Initiating a Point of Information: Raise your hand or place your hand over your
head, stand up, and address the speaker at the podium by requesting a “Point of
Information.”
Speaker's Response: The speaker at the podium may accept by listening, refuse
by saying “no thank you” or with a gesture, or indicate they will address the point
after finishing their current argument.
Delivery: If accepted, deliver the point clearly and briefly, then return to your seat.
No extended conversation is allowed. However, a supplemental Point of
Information may be offered if the person who offered the initial point is not
satisfied with the answer. This can be called by standing up, raising a hand, and
announcing “Supplemental”.
Timing for Points of Information: The first minute of a Debater’s time is Protected
Time - no Points of Information can be offered to the current speaker during this
time. This means that Points of Information may only be offered to Team
Captains during their second minute of speaking, and during the second and
third minutes of Speaker 1 and Speaker 2’s allotted time.
Timeouts
Each team is allowed a one-minute timeout per debate, which can only be requested
between speakers after one has stepped back from the podium. The Team Captain
must indicate the request for a timeout to the Chairperson, and the Timekeeper will
notify when the one minute is up.

Judging
Feedback and Scores
Judges have the option to decide whether to share their scoring with participants, but
they are encouraged to provide this feedback as it offers constructive insights into the
debaters' performances. Participants are also encouraged to seek feedback from
judges after the competition. It is crucial that judges refrain from disclosing the winners
of the debating competition until after the Awards Ceremony. Therefore, it is advisable
that feedback be sought and given only after the winners have been officially
announced during the appropriate ceremony.

Judging Panel
A three-person panel evaluates the debates, with results announced by the Chair of
the Judging Panel and considered final.
Financial
Responsibility
Participant Costs
Contestants are solely responsible for their own registration fees for the event. JCI
World Headquarters does not cover any costs related to ticket fees, travel, or
accommodation arrangements.

Competition Progression
Winners from Area Conferences do not automatically qualify for the World Congress.
Each competition at the Area Conferences and the World Congress is independent
and standalone.

Additional Information
Participants may contact the JCI Programs Team at programs@[Link] for any
unforeseen issues or clarifications.
This toolkit is designed to ensure that all participants have a clear understanding of the
competition framework, promoting fairness and a competitive spirit among the
debaters.
Timekeeper
Timesheet
Scoresheet