Sixth-form students from 12 schools will battle it out for the title of Debating Matters Berlin Champions 2026 at a day of debate hosted at the University of Europe for Applied Science, Berlin on Friday 12 June.
09:00 REGISTRATION
09:30 WELCOME
09:50 – 10:55 DEBATE 1
Social media should be banned for under-16s
Group 1 (Kino)
Group 2 (Audimax)
FOR
Wilma-Rudolph-Oberschule
AGAINST
Beethoven-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Emma Gilland
JUDGES
Julian Arndts
Jutta Kramm
Mårten Lilja
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Emma Gilland
Jannes Viohl
FOR
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Paulsen-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Alastair Donald
JUDGES
Kevin Blatz
Anne Hodgson
Anton Spahl
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Anton Spahl
Tom Collyer
Group 3 (Room 2.64)
Group 4 (Room 2.65)
FOR
Eckener-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Diesterweg-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Sabine Beppler-Spahl
JUDGES
Julius Bielek
Dr Agota Revesz
Sascha Tamm
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Lysia Leal
Jacob Reynolds
Kolja Zydatiß
FOR
Hans-Carossa-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Werner-von-Siemens-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Jenny Spahl
JUDGES
Dr Göran Adamson
Linus Glück
Barbara Klimke
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Geoff Kidder
Lucca Rau
11:05 – 12:10 DEBATE 2
Germany should host the Olympic Games
Group 1 (Kino)
Group 2 (Audimax)
FOR
Leibniz-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Wilma-Rudolph-Oberschule
CHAIR
Jacob Reynolds
JUDGES
Prof Gerald Fritz
Anne Hodgson
Jannes Viohl
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Emma Gilland
Jannes Viohl
FOR
Schadow-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Tom Collyer
JUDGES
Dr Göran Adamson
Barbara Klimke
Julian Komaromy
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Anton Spahl
Tom Collyer
Group 3 (Room 2.64)
Group 4 (Room 2.65)
FOR
Humboldt-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Eckener-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Kolja Zydatiß
JUDGES
Prof Stefan Chatrath
Jutta Kramm
Marcus Latton
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Lysia Leal
Jacob Reynolds
Kolja Zydatiß
FOR
Nelson-Mandela-Schule
AGAINST
Hans-Carossa-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Geoff Kidder
JUDGES
Prof Markus Egg
Lucca Rau
Dr Agota Revesz
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Geoff Kidder
Lucca Rau
12:20 – 13:25 DEBATE 3
Monuments to controversial historical figures should remain
Group 1 (Kino)
Group 2 (Audimax)
FOR
Beethoven-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Leibniz-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Jenny Spahl
JUDGES
Linus Glück
Julian Komaromy
Sascha Tamm
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Emma Gilland
Jannes Viohl
FOR
Paulsen-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Schadow-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Tom Collyer
JUDGES
Prof Walter Bergmoser
Phoebe Blackburn
Marcus Latton
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Anton Spahl
Tom Collyer
Group 3 (Room 2.64)
Group 4 (Room 2.65)
FOR
Diesterweg-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Humboldt-Gymnasium
CHAIR
Kolja Zydatiß
JUDGES
Prof Boris Vormann
Kevin Blatz
Julius Bielek
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Lysia Leal
Jacob Reynolds
Kolja Zydatiß
FOR
Werner-von-Siemens-Gymnasium
AGAINST
Nelson-Mandela-Schule
CHAIR
Geoff Kidder
JUDGES
Julian Arndts
Prof Gerald Fritz
Lucca Rau
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Geoff Kidder
Lucca Rau
13:30 – 14:15 LUNCH
14:15 – 14:30 RESULTS
14:30 – 15:50 SEMI-FINALS
Assisted dying should be legalised
SEMI-FINAL A (Audimax)
SEMI-FINAL B (Kino)
FOR
Winner Group 1
AGAINST
Winner Group 2
CHAIR
Alastair Donald
JUDGES
Phoebe Blackburn
Prof Daniel Heuermann
Anton Spahl
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Emma Gilland
Anton Spahl
Jannes Viohl
Tom Collyer
FOR
Winner Group 3
AGAINST
Winner Group 4
CHAIR
Sabine Beppler-Spahl
JUDGES
Prof Stefan Chatrath
Lysia Leal
Prof Boris Vormann
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
Lysia Leal
Geoff Kidder
Lucca Rau
Jacob Reynolds
15:50 – 16:05 AFTERNOON BREAK
16:10 – 17:30 FINAL DEBATE (Audimax)
Protecting free speech is more important than preventing hate
FOR
Winner Semi Final A
AGAINST
Winner Semi Final B
CHAIR
Jacob Reynolds
JUDGES
Prof Oleg Dik
Prof Markus Egg
Barbara Klimke
INDIVIDUAL JUDGES
All individual judges
17:30 RESULTS, PRIZES & THANKS
We are grateful to our partners and prize sponsors:
