Mission Statement

Focusing on young people and their communities, the mission of the International Debate Education Association (IDEA) is to promote mutual understanding and democracy globally by supporting discussion and active citizenship locally.

IDEA believes that free and open discussion is essential to the establishment and preservation of open, democratic societies.

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.