IDEA Alumni Launch New Debate Project in Bishkek

Alumni of IDEA’s Debates program in Kyrgyzstan have established a new public debate project to teach people how to express their thoughts clearly and comprehensively. Everyone can attend weekly meetings of the Speech Workshop (“Masterskaya Slova”) in Bishkek where participants debate and discuss important and lively issues.

The organizers offer several actual problems for the next meeting to choose from. A certain topic for the following discussion is chosen via online voting. All the Speech Workshop meetings are held in new places. First time participants gathered in one of the biggest Bishkek cinemas ‘Manas’, and  the next meeting will be held in the Central Library of Bishkek named after Kasymaly Baialinov.   

“We want to create a certain communicative area, which will unite interested people. Every person coming to our events may express their point of view,” said Rasul Kadraliev, one of organizers of the Speech Workshop.

The first meeting’s topic was: “It is necessary to accelerate Kyrgyz language implementation.” The civil activist and co-founder of a political party “Erkin El” Mavlian Askarbekov debated to support this idea. His opponent was Rasul Kadraliev who later was proclaimed as a winner.

“The Speech Workshop is a great opportunity for people with an active civil position to express their thoughts. I’d like to thank the organisers of this event where we can discuss the issues which are very important for our country,” said Mavlian Askarbekov after the debates.

There was the Parliament’s deputy of Kyrgyzstan Zhoomart Saparbaev amidst a big number of visitors. The rest of participants and visitors suggested him to hold one of the following meetings in the Parliament building. The deputy said he would try to organise it. 

See video from the first meeting on ru.idebate.org