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Public debate is a public platform to discuss major issues of Ukrainian economy. The goal of the project is to build a culture of debate based on constructive discussion and persuasive arguments and to help the society to develop an informed position on key problems of the country’s economic development.
The debates are organized in line with the best international practice and run in an Oxford Club style. The organisers choose a national economy-related motion enjoying polar viewpoints and the panellists speaking for and against it. During the first section of a debate participants from both groups give key arguments to support their particular standpoint. This is followed by a Q&A session when the audience has an opportunity to ask questions and challenge the speakers. A shift in public opinion revealed through polls before and after the discussion demonstrates whether the arguments were convincing.
The Foundation invites as the speakers the leading national and international experts, politicians, representatives of business and public organizations. The audience of 200-300 people consists of students, representatives of the government, business, expert communities, independent organizations and mass media. To engage the wider public in the discussions there is a dedicated information portal, www.debaty.org, which allows a great number of Internet users to participate in 24-hour online discussions of various economic issues in Russian, Ukrainian and English.
The Foundation is implementing the project in partnership with British Company Intelligence Squared, which has a long and successful history of arranging similar debates in the United Kingdom, the USA, Australia and other countries.
In 2009- 2010, motions for public debates included: memorandum on sales of farmland, timeliness of tax reform during the recession, economic relations between Ukraine and Russia, competitiveness of the university students in Ukraine’s labour market, reasonability of establishing special economic zones, importance of government funding for innovations development, tourism development prospects, role of the government in establishing high-quality healthcare system, impact of the free land market on Ukrainian villages and role of a capital city in a country’s economic development.
On top of that, the Foundation annually holds TV debates broadcast by the BBC World News in 225 countries for 76 million viewers. In 2010 the motion of TV debate was “Free market economy has failed the former Soviet states”, and in 2011 - “Hosting of major sports events is good for a nation’s health”. These debates were held in Kyiv in English and moderated by a world renowned BBC World News presenter, Zeinab Badawi.
For more information about the public debates please visit www.debaty.org
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Foundation for Effective Governance
23F Kudrjavska Street Kiev 04053, Ukraine
Reception: +380 44 501 41 00 PR Department: +380 44 501
41 07 Fax: + 380 44 501 41 05
e-mail: feg@feg.org.ua |
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