Debating: Eton win the International Mace
Pictured (left to right): Tommy Seagull, Art Ward, Harry Elliott
Tommy Seagull (MGHM) and Harry Elliott KS have now won the International Schools Mace.
After winning the ESU Schools Mace national final in April, they had to represent England against the national champions from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
In the semi-final, against the Welsh champions from Bishop Landaff School, they proposed the motion ‘This house believes that successful artists should have a special tax placed on them in order to fund developing artists’. In the final, they proposed the motion ‘This house, as Iran, would actively pursue a nuclear weapons programme’, with the Scottish champions, George Heriot’s School, opposing.
These were very close, high quality debates. Tommy and Harry faced competition from some accomplished speakers, including members of the Scotland and Wales national teams (ranked first and second respectively in the World Schools Debating Championships).
This marks a very satisfactory conclusion to this year’s Debating season. All the members of the school’s Debating teams have worked incredibly hard this year, preparing for competitions, organising internal debates, mentoring younger debaters, working with partner schools and attending training sessions with the inspirational and indefatigable Art Ward. They have attended a number of sessions with Art since January, and we are very grateful to him for his excellent work.
