AKHP Debate Club Receives Recognition for Contribution to Youth Diplomacy

The Aga Khan Humanities Project (AKHP) Debate Club was honoured with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Committee for Youth and Sports under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. This recognition was awarded in acknowledgement of AKHP's active contribution to the Debate School held as part of the Committee’s "Youth Diplomacy" Project.
The two-day Debate School introduced participants to the foundational principles of debate, including essential terminology, rules and frameworks. Attendees were introduced to the British Parliamentary Format (BPF) and engaged in hands-on activities to develop skills in argument construction, case analysis and rebuttal. Through interactive exercises, they also enhanced their critical thinking, public speaking and advocacy abilities. A highlight of the training was a live demonstration round, where experienced debaters modelled debate strategies and techniques in real-time.
Building on the success of this initiative, the Committee recently launched a Young Diplomats Club, with the Debate School now becoming a core component of its programme. As part of ongoing efforts to promote youth engagement and dialogue, plans are underway to organise additional debate tournaments and activities. We look forward to strengthening this partnership and supporting the development of a dynamic debating culture in Tajikistan.
Furthermore, preliminary discussions have begun regarding the organisation of a larger-scale Debate School this summer, modelled on the Central Asian Debate Format (CDF) and implemented in collaboration with the Aga Khan Humanities Project (AKHP) and the University of Central Asia (UCA). This initiative envisions the establishment of debate clubs in six pilot universities across the country, aiming to provide sustainable debate education and leadership training for young people nationwide.