A team of Jamaican men have proved to be the best debaters in the world after winning the prestigious 2023 Junior Chamber International (JCI) World Debate Championship, held in Zurich, Switzerland, on November 17.
JCI World Debating Championship includes participants from all over the world. This year’s winning Jamaican team was made up of Odell Marsh, National President of Junior Chamber International who also acted as team coach; Marklon Bedward 1st Speaker; Miguel Edmondson 2nd Speaker; Reneil Clarke – Team Captain; and Viktor Omarsson, 2023 JCI World President
The Jamaican team won after presenting the ‘against’ argument for the Final Motion – “Innovation is more important than regulation in promoting entrepreneurship,” beating out Malaysia, who took the runner-up spot.
It follows the Jamaican team’s regional victory earlier in the year, becoming the Americas champion. This makes the island now the World and Americas champion for 2023.
The team placed second globally in 2021 and went to the semi-finals in 2022.
What is the JCI?
JCI is a non-governmental nonprofit organization comprised of young individuals aged 18 to 40 in some 124 countries. The organization was established with a local Junior Chamber chapter in 1915, with the international JCI founded in 1944 and Mexico.
The organization is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and numbered over 160,000 members in 2019. The JCI operates as a consultant with the Council of Europe, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and UNESCO. Its goal is to encourage youth to become active citizens participate in social and economic development in their home countries and working for international cooperation, goodwill, and understanding in the world.
Local JCI organizations, referred to as “chapters” or “Local Organization Members (LOM), are overseen by a local board. Most activities occur at the local level. The chapters are members of the national organization, and various national members belong to Junior Chamber International. The international organization publishes a quarterly magazine in six languages and holds a World Congress annually in November.
