This guide is intended to serve as a resource for organizers around the globe seeking to hold candidate debates for elected offices. It is based on the premise that there is no one best way to carry out these forums. Civic activists in each country should hold debates that reflect their culture and political system. As such, NDI has endeavored to present a menu of approaches in this guide from a range of countries. The contents reflect ideas and lessons that NDI has learned working in partnership with debate groups to organize more than 300 debates at all levels of government in more than 35 countries. This work is often carried out in close collaboration with the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has sponsored and produced all U.S. general election presidential and vice presidential debates since 1987. The CPD’s 2012 debates were watched by an average of 64 million viewers in the U.S. and millions more abroad, generating interest in debates around the globe. NDI is grateful to the CPD for its long-standing partnership with the Institute and for generously sharing its expertise to develop this guide and provide ongoing long-distance and hands-on support to debate groups around the world.
In preparing this guide NDI has also benefited from the practical insights of members of Debates International, an 18-country association of new and seasoned debate groups with which NDI and the CPD have been privileged to collaborate. NDI has found that debate groups often face common challenges and can benefit from the experiences of their counterparts in other countries in overcoming obstacles. In addition to drawing on the expertise of Debates International members throughout this guide, the groups are listed in the final chapter as resources for fellow debate sponsoring organizations.
NDI also appreciates the advice and guidance from experienced debate practitioners who reviewed this guide as well as shared their expertise with debate organizers in many countries. This includes Janet Brown, Marty Slutsky, Rory Davies, Peter Eyre, Nancy Henrietta, and Moira Kelly of the CPD; and Trevor Fearon, Brian St. Juste, Eleanor Henry and Noel daCosta of the Jamaica Debates Commission. Of course, while the assistance of these individuals and organizations is sincerely appreciated, NDI is responsible for the final content of this guide. NDI appreciates the contributions of Institute staff members. This includes the primary author, Matt Dippell, who has assisted debate sponsors in more than 10 countries and taken leave from NDI to help the CPD organize a dozen U.S. debates for the 2004, 2008 and 2012 elections. Other NDI staff, including Angela Fifer, Kyle Fishman, Kathy Gest, Melanie Pitkin, Liz Renomeron, Francoise Stovall and Dean Valentine, assisted with the development of this guide and organized international debate activities that contributed to its contents. NDI would also like to recognize the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the National Endowment for Democracy, which have made this guide possible.
NDI hopes that this is a useful resource and welcomes feedback.
Kenneth Wollack
President
National Democratic Institute