Empowering Youth Work for the Green Debate at Utrecht Open 2025
On 24–25 May 2025, debaters from across Europe gathered at University College Utrecht for the annual Utrecht Open, one of the Netherlands’ most dynamic international tournaments. Organized by the Utrecht Debating Society, the competition followed the British Parliamentary format, with five preliminary rounds, semi-finals, and a grand final. The event was proudly co-funded by Erasmus+, as part of the wider project Empowering Youthwork for the Green Debate. This connection ensured that environmental issues featured prominently in the debates, demonstrating how competitive debating can be a powerful method to prepare young people for civic responsibility and climate engagement.
Focus on Climate
Alongside the main competition, Utrecht Open featured workshops and panels, such as the Beyond Rhetorics series, offering training in logical argumentation, equity, and global political issues. This blend of skill-building, critical discussion, and high-level competition reflected the spirit of Empowering Youthwork for the Green Debate: to provide young people with tools to think critically, argue persuasively, and engage with urgent global issues.
To highlight the project’s mission, Round 1 of Utrecht Open introduced a climate-focused motion:
“This House regrets the emphasis on individual responsibility in combating climate change (e.g. reducing meat consumption, replacing car use with cycling, reduce/reuse/recycle)."
The motion challenged debaters to examine whether climate action should primarily focus on systemic, governmental, and corporate solutions rather than placing responsibility on individuals. By debating both sides of this issue, participants reflected on the balance between personal choices and structural change in addressing the climate crisis.
Youth Voices for the Future
The inclusion of environmental motions at Utrecht Open ensured that participants were not only tested as debaters but also encouraged to become active and responsible citizens. By placing climate change at the forefront of the tournament, Utrecht Open 2025 became part of a broader European effort to connect debate education with sustainability.
Through events like this, the Erasmus+ project Empowering Youthwork for the Green Debate demonstrates how debate can shape the leaders of tomorrow, empowering youth to stand up for their ideas and contribute to building a more sustainable future.
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