Dear friends of rhetoric, dear friends of debating, dear friends of the FDA,
2015 will be a special year for our association, not because it represents any particular anniversary or any significant date for the FDA but because it already has had, and will continue to have, a huge importance in the history of the universal idea of the freedom of expression.
The notion that, living in a democracy, one can express all ideas freely (and be contradicted) is at the very basis of what our association represents.
Our ‘credo’ is simply this: that all women and all men, whatever their background, whatever their origin, whatever their beliefs, can transmit and exchange and DEBATE those ideas in a spirit of participating, sharing and even, in a true democratic spirit, combating those of the ‘rhetorical’ adversary.
The French Debating Association is what its name suggests:
It is French, as it is based in France and thus defends the core values of this Republic.
It is about Debating and thus about accepting the fact that there can be other ways of perceiving and of interpreting this turbulent world which surrounds us.
It is an Association because all its members adhere to our core values of allowing other members to express their opinions and yet, ultimately to come together in a true spirit of federation, fraternity, fun and yes…FAMILY!
Our only weapon is rhetoric, our only arm is eloquence, our only (s)word is word!
See you at our final on March 23, 2015, at the Hôtel de Lassay,
May the WORD be with you!
Declan Mc Cavana,
President,
French Debating Association
