Three Deerfield debaters—Edie ’25, Lily ’25, and Avery ’25—arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship on Sunday, March 30. On Monday, March 31, we enjoyed an excursion into downtown KL to visit the National Mosque and Independence Square, then ventured into the heart of the jungle for some community service at a durian orchard. Edie, Lily, and Avery partnered with other debaters from around the world to build chairs for a local school. We then toured a traditional Malay house and sampled the famously pungent durian—a special highlight of the trip so far. The competition kicked off on Tuesday, April 1 with five events: Persuasive Speaking, Interpretive Reading, Parliamentary Debating, Impromptu Speaking, and After-Dinner Speaking. We look forward to a week of friendly competition and exciting exploration!
