Name: AICS Parliamentary Open 2026
Start: 2026-11-14T10:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-14T18:00:00+01:00
Location: Amsterdam International Community School

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About

The AICS Parliamentary Open 2026 is a full‑day British Parliamentary debate tournament hosted at the Amsterdam International Community School (AICS) on Saturday, 14 November 2026 . The event brings together 32 teams from international, bilingual, and gymnasium schools across the Netherlands for a day of competitive debating, workshops, and adjudication led by experienced judges from National and University debating societies Across the Netherlands.

Event Details

Date: Saturday The 14th Of November
Time: 10:00-18:00
Location: Bijlmerplein 1000, 1102 MK Amsterdam (South East)
Format: British Parliamentary

Our Mission

Our mission is to give middle school and high school students across the Netherlands a platform to access high-quality, professionally adjudicated competitive debating more often. We strongly believe every young debater deserves the opportunity to compete more often, and improve their public speaking skills.

Our Vision

We at the AICS Debate Club strongly belive that British Parliamentary debating equips students with the public speaking skills that they will need for their life. Our vision is to grow English-Language debating across the Netherlands, building a stronger, more connected community of young debaters nationwide.

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Tournament Day Schedule

14 November 2026

Arrival Of Participants

09:30-10:00

Opening Ceremony

10:00-10:30

Workshops

10:30-11:30

Ready to take your debating skills to the next level? We are offering two tailored workshop tracks at the event to match your experience. Beginners will get a complete introduction to the rules and foundation of the British Parliamentary format, while experienced debaters can join an exclusive Advanced Workshop led by the Erasmus Debating Society to master hidden strategies and pro tips. Select your choice when you fill out the sign-up form!

Round 1

11:40-13:00

Lunch Break

13:00-13:45

While a full lunch will not be provided at the event, a complimentary selection of snacks will be available to keep you energized. If you prefer to eat a proper lunch, we would advise you to bring your own lunch or, you are more than welcome to step off-premises during the breaks. There are plenty of convenient food eateries, and supermarkets just a short walk away from the school where you can pick up lunch.

Round 2

13:45-15:00

Round 3

15:10-16:25

Grand Final & Closing Ceremony

16:45-18:00

The tournament will culminate in an action-packed Grand Finals hosted in the main auditorium. The four highest-ranked teams from the preliminary rounds will take the stage to compete for the championship title. All other participants will gather in the audience to watch the final showdown, and the debate will be evaluated by an adjudication panel comprising representatives from all participating external organizations

Partners & Sponsors

The Nederlandse Debatbond (NDB) is the official Dutch National Debate Association. Serving as a national umbrella organization, it represents roughly 1,000 members across the Netherlands, most of whom belong to university debating societies. The NDB supports the community by organizing national championships, managing rankings, and fostering competitive debate nationwide.

The Oracy Institute is an educational organization that trains students and teachers in public speaking, competitive debate, and critical thinking across both English and Dutch. Led by championship-winning competitive debaters, the institute helps youth develop Public Speaking & Crticial Thinking Skills through school curriculum, teacher training programs, and specialized debate clubs.

Founded in 1989, the Erasmus Debating Society (EDS) is the official debate club of Erasmus University Rotterdam and the oldest, largest, and most prestigious university debating society in the Netherlands. This highly international club expertly balances elite competitive championship success with a thriving, vibrant, and welcoming social scene for all of its members.

ASDV Bonaparte is Amsterdam’s premier student debating society, bringing together a vibrant mix of Dutch and international students every Tuesday. This welcoming, hazing-free community is the ultimate launchpad to master public speaking, perfectly pairing competitive tournament success with an unforgettable social calendar of weekly drinks, trips, and elegant galas.

We would like to give a heartfelt thanks to the Partners & Sponsors of the AICS Parliamentary Open 2026, whom without, this Tournament would not have been possible

Organising Team

Tournament Director

Akshit Aggarwal

AICS Debate Club Founder & President

AICS Debate Club Supervisor

Cas Deelen

To Be filled

Equity Officer

Michael Adam

AICS Secondary School Southeast Deputy Head of Campus

Chief-Adjudicator

Niya Balcheva:

Elite experince with 5+ BP tournaments, delivering international champion-level precision to motion setting.

NDB Adjudicator

Daniël Hooimeijer

Secretary of the Nederlandse Debatbond

ASDV Bonaparte Representative

Coming Soon!

Tabber

Akshaj Bhardwaj

Student at AICS Southeast & Member of AICS Debate Club

Adjudicator

Layne Byrnes Hawkins

Student at AICS Southeast & Member of AICS Debate Club

Oracy Adjudicator

Roos Zijlstra

Speaker Dutch National Debate team Two-time finalist Oxford Schools finalist.

Oracy Adjudicator

Laura van Helmond

Coach Team NL 2025 & 2026, Representing Netherlands at World Schools Debating Championships

Oracy Adjudicator

Vanessa Chan

Represented Netherlands at World Schools Debating Championships 2025. Best speaker Oxford Schools 25 & 26

Oracy Adjudicator

Coming Soon!

EDS Adjudicator & Workshops Lead

Marin Marinov

Finalist Oxford and Cambridge IV Bulgarian National Debate Team Coach

EDS Adjudicator

Yusuf Ali Barrie

Rotterdam Pre-EUDC 2025 ESL Finalist Leiden Open 2026 Open Semi-Finalist Represented EDS A at Copenhagen EUDC

EDS Adjudicator

Coming Soon!

Logistics-Team

Malia De Castro