IIUM TO HOST FIRST OIC INTERVARSITY DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIP

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- The International Islamic University
Malaysia (IIUM) will host the six-day inaugural Intervarsity OIC Debating
Championship beginning Dec 14.

In a statement here Thursday, IIUM said the event, the first of its kind in
the Muslim world, was aimed at creating awareness of current issues amongst
Muslim youths, via debating.

Thirty teams from 19 countries in Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, South
Asia and South East Asia are expected to take part in the championship, it said.

Currently, 14 member countries of the Organisation of the Islamic Countries
(OIC) have confirmed participation.

They are Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Uganda, Libya, Iraq, Morocco, and host country,
Malaysia.

The statement said Malaysia would be represented by host university IIUM,
Universiti Teknologi MARA (MARA University of Technology), Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (National University of Malaysia), Multimedia University
Malaysia and Universiti Malaya (University of Malaya).

The championship is sponsored by the higher education ministry, IIUM and the
Qatar Debate Foundation.

The finals will be held at IIUM on Dec 17.

-- BERNAMA