Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament

About

The Harvard National Speech and Debate Tournament is one of the largest and most prestigious high school forensics competitions in the United States, held annually over Presidents’ Day Weekend. Hosted by the Harvard Debate Council, the program brings together thousands of students from across the world to compete in a rigorous academic environment. Its mission is to promote excellence in communication, research, and critical thinking by providing a platform for high-level discourse on complex global and domestic issues. Participants engage in multiple preliminary rounds across several days, with the most successful entries advancing to a series of intense elimination rounds judged by a panel of experts and collegiate debaters. The tournament is unique for its massive scale, its use of the Harvard University campus and surrounding Cambridge area as a backdrop, and its status as a "major" on the national circuit. By offering divisions for middle school, novice, and varsity students, it provides a comprehensive competitive pipeline for young speakers.

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