World Scholar's Cup to Draw 2,300 Students from 30 Countries to Singapore
Singapore, Singapore (PRWEB) June 17, 2014 -- Even as the world’s top football teams gather on the other side of the globe for the World Cup, more than 2,300 leading students from 30 countries will take the stage in Singapore for the 2014 World Scholar’s Cup. These students were the top scorers among more than 10,000 who competed for berths in Singapore at regional qualifying events on five continents.
From June 24 to June 27, participating teams will debate pressing global issues, write persuasive position papers, and complete analytical challenges related to the competition’s 2014 theme, The World Within—spanning topics in espionage, psychology, art, music, literature, and the science of decision-making.
The event’s opening ceremonies will take place on June 24 at the Star Theatre in Buona Vista and will feature a keynote speech by Yale-NUS College Associate Professor of Social Sciences, Political Science Rahul Sagar, author of Secrets and Leaks: The Dilemma of State Secrecy (Princeton University Press, 2013). The ceremonies will also feature cultural performances by the Vocal Associates Children's Choir of Singapore and appearances by consular representatives of many of the countries in attendance.
After the opening ceremony, teams will depart for a community-building scavenger hunt on Sentosa Island: a chance for them not just to get to know Singapore but also how much they have in common with their counterparts from around the globe.
“The scholars understand they’re not just coming together to compete,” said Daniel Berdichevsky, the 37-year-old founder of the World Scholar’s Cup and Harvard Kennedy School graduate whom the participants refer to as their alpaca-in-chief, after the program’s whimsical camelid mascot. “They’re coming together to celebrate learning and global citizenship.”
The second day of the Global Round will test the scholars’ strengths in debate, writing, and problem-solving at National Junior College, Singapore Chinese Girls School, and Hwa Chong Institution. The day will conclude with an exciting night safari for all the participants and their families.
The third day will usher a return to the Star Theatre with a multicultural talent show, a showcase debate, and the program’s signature Scholar’s Bowl—a high-stakes race to solve creative academic challenges before a live audience—all followed by arguably the week’s most anticipated event: the Scholar’s Ball, a prom-like gala dance at the award-winning nightclub Zouk.
The last day of the Global Round, June 27, will include a second showcase debate, a final talent show, and the closing ceremonies, in which the top-scoring teams and individuals at the Global Round will be recognized for their academic achievements.
Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, the 2014 Global Round of the World Scholar’s Cup is the culmination of a year-long series of regional rounds that have taken place in over 25 countries, but it is not the end of the scholars' journey. Top teams at the Global Round will earn invitations to the program's prestigious final conference, the Tournament of Champions at Yale University. In Singapore, Yale-NUS College will also host a special World Scholar's Camp just prior to the Global Round.
Countries represented at the Global Round will include Australia, Brunei, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Uganda, the United States of America, and Vietnam.
The World Scholar’s Cup is an NGO dedicated to bringing accessible 21st-century learning and leadership opportunities to youth all over the world, in accordance with its guiding principle: “Every student a scholar.” Learn more at http://www.scholarscup.org.
#letitPwaa is the 2014 Global Round’s official hashtag.
Revision note: This press release has been edited to correctly identify Yale-NUS College’s relationship with Yale University and Associate Professor Rahul Sagar’s title. Yale-NUS College is an independent, fully residential liberal arts college in Singapore that is the result of a landmark partnership between Yale University and the National University of Singapore.
Jeremy Chumley, World Scholar's Cup, http://www.scholarscup.org, +1 (469) 412-9449, [email protected]
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