ISLAMABAD: The British High Commissioner Thomas Drew CMG announced the launch of the GREAT Debate competition at the British High Commission in Islamabad. According to a statement, the GREAT Debate 2017 is the third annual edition of the competition that gives students from across Pakistan a platform to participate in debates, interact with other students from different universities and hone their skills in research, analytical thinking and public speaking. The British High Commissioner Thomas Drew said: “We are delighted to present the third GREAT Debate competition. I am looking forward to seeing the top student debaters from across Pakistan engage in a healthy competition. The GREAT Debate 2017 edition is an important part of our 70th Anniversary celebrations of UK-Pakistan relations and this year’s topics complement the theme of the Commonwealth Summit in 2018.” The winner of last year’s GREAT Debate Taha Ahmed said: “The competition was an incredible experience to be a part of. The scholarship money eased the burden of my tuition. However, it was the relationships I built with the other competitors that were priceless. I wish the competitors of this year’s competition all the best.” The first semi-final of the GREAT Debate occurred in the University of Gujrat where debaters competed for a place in the final. After a competitive round of debates Umer Waqas Ahmed and Mahum Shoaib were judged to be the winner and runner-up, respectively. Published in Daily Times, December 15th 2017.