WIDPSC is an individual championship, not a team championship. Students compete as individual speakers and debaters, even while traveling as part of national delegations.
Competitors enter four out of five main events: Parliamentary Debate, Impromptu Speaking, Interpretive Reading, and their choice of either Persuasive Speaking or After-Dinner Speaking. Students compete in two preliminary rounds in each event, after which top competitors advance to Semifinals, Finals and ultimately Grand Finals.
Parliamentary Debate at WIDPSC is two-person per side impromptu debate with a random teammate from a different country. Parliamentary Debate at WIDPSC tests argument construction, refutation, teamwork, and engaging speaking style.
Impromptu Speaking tests a competitor’s ability to think quickly, organize clearly, and speak with confidence and coherence for 3-5 minutes after just 2 minutes of preparation time. It rewards clarity of thought, structure, and audience connection.
Interpretive Reading focuses on the effective delivery of a chosen text of prose or poetry. Competitors are assessed on how well they communicate the meaning, tone, and emotional texture of the piece through vocal control, pacing, and interpretation.
Persuasive Speaking asks competitors to introduce the audience to a problem of contemporary relevance, and then propose convincing solutions to that problem. Strong performances combine clear structure, powerful reasoning, stage presence, and purposeful, confident delivery.
After-Dinner Speaking combines humor, personality, timing, and message. It is one of the most distinctive WIDPSC events, asking speakers to be entertaining while still delivering a coherent and purposeful speech.
Detailed rules for events can be found at:
