History Makers: Meet the AdMU Students Who Won Gold at the World’s Largest Debate Tournament

It was a historic moment for the Philippines when Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) students David Africa and Tobi Leung won the World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) 2023 in Madrid, Spain last January 3. Just how special is this win for the Ateneo debate team?

It’s the Philippines’ first win in the tournament’s history

The WUDC is the world’s largest debate tournament first held in 1980. Over the course of four decades, winning institutions were mostly from countries like the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Singapore was the only Southeast Asian country that made it to the finals in 2004 but they still failed to snag gold. So one can imagine how much Pinoys are proud of Africa and Leung’s 2023 win.

Aside from the duo bagging the coveted gold medal, Africa was also hailed as the tournament’s eighth-best overall speaker. Leung was ranked the second best, the highest rank yet achieved by a Filipino, and another first for the Philippines.

Throughout the break rounds and elimination rounds, the Ateneo debate team was able to beat others from Princeton University, Sofia University, and Tel Aviv University.

David Africa and Tobi Leung

The 2023 competition was Africa’s third time entering the tournament. In 2021, he lead one of the two AdMU teams that made it to the final round. It was the PH’s first time making it to the finals but unfortunately, they did not win. In 2022, Africa once again made it to the finals but encountered the same fate.

Both Africa and Leung are students of Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics specializing in Data Science. Africa is already in his fourth year and currently serves as the Ateneo Debate Society president while Leung is in his second year.

The winning argument

The teams were asked to debate over the African philosophy of “ubuntu” which means “I am because we are.” Ubuntu is the belief that the community shapes an individual and that collectivism is more important than individualism. Africa and Leung debated against ubuntu, with Africa arguing that a man’s primary obligation is to themselves.

“Community is a shackle that alienates you from your very sense of self, discourages you from discovering your own preference, and emboldens the worst forms of tyranny,” Leung added.

The debate followed the British Parliamentary format where the topic is only disclosed 15 minutes before the round. Under those circumstances, making a compelling argument that would win gold just goes to show that David Africa and Tobi Leung have just become debate legends.

You can watch the open finals here.

Congratulations to the Ateneo Debate Society team!

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