Welcome to NISSDA!

Welcome to the Northern Ireland Schools Speech & Debate Association (NISSDA).

My name is Matthew Leigh, and I am a student and debater at Queen’s University Belfast. I am delighted to introduce NISSDA, a charity founded with an ambitious vision: to provide school pupils across Northern Ireland with the opportunity to participate, compete and excel on the international debating stage.

Debating is about far more than the ability to construct an argument. It is about learning to think critically, engage constructively with unfamiliar perspectives, communicate with confidence and, above all, develop a genuine understanding of the world around us. These are skills that extend far beyond the debating chamber, and we believe every student should have the opportunity to develop them.

At the heart of NISSDA is our ambition to establish and support a representative Team Northern Ireland, bringing together talented and passionate young debaters to compete at the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC) and other prestigious international competitions.

We want to build a platform that identifies, develops and celebrates debating talent throughout Northern Ireland, regardless of a student's background, school or previous experience. Through rigorous training, competition, collaboration and international engagement, we hope to create opportunities for the next generation of Northern Ireland's debaters to make their voices heard on the world stage.

This is an exciting beginning, and there is much work ahead. We hope to build a community that is ambitious in its aspirations, inclusive in its approach and committed to excellence in everything it does.

Whether you’re a student passionate about debating, a teacher looking to introduce debating opportunities at your school, an organisation interested in sponsoring us, or simply someone who shares our passion for public speaking and education, we’d love to have you join us on this journey.

I would strongly encourage pupils to stay connected by joining our mailing list to receive regular updates and the latest news. If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at matthew@nissda.com. I’d be delighted to hear from you!

Matthew Leigh,
Founder & Executive Director
Northern Ireland Schools Speech & Debate Association

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