1% Education for the 99%

since 2013


Debate For All is a Korea-based social venture specializing in debate education in English, Korean, Vietnamese and creating debate platforms across Asia.

We envision a world where all individuals have access to top-quality education to achieve their dream, have their own voice and lead their life independently.


Our mission is to create a society in which everyone regardless of socioeconomic background can develop into mature democratic citizens with 21st-century skills. Debate For All believes that debate is a powerful tool of education that allows individuals to openly express their opinions and develop the skills of critical thinking and persuasion as well as to expand academic and career opportunities.

We do it because we want to narrow achievement gaps in Korea and Vietnam; socioeconomically underserved students show major achievement struggles compared to their peers, with the achievement gaps increasing every year.


We aim to address educational inequality through debate education by equipping students with the skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century: critical thinking and problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity. To do this, we run debate leagues and tournaments, provide debate training to students and teachers by the best coaches in the nation and beyond, and provide free peer-to-peer debate mentoring to socio-economically under-served students.


In so doing, we’ve been working with city governments, public education offices, universities and schools, and other public and private organizations.


What We Do

Training of Teachers

Change begins in the classroom. We believe teachers can empower and encourage students to develop their own views and voices. Our programs range from a 1-day, 8-hour course to a 12-week, 36-hour course and are designed to equip teachers with the skills to map out and instruct public speaking and debating courses, in both Korean and English.

Tournaments

Debating is a life skill, an art, but also a sport. We host and organize debate tournaments, including but not limited to KDO, KWDO, KYDC, a national tournament for primary and secondary schools, that bring together top-notch speakers and adjudicators to engage in a spectrum of topics ranging from education policies to social movements. 

Bespoke Workshops

Small group of 15? 300 kilometers away from Seoul? Eager and hungry for quality coaching? Don’t worry, we got you. Our priority is to provide a tailored program that best serves the needs and goals of the group. From a 2-day workshop for 100+ middle school students to a 15-hour program for public servants or teachers, you ask, we deliver.

Training & After-school Classes

We believe debating is an essential skill that should be readily available to all individuals. With private coaching and tutoring fees skyrocketing each year, we offer affordable programs without a compromise in quality. We also train and send coaches to run debate programs in schools and institutions across the country.

Corporate Training

Communication is key to success in an interconnected, globalized world of business. We offer English courses in public speaking, presentation, debate, and negotiation for business leaders. Our programs are tailored and individualized to suit the needs of the company and the industry.

* All our debate education programs are provided free of charge for socioeconomically underserved students. In addition to these programs, we run customized speech & debate programs for young entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas effectively and for North Korean defectors in an effort to help them adjust to life in Korea and give them the tools to expand their opportunities.

Our Impact to Date (Since 2013)

60,000+

Students Engaged

5,000+

Teachers Trained

900+

Training Programs Conducted

30

Cities Visited for Debate Programs Home and Abroad

7+

Tournaments/Contests Organized Each Year

1750+

Scholarships Offered to
Underprivileged Students

96.5

Students Satisfaction Score

4

Nat'l/Int'l Awards Received

Results of Debate For All's Education Programs 


  • 97% of students said their awareness of social issues around the world and in their community increased.
  • 98% of students said that their ability to work in a team increased.
  • 95% of students said that their ability to critically think increased.
  • 100% of students said that their ability to logically think and combine different arguments increased.
  • 99% of students said that their ability to analyze issues from diverse perspectives increased.
  • 97% of students said that their ability to speak in a confident and persuasive manner in front of the audience increased.

Our Clients