The Romanian Association for Debate, Oratory and Rhetoric

National Network
Romania
Address

Șos. Iancului, nr 10, bloc 114B
Bucharest
Romania

Telephone
0040740042224
Telephone (other)
0040748236571
E-Mail
office.ardor@gmail.com
E-Mail (2)
moniqa.mocanu@gmail.com
E-Mail (3)
biancadragomir20@gmail.com
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
1998
Fields of Activity
  1. Youth and education
General Information
Structure and employees: ARDOR is a federation of five regional member associations: ARDOR Transilvania, ARDOR Muntenia, ARDOR Banat, Disputa, AES. ARDOR’s Board of Directors comprises the president of ARDOR and the executive directors of the regional associations. ARDOR has only one permanent employee (the accountant), others are employed under various projects. Income in 2012 (partial): 48 000 EUR (until Sept. 2012); Income in 2011 - 28 665 EUR; Income in 2010 – 39 486 EUR. In addition to this budget, each regional association has its own income. Sources of funding: Open Society Foundation, Roma Initiatives, European Commission, Ratiu Foundation, CeeTrust Modalities of action: Annual high school and university national championships, annual regional competition, periodic open competitions and various other projects (read below under Main Project/Activities) Partners in the last years: The Mnistry of Education, Research, Youth, and Sports; Policy Center for Roma and Minorities; Center for Independent Journalism; Asociatia Pro Democratia
Mission and Objectives

ARDOR’s mission is to use academic debate as a non-formal educational tool that encourages argumentative dialogue and critical thinking. In Romania, there are approximately 50 debate clubs in high schools that function as extra-curricular activities, under the approval of the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports. Also, debate was recently recognized as an official elective for the high school curricula.
Our objectives are to engage the youth in educated, skillful argumentation and public speaking, to elevate their exigencies regarding the standards of public debates (political, in the media etc), to collaborate with the formal education system in order to maximize our impact, to collaborate with other associations whose causes could be supported through dialogue and quality debates.

Main Projects / Activities

Closer to Oxford (www.closer2oxford.ro) –online debates, argumentation and public speaking trainings, public debates with experts taking place in Universities; the project was awarded best educational project in 2011 (http://www.galasocietatiicivile.ro/view_comunicat.php?id=18)Debate@Euro… (ateurope.idebate.org) –ARDOR and 5 European countries encourage youth to debate online and offline on European topics.
Debate in the Neighborhood (din.idebate.org/romania) – alternative education for disadvantaged youth
The Youth Debates – a national program implemented with the Ministry of Education, Research,Youth, and Sports
IDEA Wiki - an online debate encyclopedia in ten national languages. ARDOR managed the Romanian content.
Youth against discrimination –a series of national debates on sensitive motions regarding discrimination, supported by The National Council for Fighting Discrimination.
IDEA Youth Forum - Annual participation of Romanian teams, coaches, judges, trainers at the global debating event for high school debaters organized by the International Debate Education Association.

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

ARDOR is the only association in Romania specialized in academic debate as an educational tool. With 14 years experience in organizing debate competitions, organizing and moderating public events, delivering trainings in debate formats, argumentation, public speaking, critical reading, composing debating curricula and establishing debate clubs, ARDOR could share its expertise with any Romanian NGO who needs a partner with the above qualifications. Also, ARDOR managed to build a strong reputation over the years (in 2011 it was awarded the best educational NGO - http://www.premiileineducatie.ro/gpo/) and has a community of excellent debaters performing at an international level and alumni who are currently great professionals. This gives us the credibility and legitimacy that many associations might look for when searching for partners.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

We look forward to learn about associations in the Euro-Med region and collaborate with the ones that share our values and objectives. As a debate organization, we are energized by intercultural dialogue and new perspectives and ideas, and we hope we can find partners to work with to in order to improve our running programs but also to initiate strategic projects together.
Besides finding individual partners, membership to the ALF network gives our association more visibility in Europe and other Mediterranean countries. This facilitates a consortium of partners interested in enhancing capacities in civil societies through cross-sharing of best practices, developing donor relations and a platform for strengthening multi stake holder cooperation.

Contact (1) Full Name
Monica Mocanu
Head of the organisation
Monica Mocanu
Contact (2) Full Name
Bianca Dragomir