Sunbeams became champion in the children's debate while Viqarunnisa School and North South University became champions in the inter school and inter club debates respectively.

Viqarunnisa Noon Debating Club and The Daily Star jointly organised the weeklong debate festival with the slogan 'Miles to go before I sleep'.

Vice-Chancellor of North South University Dr Hafiz GA Siddiqui attended the closing ceremony of the festival as the chief guest and distributed awards among the winners.

Each participant also received a certificate while Viqarunnisa Noon School, Mastermind School and Dhaka University Debating Society received the 'Best Discipline Award.'

The practice of debate in society helps the young generation to become sophisticated and enlightened, the speakers said at the closing session at the auditorium of Viqarunnisa Noon School.

To understand life properly, one must have the ability to explore the inner quality, Dr Hafiz said, adding that the debaters can express their thoughts with comprehensive analysis and are able to take criticism positively.

Shameem Jahan Ahsan, moderator of Viqarunnisa Noon Debating Club, expressed gratitude to The Daily Star for its cooperation and all the participating institutions and the judges.

The podium of debate is a platform for creating efficient citizens and the debate festival will help students become enlightened and confident citizens, she said.

Describing the debate as modern art and the debaters as modern artistes, the speakers said the ability to properly express one's thoughts is very important in this age of globalisation.

Principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College Rowena Hossain chaired the closing ceremony. Headmistress of the school section Mahmuda Begum, Principal of Sunbeams School Nilufar Manjur, Chairman of National Debate Federation AKM Shoaib, former secretary general of Bangladesh Debate Federation (BDF) Abdun Noor Tushar, and BDF President Tasin Ahmed were also present.