On Monday, 9 December 2024, the British Parliament hosted the first-ever Polish Oxford debate entitled “Bilingualism as a key to success in a globalised world.” The debate was organised by the Polish Educational Society and the British Poles media in cooperation with the Language Development Institute (Instytut Rozwoju Języka Polskiego). It was aimed at secondary school students between the ages of 15 and 19.
The debate was held in Oxford style and focused on whether bilingualism increases the chances of professional and personal success in a globalised world. The event was aimed at raising awareness of bilingualism and improving the discourse skills of students attending Polish schools.
The young participants were presented with four theses, which they had the chance to discuss with a Cambridge University student experienced in debating, who provided the online training.
– Do young people see learning another language as an opportunity or as wasted time that could be spent on other activities?
– Does bilingualism sit well with them?
– What do they lose and what do they gain by following the path of bilingualism?
– What does it mean to them to be brought up in two languages and two cultures?
The organisers received 28 applications. The committee selected 14 students who were divided into two groups. The task of one side was to argue in favour of the thesis (the proposition side) and the other to refute it (the opposition side).
The debate began in the Thatcher Room with a welcome from George Byczynski, founder of the British Poles, who highlighted that Polish is the second most spoken language in the UK. This was followed by a speech from Martin Vickers, Member of the British Parliament, who hosted the meeting. Martin Vickers is co-chair of the APPG – All Party Parliamentary Group on Poland, supporting good relations between Poland and the UK, promoting the contribution of the Polish community in the UK and bilateral trade. In his short speech, he welcomed guests to the Houses of Parliament. He pointed out that we are now in the new part of Parliament opened in 2000. However, on the opposite side is the older part, which is hundreds of years old.
“My role is to try to expand cultural, educational and political exchange between our countries and to build closer relations. We already have a very long history of warm Polish-British relations, but more can always be done. And in this modern and troubled world, our relationship is even more important. So thank you for inviting me to perform my duties,” Martin Vickers said.
The guests were then welcomed by Dr Urszula Starakiewicz-Krawczyk, Director of the Language Development Institute, who expressed her delight at seeing such a large representation of young people. She stressed that the role of the meeting was to engage young people in public debate.
Dr Elżbieta Barrass, President of the Polish Educational Society in the UK, knew most of the participants in the debate and welcomed them warmly, appreciating the enormous amount of work they had put in to prepare.
The words of Dr Urszula Starakiewicz Krawczyk and Dr Elżbieta Barrass gave the participants the encouragement and courage to start the debate.
Technically, an important element of an Oxford debate is that the parties take their seats opposite each other, with the Speaker of the debate sitting in the middle between them. Traditionally, the proposition side sits on the right and the opposition on the left. This was also how it was during this debate.
STUDENTS TAKING PART IN THE DEBATE, IN SPEAKING ORDER:
PROPOSITION SIDE – IN FAVOUR
Dominikos Apostolopoulos, Polish School at the Polish Embassy in London, Isleworth
Natalia Michalec, J. Paderewski Polish School in Romford
Natalia Siatrak, Polish School at the Polish Embassy in London, Isleworth
Andrzej Woszczek, M. Rej Polish School in Chiswick
Kacper Mejdus, T. Kościuszko Polish School in Ealing
Anna Kupisz, J. Paderewski Polish School in Romford
Richard Isbaner, W. Anders Polish School in Bristol
OPPOSITION SIDE – AGAINST
Karol Budzik, Polish School at the Polish Embassy in London, Isleworth
Szymon Sihota, Polish Air Force School in Walsall
Michał Siudyba, J. Paderewski Polish School in Romford
Mikołaj Dobrowolski, M. Skłodowska Curie Polish School in Wimbledon/Putney
Alina Gostek, Polish Aviators’ School at the Polish Embassy in London
Zosia Nowosielska, M. Skłodowska Curie Polish School in Wimbledon/Putney
Bianka Pawłowska, J. Brzechwa Polish School in Stratford-upon-Avon
RESERVE
Gabriel Tracewicz, M. Skłodowska Curie Polish School in Wimbledon/Putney
Adam Makarewicz, M. Konopnicka Polish School in Willsden Green
The debate was chaired by the Speaker, George Byczynski (British Poles). He introduced the participants and gave them the floor, ensuring that the order of the debate, the rules, and the time were respected. Both teams did an excellent job of preparing for the debate. It was clear that bilingualism is valuable, and this thesis was easier to defend.
But to prove that bilingualism is unnecessary or even harmful—that was the challenge. The discussion reached a high substantive level, and the knowledge of the Polish language was impressive. The young people presented themselves excellently.
It also featured funny parts. There were moments of reflection when a group of opponents said that electronic devices and artificial intelligence were replacing the need to learn a second language. Then there was an audience voice from the floor, and Lady Halina FitzClarence asked how the young people imagined this theory in a situation where there would be no internet.
The jury evaluated each student’s speech on a scale of 1 to 10, considering argumentation, effectiveness, the art of rhetoric, manner of expression, and personal culture.
The jury consisted of the following members:
Urszula Starakiewicz-Krawczyk, Director of the Language Development Institute
Anna Tarnowska Waszak, Consul of the Republic of Poland
Alicja Donimirska, President of Federation of Poles in GB
Dobrosława Platt, Director of the Polish Library
Kasia Madera, BBC journalist
The debate ended with the Speaker announcing the voting time. The jury group went to a secluded place to discuss the results. In addition to the jury, the public was invited to vote. After the jury had left, the audience was asked to leave and informed that voting for the winning team would take place by walking back into the Hall through the appropriate door (‘Ayes’ or ‘Nays’) on the way back into the Hall. This is the traditional way of voting in the British Parliament.
The number of people passing through the door was counted by the debate organisers and volunteers. When everyone had taken their seats, the Speaker of the debate returned to the Hall with the jury. The results of the audience votes were given to him, and the results were officially announced.
The jury decided that the winners were the opposition side. After a moment, the Speaker announced the results of the public vote: 28 people voted FOR, and 37 voted AGAINST. The result of the public vote was identical to that of the jury.
For us, they were all winners. Taking part in this debate required courage and self-confidence. Therefore, Dr Urszula Starakiewicz-Krawczyk, Director of the Language Development Institute, bid farewell to the participants in the first-ever Polish Oxford-style debate in the British Parliament, emphasising how important their role is in shaping a political force in Britain that promotes Polish interests. She wished that in the future, at least one person present at the debate would be able to sit in the British Parliament.
After these words, all the speakers were presented with awards and diplomas signed by representatives of the Institute for the Development of the Polish Language, Macierz Polska, and the British Poles.
After the debate, all participants and guests were invited to the nearby Mamuśka! Polish Kitchen and Bar, where we continued our discussions in a much more informal atmosphere, to the sounds of Polish music, until late in the evening.
The chef served a wonderful meal consisting of traditional Polish dishes such as pierogi, stuffed cabbage rolls, bigos, and vegetable salad. The young people looked relaxed, proud, and pleased to have taken part in such a challenging debate.
The British Poles community was honoured to organise the debate because of a strong belief that such events not only integrate young people but also fill us with pride in the richness and beauty of the Polish language.
During the debate, students emphasised that the Polish language plays a key role in building our identity. During the fierce debate, the young people proved that they had not lost the ability to discuss and that they can be active and audible without losing their culture.
We congratulate the young people, but we also pay tribute to their parents and teachers, who together cultivate the Polish language in exile. We hope to see some of the participants on the benches of Parliament in a few years!
The event was sponsored by the Language Development Institute from the resources of the Ministry of National Education.
Maria Byczynski
Photos: Robert Ottenburger, British Poles
