June "Immanuel" Mirzakhanov represented Uzbekistan in the recently concluded 2024 International Student Secondary Debates sponsored by the Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL), where he garnered the judges' commendation for his exceptional performance.
The judges were "really pleased and impressed with the passion he showed, the research, insight, and responses shared in the debate." (Kirsty Shakespeare, debate organizer and International Education for Sustainable Development Manager of TSL)
Aside from this recognition, his team (Group B, Con 4) was awarded the title of Best Debate Team, with June delivering the opening and closing arguments. The judges also acknowledged their "teamwork, confidence, and excellent group presentation." His teammates were from Morocco, Serbia, Seychelles, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Different teams argued in favor or against the proposition that nature-based solutions will be more effective than technology-based solutions in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and proved their points through comprehensive research, compelling case studies, and well-reasoned arguments.
A total of 31 students from 26 countries participated in the debates. Debaters were selected to represent their country by securing the top two slots in the TSL 2024 International Schools Secondary Essay Competition, which was participated by 1,598 students in 63 countries. Uzbekistan bagged 20 awards in the secondary school category, which includes four presidential schools across the country.
The Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL), a global education charity with headquarters in the United Kingdom, has been sponsoring the essay-writing contest and debates since 2017.
