On February 8th 2023, one of our Model Speakers, Rowan Ross, took part in an online, international, regional heat for the Historical Association’s Great Debate Public Speaking Competition.
The Great Debate is a public speaking competition where students have five minutes to present their speech arguing their answer to the question: Why does history matter to me?
Participating students must demonstrate research as well as historical arguments, and students are encouraged to explore their own family histories, their local area’s history or to concentrate on a key historical event that they think affects them or the world they live in.
Rowan assimilated all of these elements into a speech discussing the fear of the “different” in society throughout history. She spoke of her own experience of ‘difference’ in her move from France to Northern Ireland, and of Northern Ireland’s historical difficulties dealing with ‘difference’ and ‘otherness.’ In her key historical example, she examined the last documented witch trial in Northern Ireland, and paralleled it with ‘witch hunts’ of minority groups by the patriarchy today.
Rowan now goes forward to the grand final to be held at Windsor Castle in March 2023! We are fantastically proud of her success and wish her all the best as she represents Belfast Model School for Girls next month!
