BCMSDL Competitors

The oldest and largest speech and debate honor society, the National Speech & Debate Association, provides educational resources to middle and high school students who participate in interscholastic speech, interp and debate competitions.

International Debate Education Association (IDEA) was created by The Open Society Foundations (OSF) in 1999 to coordinate its debate programs. Today, IDEA is a global network of organizations that uses debate as a way to give young people a voice. IDEA is the world's leading provider of debate education, providing resources, training, and events to educators and young people. The network works with schools, universities, debate organizations, and community groups and collaborates with foundations, NGOs, businesses, and governments. All this helps IDEA to promote mutual understanding, democracy globally and peacebuilding by supporting discussion and active citizenship locally. IDEA's Activities IDEA's activities include a wide range of educational and strategic initiatives, from developing training programs to international student exchanges and international youth forums. We have organized debates in more than 50 countries around the world in 60 languages! Currently, IDEA is officially registered and operates in the following locations: IDEA Middle East and North Africa IDEA United Kingdom IDEA Netherlands IDEA Central Asia IDEA South East Europe IDEA CA is the leading regional provider of debate education in Central Asia, providing resources, training, and events to educators and young people in across the region and the CIS. It has been actively working with young people through debate since 2010, starting as a Soros Foundation program. IDEA CA became an independent organization in 2014, continuing the empowering of young people by teaching them critical thinking, argumentation, active listening, and respect for dissenting opinions, therefore building a culture of open and equal dialogue in Central Asia. Through its activities, IDEA CA gives young people an opportunity to be heard through education, debate and by raising their awareness about worldwide issues.

We work directly with people who care about our city’s historic neighborhoods and buildings, and represent a constituency of over 500 local community organizations across all five boroughs. How do we help? First and foremost, HDC, a registered §501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides technical and strategic support to groups and individuals to help save historic buildings. Since 1970, HDC has been a vital force helping to preserve historic neighborhoods and buildings throughout the five boroughs. HDC has been involved in the creation of almost all of the over 100 officially designated historic districts in New York, which encompass almost 30,000 individual buildings. We have organized residents, secured funding for studies, given public testimony, worked with city agencies, and held people’s hands for over 40 years. Our “Six to Celebrate” program, launched in 2011, is the only citywide initiative that spotlights preservation concerns put forth directly by local communities. We educate. Each year, HDC offers over two-dozen public programs, conferences, workshops, and talks related to New York City history, preservation practices like restoration, and community organizing. We also offer walking and bicycle tours of distinct neighborhoods that embody the city’s history, vibrancy and cultural backbone, and host frequent and low-cost events and parties to build enthusiasm around historic preservation. We speak out for preservation. HDC is the only group that reviews every single public proposal affecting historic buildings and historic districts in New York. When needed, we provide public testimony on them. We monitor the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and work with elected officials on historic preservation and development issues. We have negotiated agreements between developers and community residents on projects affecting historic neighborhoods.