Western Law Students Reach Octofinals at World Universities Debating Championship
January 09, 2026
Two Western Law students have achieved a historic result at the World Universities Debating Championship (Worlds), the largest and most prestigious international debating tournament for university students.
Daniel Svirsky and Ethan Curry represented Western University at the 2026 championship, held December 27 to January 4 in Sofia, Bulgaria, competing against 337 teams from 121 institutions across the globe. The duo advanced to the Octofinals, finishing among the top 32 teams worldwide – making them only the third Western team to reach elimination rounds in the last 25 years.
Individually, Daniel ranked 58th among 658 speakers, while Ethan ranked 65th.
The tournament tested debaters' ability to think on their feet across nine preliminary rounds and subsequent elimination rounds. Teams received just 15 minutes of preparation time, without access to online resources, before delivering 7-minute speeches on complex, topical motions.
Debate topics ranged widely, including whether it is in the American public's interest for the U.S. government to acquire "golden shares" in strategically important firms such as NVIDIA, whether the developing world is likely to become more democratic over the next decade, and whether drastic state interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic were regrettable.
"Placing at Worlds has long been a personal goal, and it was especially meaningful to achieve it with Ethan, one of my closest friends and an early believer who helped shape my debating," said Daniel.
The achievement highlights Western Law's commitment to developing strong advocacy skills, critical thinking, and habits of leadership – competencies that serve graduates throughout their careers, whether in legal practice, business, public service, or other fields where completeness of thinking matters
Congratulations to Daniel and Ethan on this outstanding accomplishment!
