"To be able to debate, one must be well-informed and listen to others"

—This year’s debate topic was whether or not democracy is in danger. You had to argue both for and against it. Now that the competition is over, what do you think?

Alejandro: Democracy, as a way to organise ourselves, is not in danger. But it is true that democratic systems today are not experiencing their strongest moment, and democracies are facing a certain degree of deterioration.

Jan: I think that as an ideal, the idea of a democracy is not in danger per se. But I think today's democratic systems could be.

Laia: It is true that we see a decline in democracies, but for us it goes beyond that. For us, the concept democracy is the ideal of democracy, that is, interacting with others as our equals, having freedoms, etc. There is a series of values behind the concept of democracy that are not in danger, and continue to be very valid.

—From your point of view, what must be done to reverse this situation?

Laia: I believe greater awareness is needed. Personally, I wasn't very well-informed before this debate, but now that I’ve studied and analysed the issue, I’ve realized what is really going on.

Jan: I believe this needs to be approached from the perspective of fighting for equal opportunities and improved living conditions. The problem right now is that democracy is equated with the current system; if that system fails to work, democracy loses its standing and the public's trust. I believe we need to improve the economy, housing, and so on. People's needs must be addressed first and foremost. If people are unhappy with how they must live, they will not like democracy. Therefore, we must improve people's living conditions to ensure democracy is not threatened.

Alejandro: Many people do not believe in the democratic system because it has not solved the problems it set out to address. However, what we should seek is not an alternative to democracy, but rather an effective democracy. I believe people are dissatisfied with the housing situation and blame the system for it.

—Why is it important to know how to debate and defend one's ideas, in general?

Jan: In general, first and foremost, you need to be well-informed—reading up on and studying the topic that interests you—and then truly believe in your position and talk to friends to explain your arguments. I often consult newspapers like Eldiario.es and The Guardian.

Alejandro: You need to be a bit sceptical and question things, then speak humbly with others and truly listen to them. People are not naive, you need to understand why they say what they say and what their sources are.

—Do you have a role model you follow when debating?

Laia: I do. In particular, for me, it was the person who prepared us for the first league we attended: Eva Busquets. I hold her way of arguing and thinking in high regard. She was a debater herself, but has since graduated, and she taught us a great deal about the world of debating.

Jan: Eva Busquets as well. She introduced us to the world of debating and in this sense is a role model for us.

—Team work is essential when debating. How do you organise this?

Jan: Laia is the captain and she does a great job, we fully trust her. She has organised our debates very well.

Alejandro: We’ve known each other for a long time and know how to help one another. We immediately spot when someone runs out of arguments, is tired, or needs anything, and that’s when we step in to help. I suppose it helps that we did our high school studies at the same school in Cerdanyola, so we know each other quite well. That’s where we decided to take part in the Xarxa Vives Secondary School Debate League. Alejandro and I were in the International Baccalaureate science track, while Laia was in the Bachibac programme at the same school. We became interested in debating, and that’s where it all began.

—And how did it go?

Jan: We won that league as well! But at that moment we were representing the Pompeu Fabra University. Our secondary school was assigned to the UPF and we participated through them.

—Do you three understand each other well?

Jan: Really well! We do understand each other. Laia is more competitive, and we are more relaxed. All three of us are different, but we work well together.

—And how are you doing now that you are at the UAB? How do you envision your future?

Laia: I am doing great. I study Chemical Engineering and am very happy.

Alejandro and Jan: Our studies are going really well, but we’re still not sure about our professional futures... we’ll see. To be honest? Right now, our priority is summer holidays—and, above all, finding a time to have lunch together to celebrate the three of us winning the Debate League. We still haven't celebrated it!