Committee on International Discussion and Debate

Committee on International Discussion and Debate

NCA’s Committee on International Discussion and Debate (CIDD) promotes international understanding and the practice of communication through discussion and debates between students from the United States and other nations.

Generally, two students from another nation travel to the United States and visit host campuses throughout the country for discussion and debate with U.S. students.

Ongoing since 1922, the CIDD program strives to broaden the scope of international exchange, facilitate the international exchange of information and ideas, and reinforce the value of dialogue as a preferred means for resolving international and intercultural differences.

The Committee for International Debate and Discussion (CIDD), one of NCA’s longest running initiatives, is preparing to celebrate our 100th anniversary at the NCA Annual Convention this November in National Harbor, Maryland. We invite people who have artifacts from their time and involvement with CIDD to submit them to committee chair Prof. Ken Newby via email at Kenneth.Newby@morehouse.edu. Submitted artifacts will be maintained in the CIDD archives and may be used in a video we are building to tell the story of our first 100 years. We welcome written stories, photos, and other artifacts. Please include as much info as possible about date, location, caption, description, etc.

Specific objectives of the CIDD program are to:

  1. Broaden the scope of international educational and cultural exchanges by providing a channel for the exchange of ideas and attitudes among students and young people in America and throughout the world;
  2. Make possible informal meetings among students, college and university personnel, and the general citizenry of participating countries;
  3. Facilitate the exchange of information and ideas about the educational systems of the countries involved;
  4. Reinforce the importance of dialogue as a preferred means for resolving international and intercultural differences;
  5. Maintain and enhance the ties between the National Communication Association and forensics organizations, forensics programs, and their sponsoring academic departments throughout the United States; and
  6. Provide opportunities to enhance an understanding and appreciation of the discipline of Communication both in other nations and in the United States.
  • John Koch (Vanderbilt University)
  • Michael K. Middleton (University of Utah)
  • Kenneth Newby (Morehouse College)
  • Aonuma Satoru (International Christian University, Japan)