The winning Zimbabwe national high school moot team that made history and raised the country’s flag high after being crowned champions of the world at the International Moot Court competitions was yesterday honoured at a colorful ceremony in Harare.
The team, consisting of 9 girls and 2 boys, selected from four schools namely Arundel, Convent, Midlands Christian College and Peterhouse defeated 15 other teams including the United States of America to be crowned world champions.
Team Zimbabwe was participating for the first and were the only African country at the international competition.
Director of culture at Convent, Takawira Mapaya paid tribute to parents who made the practice possible and appealed to the corporate world to invest in the students.
“This achievement and success would not have been possible without the sacrifice of our dear parents who sometimes drove the team to weekend and sometimes evening practice. Your effort dear parents is not in vain. The path may be riddled with pain and odds against you, especially against the pocket and purse, but one day we shall celebrate again.
“I appeal to the corporate world to invest in the young men and women like these who represent a bright future for our nation. Recently, our Debaters failed to travel to the UK to participate in the Oxbridge Debate organised by the universities of Cambridge and Oxford due to financial constraints.
“Today, another chance has been availed as this team has already received invitation to participate physically in the European Moot Court as the first and only African country. Talk about People Making History! We call upon the corporate world to make history with us,” said Mapaya.
Benefactor of the annual Tinashe Tinarwo debate competition and chartered accountant Tinashe Tinarwo said the opportunity to represent the country prepared them to be future leaders.
“Giving them the opportunity to debate and beat the best in the world which only not instills confidence in them, it shows every young person in the country can do it they have the talent. Giving them the opportunity stand in front of the world and speak their mind it prepares them very well for the future, future leadership be it in commerce, industry and the public sector,” said Tinarwo.
