Resolutions

Round 1
A. Japan should reimpose a complete arms export ban.
B. The United States federal government should end the Renewable Fuel Standard.
C. EU member states should substantially decrease their military spending.

Round 2 (Topic area: “Environmental policy in South East Asia”)
A. THBT Laos’s construction of hydroelectric dams does more harm than good.
B. The People’s Republic of China should fund the Kra land bridge.
C. Cambodia should ban the sale of carbon offset credits.

Round 3
A. THBT the US should end its doctrine of not negotiating with terrorists.
B. THBT The New York Times ought to condemn Israel for its actions in Palestine.
C. THBT it is in the best interest of developing nations to pursue economic ties with China.

Round 4
A. The United States federal government should end all of its arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
B. The United States federal government should implement a doctrine of mutually assured destruction in cyber warfare.
C. The United States federal government should recognize Somaliland as a sovereign nation.

Round 5
A. THBT elementary and middle schools in the United States should not give failing grades to students.
B. THBT high schools in the United States should de-emphasize college matriculation.
C. THBT US college rankings do more harm than good.

Round 6
A. THR the rise of “Instagram activism.”
Info Slide: Instagram activism refers to the use of social media platforms like Instagram as a tool for raising awareness about social, political, or environmental issues and advocating for change. It involves sharing photos, videos, stories, and captions related to various causes to engage followers and prompt them to take action, such as signing petitions, donating to charities, attending events, or participating in protests.
B. THR rainbow capitalism.
C. THP the 6-Color Pride Flag to the Progress Pride Flag as the dominant symbol of the LGBT+ community.

Doubles: Flight A
A. TH, not knowing what you would be famous for, would choose not to be famous.
B. THBT the US should abandon its goal of North Korean denuclearization.
C. TH, as Iran, would construct a nuclear weapon.

Doubles: Flight B
A. THW remove all statutes of limitation in the US.
B. Inheritance taxes ought to be substantially increased in the United States.
C. THW implement mandatory voting in the US.

Octafinals
A. THR the predominance of happy endings in modern fictional stories.
B. THP rights-based ethics to utilitarian ethics.
C. THR the rise of hustle culture.

Quarterfinals
A. Haiti should demand France pay it substantial reparations.
B. The United States federal government should pay at least a trillion USD in reparations to Latin American countries.
C. THBT African states should extend dual citizenship status to members of their diaspora, including the right to vote in elections and right of return.

Semifinals
A. The People’s Republic of China should substantially reduce the targeted capacity of its backup coal production system.
B. Egypt should open its borders to Palestinian refugees.
C. Electrochem Ghana should end its salt mining operations in Ghana.

Finals
A. THR the notion of “YOLO.”
Info Slide: "You Only Live Once" (YOLO) is a life philosophy that emphasizes living in the present moment and taking risks, often associated with seizing opportunities and pursuing one's desires without worrying excessively about the future consequences. It suggests making the most of life's experiences, embracing spontaneity, and prioritizing personal fulfillment over caution or long-term planning.
B. THW embrace mono no aware.
Info Slide: Mono no aware is a Japanese aesthetic that refers to the moving feeling that accompanies sensory experiences, and the knowledge that they are fundamentally transient. Specifically, mono no aware has been described as a sensitivity to beauty in bittersweet acknowledgement of its impermanence in a constantly changing world.
C. THP a society be organized around commons, rather than private property.
Info Slide: The commons refers to a structure of holding resources/land under a communal jurisdiction, with individual usage being governed by collective norms and values. The enclosure of the commons refers to a historical process by which land held in common was claimed as private property for the exclusive use of an owner