Hello everyone,
We are pleased to share a recording of the Afghan Female Debate Team’s interview, following their first-round win at the Harvard Debate UKTOC International Tournament in January 2026. You can watch the interview here.
The interview, conducted by Anh La, features Tamana Wahidi and Humaira Baktash and was recorded on February 21, 2026. Its aim is to inspire Afghan girls and young women to participate in debate and to raise international awareness of their participation in prestigious global competitions. We believe that, given opportunity, they can stand alongside their peers worldwide and bring pride to Afghanistan.
Tamana and Humaira are Afghan high school students selected from 106 applicants in early December 2025. After nearly two months of training, they earned a first-round win at the tournament. Tamana also serves as the Student Ambassador representing the Afghan Female Debate Team in the ISDI (Harvard – UK Debate/TOC) Global Debate Project.
Anh La is the founder of Empowering Afghan Girls & Young Women through Public Forum debate, established in 2024 in cooperation with Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT). She has been invited to speak at multiple global events, including the John Locke Institute 2023 Global Essay Prize Gala Dinner and Conference, the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Forum 2025, and events in Nigeria (three occasions), Ghana (two occasions), Pakistan, and Vietnam.
We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Tripp Rebrovick, Debate Coach at Harvard College and Director of the Harvard Debate Council; Mr. Dave Arnett, Director of Debate at the University of Kentucky; and Mr. Gabriel Lewis, International Outreach Coordinator for Speech and Debate at the University of Kentucky, for their kind support.
Warm regards,
Empowering Afghan Girls & Young Women through Public Forum debate
(An initiative founded by Vietnam Public Forum Academy)
and Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT)