What is the Great Debate?

The Great Debate is a public speaking competition where students have 5 minutes to present their speech arguing their answer to the question.

The question for this year was: 
How does your local environment help us to understand national and global histories? 

Everyone lives somewhere, and how that somewhere has changed or remained the same tells a story. The physical landscape, buildings, people-based communities, wildlife and plant life, employment and industry are all elements that may contribute to a local environment, and those different components help to create a story of our societies and world. Those stories may go well beyond our own individual localities helping us to understand how our countries, nations and global communities have developed over time.

To answer the question above we would like students to focus on an aspect or group of elements from their local environment that can lead to a greater understanding of national or global history. How a student chooses to interpret the term ‘local environment’ can be small or wide, what we want to hear about is the way they have reached their conclusion to answer the question, the research and sources they have used and why they have chosen that topic to address the question.

Student resources shared with kind permission of The National Archives

Working with particular types of sources

Working with posters
Working with telegrams
Working with photographs
Working with cartoons

Study skills and guides for research and writing an EPQ

Spotlight video guides on a range of The National Archive collections

Why take part? 

The competition is an ideal opportunity for students to gain valuable experience in speaking to an audience and developing their debating skills, confidence and self-esteem. 

The winner and runners-up of the competition will receive a cash prize. All finalists will also receive free student membership of the Historical Association. 

• Read our 'Guidance for teachers' (PDF) to get an idea on how to introduce public speaking and the Great Debate to your students. 

• Watch our video on why you should take part: What is the Great Debate? 

Regional heats

Regional heats will be taking place across the UK. These will be confirmed and uploaded to a map below over the summer. 

Watch this year’s winning speeches

Great Debate 2026 - winners’ and finalists’ speeches

If you have any questions take a look at our FAQs or email greatdebate@history.org.uk