The Pendown Challenge is a premier debate competition organized by the Office of the GESA General Secretary in collaboration with the KNUST Debate Club. This year's edition brought together some of the most articulate and intellectually sharp minds from across the college.
The preliminary rounds, held from Tuesday, 11th March 2025, to Thursday, 13th March 2025, featured six teams (two from each faculty) vying for a place in the next stage. After a series of thought-provoking debates, four teams advanced to the semifinals.
The competition reached its peak on Friday, 14th March 2025, when the semifinals and grand finale took place at NEB-GF. With tensions high and arguments meticulously crafted, two teams battled in the final showdown for the ultimate prize.
The motion for the finals was “Wakanda is a hidden civilization that has made considerable futuristic advances in both medicine and weaponry showing a great amount of advancement compared to the world. However, Wakanda's foreign policy has been very secretive regarding its technology, keeping its use away from the rest of the world. Their justification has been that the potential risk of its applications for negative or warlike purposes do not align with their pacifist cultural inclinations.
MOTION: “Wakanda should open up to the world”
"Wakanda Should Open Up to the World" is deeply connected to engineering through its focus on ethical responsibility, technology transfer, global collaboration, risk management, and sustainable development. Engineers often face ethical dilemmas regarding the use and dissemination of technology. Wakanda's situation mirrors real-world scenarios where advanced technologies (e.g., AI, biotechnology, weapons) must be managed responsibly to prevent misuse.
Wakanda's decision to open up would require careful planning to ensure its technology is transferred safely and effectively, considering factors like intellectual property, security, and global impact. The motion challenges participants to consider the ethical implications of sharing advanced technology with the global community and how to balance the benefits of technological sharing with the potential risks. These are critical considerations for engineers when developing and deploying new technologies.
After an intense and riveting debate, Team 1 from the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering emerged champions, proving their mastery of logic, persuasion, and critical thinking.
The Pendown Challenge 2025 was a fantastic experience.
