Dr. Anne Marie Todd has been selected to lead the National Communication Association’s Committee on International Discussion and Debate (CIDD) 2013 Japanese Debate Tour. The CIDD selects three individuals (a coach and two debaters) to travel to Japan for several weeks, hosted by the Japanese Debate Association, to engage in debate exchanges with Japanese high school students, college debaters and business professionals.

Dr. Todd will serve as the tour’s coach and present lectures on American debate and patriotism and global citizenship. The two debaters selected for the tour are Timothy Barr, a doctoral student in communication at the University of Pittsburgh and Shanna Schultz, debate coach at San Jacinto College–North in Texas. This tour will continue the rich tradition of US-Japan debate exchange that began in 1969, and support the goal of the CIDD to promote global understanding and the practice of international and intercultural communication through discussion and debates. Connect with the CIDD: https://www.facebook.com/CIDDtours. Follow the tour starting in May at: http://japandebate.tumblr.com/.