Frankly Speaking Debate Competition

A Benjamin Franklin House debate competition in collaboration with the US Embassy London and the DAR Walter Hines Page Chapter.

Benjamin Franklin exemplified Enlightenment beliefs like the primacy of reason and critical thought. In his role as a colonial agent, and later as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Franklin regularly had to advance his opinions in the face of challenge and criticism, which he did with careful argument and wit.

In that spirit, and to encourage tomorrow’s thinkers today, Benjamin Franklin House proudly holds the annual Frankly Speaking Debate Competition for upper secondary school students, in collaboration with the US Embassy London.

Frankly Speaking 2025 took place on Thursday 6th February 2025 at the United States Embassy, London. 

We run two debate competitions on the day. Our Junior Competition is for students in Years 10 and 11; our Senior Competition is for Years 12 and 13. All participants must be in the relevant year groups to participate in each respective competition. The winner of the Senior Competition joins students from across Europe and the United States at the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute for an all-expenses-paid summer school in the US.

2026 will be a very special year for the competition, as it will take place in the 250th year since the founding of the United States of America. We anticipate it will be our biggest competition to date!

Applications for the 2026 competition will open in Autumn, so keep an eye on our website for further updates.

If you would like to be notified when application open, please email education@benjaminfranklinhouse.org with the email subject ‘Frankly Speaking Email Notification’.

Applications must be completed by a staff member. If you are a student and wish to participate – please inform a member of staff at your school.

Frankly Speaking usually takes place in February and is hosted by the United States Embassy, London. 

The individual winner of the Year 10/11 category will receive a private tour of the Houses of Parliament. The individual winner of the Year 12/13 category will join students from across Europe and the United States for an all-expenses-paid Summer school at the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship Summer Institute.

Head over to our News & Blog page to read articles from previous competitions and see pictures from each event.

For information about the competition please contact our Education Manager.