▁which ▁was ▁the ▁ 4 0 th ▁edition ▁was ▁hosted ▁in ▁Ass umption ▁University . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Pre de cess or ▁Tourn aments ▁The ▁Trans - At l antic ▁University ▁Spe ech ▁Association ▁held ▁tournament s ▁in ▁London ▁( 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 8 ) ▁and ▁at ▁McG ill ▁University , ▁Montreal , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁Chicago ▁was ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁tournament ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁post pon ed ▁and ▁then ▁abandoned . ▁A ▁" World ▁Deb ating ▁Festival ", ▁spons ored ▁by ▁H oney well ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Sydney ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁The ▁T A USA ▁event ▁attract ed ▁mostly ▁Northern ▁Hem is phere ▁tournament s , ▁the ▁H oney well ▁was ▁largely ▁Southern ▁Hem is phere . ▁ ▁Format ▁ ▁The ▁championship ▁is ▁usually ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁days ▁following ▁the ▁ 2 5 th ▁of ▁December , ▁since ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁institutions ▁att ending ▁from ▁the ▁Northern ▁Hem is phere ▁where ▁the ▁championship ▁origin ated ▁take ▁vac ations ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁Although ▁many ▁countries ▁that ▁do ▁not ▁celebr ate ▁Christmas ▁have ▁become ▁participants ▁at ▁the ▁competition , ▁the ▁timing ▁has ▁remained ▁the ▁same . ▁In ▁most ▁recent ▁years , ▁the ▁nine ▁pre lim inary ▁r ounds ▁of ▁the ▁tournament ▁have ▁been ▁held ▁over ▁three ▁days ▁from ▁ 2 9 – 3 1 ▁December , ▁with ▁the ▁elim ination ▁r ounds ▁being ▁held ▁on ▁ 2 ▁January ▁and ▁the ▁Grand ▁Final ▁on