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The Cambridge Union is the oldest debating society in the world, as well as the largest student society in Cambridge. It remains one of the highest-ranking competitive debating chambers worldwide, and hosts a range of speakers and topical debates each term. Since 1815 the Union has been committed to the principles of free speech and of fair, open, and honest debate. Founded at a time when the university authorities attempted to restrict these freedoms, the Union remains the centre of controversial and serious debate within the University of Cambridge.

  1. 03/13/2024

    Oleksandra Matviichuk | Cambridge Union

    Oleksandra Matviichuk speaks in the Debating Chamber at 6:00pm on Friday 2nd February 2024. OLEKSANDRA MATVIICHUK Nobel Prize Winning Lawyer Named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women in the World by the Financial Times, Oleksandra Matviichuk is a renowned Ukrainian human rights lawyer leading the Center for Civil Liberties in Kyiv. In 2022, Oleksandra and her team were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - the first Ukrainian citizens ever to receive any Nobel Prize. The Center for Civil Liberties has been defending human rights since 2007. Their work has included documenting cases of unlawful imprisonment in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics and war crimes against civilian populations perpetrated by Russian soldiers in the occupied areas of Ukraine. Ms Matviichuk will deliver a lecture on human rights at the Cambridge Union at 5:30 pm on February 2, 2024. Marking the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion and the tenth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, Ms Matvichuk will speak on Ukraine and the defence of human rights in the 21st century. The lecture will be open to everyone and will be followed by a Q&A session.  This event was organised by Cambridge Ukrainian Studies and Centre for Geopolitics, with the support of the Cambridge Union and Cambridge University Ukrainian Society.

    1h 31m

  2. 03/10/2024

    This House Believes In A United States of Europe | Cambridge Union

    Thusday 22th February 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber.   The vision of a United Europe has long been a dream of visionary philosophers and thinkers, from Leibniz to Lafayette. Successive empires seemed close to uniting Europe- Napoleon chief among them- before they crumbled into oblivion.   It was only after the carnage of the World Wars that such a dream could move closer to reality with the foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, followed by the European Economic Community in 1957 and the European Union in 1993.   Now trade flows in a free single market and people and goods can move across, with some 27 member states representing some 450 million people. But is ever-closer union, and a European superstate, achievable or desirable?   ............................................................................................................................   Thumbnail Photographer: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX   ............................................................................................................................   Proposition:   PROFESSOR MARTA LORIMER   Marta Lorimer is a LSE Fellow in European Politics. Prior to joining the European Institute, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Exeter.   Her upcoming book, Europe as Ideological Resource: European Integration and Far Right Legitimation in France and Italy, presents a novel argument that rather than providing as a liberal bulwark against the far right, European integration has helped normalise and spread these ideas.   FRANCESCA ROMANA D’ANTUONO   Francesca Romana D'Antuono is co-president of Volt Europa, the first party to be founded specifically as a pan-European party to push for European integration. The party has seats from Bulgaria to the Netherlands, Ms D'Antuono has been a particularly vocal activist for European integration and the formation of a workable European army. Outside of politics, she is an author and has been a notable critic of gender biases in the medical sector.   BRENDAN DONNELLY   Brendan Donnelly is a former MEP and founder of the Rejoin EU Party, a party that seeks to pressure for the UK to re-join the European Union. He was elected as an MEP for the Conservative Party in 1994, before quitting the party due to increasing euroscepticism within the party. Most recently he stood for election to the London Assembly and in the Chesham and Amersham by-election and continues to be a fierce advocate for Britain's participation within Europe.   JULIE WARD   Julie Ward served as a Labour MEP for NW England from 2014 to 2020. She was a member of various European Parliament's Committees including on the economy and women's rights. She was also a member of the delegation for relations with Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo. Prior to being elected Julie worked in the creative and cultural industries and returned to this field subsequent to Brexit.     Opposition:   DAMSITH WIMALASENA   Damsith is a second year student from Lucy Cavendish reading Land Economy. He won the right to speak through open audition.   PROFESSOR JAN ZIELONKA   Jan is a Professor at the University of Oxford and at the University of Venice, Ca Foscari. Zielonka has produced eighteen books, including Counter-revolution.   ANNE JENSDATTER   Anne is a first year student from St. Edmund’s reading History & Politics. She is vice president of the Nordic Youth Council. She won the right to speak through open audition.

    1h 10m

  3. 03/06/2024

    Vuk Jeremic | Cambridge Union

    Vuk Jeremic speaks in the Debating Chamber at 6pm on Wednesday 31st January 2024. VUK JEREMIK Serbian Former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic is the President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD), a global public policy think-tank, and Editor-in-Chief of the quarterly magazine Horizons - Journal of International Relations and Sustainable Development. Mr. Jeremic was directly elected by the majority of world's nations to be the President of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in the first contested vote since the end of the Cold War.  During his term in office, he played a leading role in steering the UN towards the establishment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As President of the General Assembly, he facilitated the adoption of the breakthrough Arms Trade Treaty, the first legally-binding instrument in UN history to establish common standards for international transfer of conventional armaments.  Mr. Jeremic initiated several high-level thematic debates in the UN on a range of critical issues. Mr. Jeremié served as Serbia's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2012. During his tenure, he paid official visits to over 100 countries, and addressed numerous international summits and conferences.  In 2011 and 2012, Mr. Jeremic led Serbia's successful campaign for the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) for the year 2015.

    1h 2m

  4. 03/03/2024

    This House Would Be A Free Speech Absolutist | Cambridge Union

    Thursday 15th February 2024 aat 8pm in the Debating Chamber. This week’s debate will be led by all student speakers, meaning greater opportunity to make your voice heard. It should be a really engaging and lively debate!Freedom of speech and expression, especially on campus, has not ceased to be a hot button topic this decade. The line between hate speech, incitement to violence and legitimate exercise of our democratic rights to express ourselves has been a subject of consternation and bitter protest. Some believe that campus radicals have put freedom of speech under profound crisis, choosing to prioritise the lessening of offence, and that only a full-throated embrace of free speech can save our democracy. Others argue that a buccaneering approach, termed “free speech absolutism” by Elon Must as he loosened moderation restraints on Twitter, is merely a one way track to a morass of disinformation, discrimination and dereliction of democracy. In an era where we have roved to pamphlets to millions of pieces of information on our phones, do we need to fight back against wannabe censors and embrace free speech unequivocally, or is it a carte blanche for discrimination and hate speech?

    1h 5m

  5. 02/28/2024

    The Victims & Aftermath of Partition & Colonialism Internationally | Cambridge Union

    THE VICTIMS & AFTERMATH OF PARTITION & COLONIALISM INTERNATIONALLY Partition and the impacts of colonialism have deeply affected numerous countries, often marked with conflict and political division. This panel brings together international speakers from a range of backgrounds to speak on this issue and the victims of partition and colonialism and aims to highlight the commonalities of their experiences. VIKRAM DORAISWAMI Vikram Doraiswami has been India's High Commissioner to the LK since September 2022 and was previously High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh.  He has spent over 30 years in the Indian Foreign Service, with foreign assignments in New York (at the Indian Mission to the UN), and Johannesburg in South Africa, where he was India's Consul General.  In India, he has served in the Prime Minister's Office, including as Private Secretary to the Indian Prime Minister. DE HUMERA IQBAL Dr Humera Iqbal is Associate Professor of Social and Cultural Psychology at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, University College London.  She uses arts and fim based methods in her research and is Principal Investigator of the international AHRC funded study *Partition of Identity: An exploration of Belonging in Bengalis in Pakistan, 1971-present! IAN JEFFERS Ian Jeffers has recently been appointed as the CEOof the all Ireland peace and reconciliation charity. Co-operation Ireland, which has worked across Ireland for 45 years to engage marginalised communities in peace building work. He has previously worked as Deputy Chief Executive of The Princes Trust and Commissioner for Victims and Survivors of the conflict in Northern Ireland and has worked with victims from all sides. PROFESSOR PETE SHIRLOW Professor Peter Shirlow is the Dirchor at the University of Liverpool's Institute of Irish Seudies. Me was formerly the Deputy Director of the Institute for Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen's University Belfast. He is the Independent Chair of the OFMDEM Employers Guidance on Recruiting People with Conflict-Related Convictions Working Group and has undertaken conflict transformation work in Northern Ireland. CHRISTOS KARAOLIS Christopher Karaolis is President of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, which has 80 member organisations and represents the community to the governments of the UK and Cyprus. He is also a member of the President of Cyprus' 'Overseas Cypriots Advisory Committee

    1h 11m

  6. 02/25/2024

    This House Believes Satire Is The Most Revolutionary Form of Art | Cambridge Union

    This Debate took place on Monday 12th February 2024 at 8pm in the Debating Chamber. From Have I got News for You to Private Eye to Saturday Night Live, political satire has enjoyed something of a renaissance. Since the grotesque portrayals of the loth century pioneered by Gilray and images that floated on the streets of Paris, Satire has often be an instrument of political subversion and dissent. But is there perhaps another side to this?   Many satirical programmes, and comedic appearances, have been used to humanise politicians, such as Boris Johnson and Trump, and propel their careers. And in an era of increasingly outrageous behaviour from our politicians and truth sometimes stranger than fiction, satirical programmes have struggled to keep up; the new spitting image was a shadow of the programme that terrified the politicians of Thatcher's era. Is there still a role for revolutionary political satire? Or has it completely lost its saliency? This debate is done in conjunction with the art show being held at the Union this week.   ............................................................................................................................   Thumbnail Photographer: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX   ............................................................................................................................ Proposition:   KATHRYN LAMB   Kathryn Lamb is a cartoonist and satirist. She has been published in Private Eye since 1979, and has illustrated many of its famous sections, including Pseud's Corner, a feature that makes fun of the pompous and the pretentious.   Kathryn Lamb has illustrated a variety of books, ranging from Spike Milligan's poetry in 'Condensed Animals' to a series of Arab proverb books. Most recently in 2021 she illustrated 'The Authority Gap' by Mary Ann Sieghart. She is an active member of the Professional Cartoonists Organisation and has recently donated two drawings for their fundraising effort in aid of refugee children.   EWAN WOODS   Ewan is a third-year student reading HSPS at Corpus Christi College. Ewan is the Speakers-Elect for the Conservative Association. He won the right to speak through an open audition. Opposition:   JOSHUA SHORTMAN   Joshua is a third-year student reading HSPS at Gonville & Caius College. Joshua is a former head of Caius Politics Society. He won the right to speak through an open audition.   MORGAN DUVAL RICHARDS   Morgan is a PhD student reading Law at Gonville & Caius College. He was called to the bar at Inner Temple in 2022 and is President of the Metal and Punk Society. He won the right to speak through open audition.   ............................................................................................................................   SUBSCRIBE for more speakers: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClOuePXlJnw8-br7SXiuHqg   ............................................................................................................................   Connect with us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCambridgeUnion Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambridgeunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambridgeunion LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cambridge-union-society

    43 min

  7. 02/18/2024

    This House Believes The Global Economy Is Still An Imperial One | Cambridge Union

    This debate took place on Thursday 8th February 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber.   From the 17th Century to the 20th Century, global economic systems were often forged from imperialistic structures- in its first wave, the exploitation of the Americas and the expansion of slavery, and in the second wave, the vast scramble for African and Asian territory for resources and markets.   In the aftermath of the Second World War, empires crumbled, and in its place, a new set of "Bretton Woods" institutions, including the World Bank and the IMF, designed to create a new set of rules for the global economy. But with allegations such vast international loans are leveraged to undermine national sovereignty, and as geopolitical tension hots up, are we still in a fundamentally imperial era? Or are we not giving the vast improvements in the standards of living, life and welfare in the developing world enabled by free trade enough credit?   ............................................................................................................................   Thumbnail Photographer: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX   ............................................................................................................................   Proposition:   PROFESSOR ROBERT WADE   Robert us a New Zealander, educated in Washington DC, New Zealand and Sussex University. He is the author of several books, including Irrigation and Politics in South Korea.   DR CHANDNI DWARKASING   Chandni Dwarkasing is a Lecturer in Economics at SOAS University of London. Her work is focused on environmental economics and carbon footprints, but she takes a keen interest in the intersection between environmental politics and the interactions between the global north and south. This is especially the case with her works on Just Transition models and environmental justice.   KARTIK SAWHNEY   Kartik is a first year MPhil student, reading History at Jesus College. He won the right to speak through process of audition.     Opposition:       MARTA FORESTI   Marta is the founder of the social enterprise LAGO, a community working together to find solutions to global challenges, including the political economy of development and reform.   PROFESSOR JONATHAN HASKEL CBE   Professor Jonathan Haskel is a professor of economics at Imperial College London and an External member of the Monetary Policy Committee for the Bank of England. In this role, Jonathan has served from 2018 to 2024 witnessing the global financial effects of COVID-19 and the subsequent surge in inflation and interest rates. In his other pursuits, he has worked for the UK Statistics Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority.   PROFESSOR MEREDITH CROWLEY   Professor Meredith Crowley is a Professor of Economics at St John's College, Cambridge. She specialises in analysing and discussing systems of international trade, especially on the recent trade war between China and the United States and the risks of global tension on trade systems.   ............................................................................................................................   SUBSCRIBE for more speakers: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClOuePXlJnw8-br7SXiuHqg   ............................................................................................................................   Connect with us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCambridgeUnion Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambridgeunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambridgeunion LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cambridge-union-society

    1h 13m

  8. 02/11/2024

    This House Believes You Can Put A Number On Human Life | Cambridge Union

    This debate took place on Thursday 1st February 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber.   As modelling and technological capacity improves, an old problem on morality is rearing its head, especially as we all were confronted with the grim graphs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Is morality and human life calculable, a hedonic calculus of pleasure or pain, and can we theoretically get there?   New movements, such as the Effective Altruism Movement, are strongly arguing yes, arguing for a revolutionary new approach to modelling where all impacts can be measured, fulfilling the vision of Bentham and allowing us to more precisely target policy and charity. Others strongly propound that they are chasing the impossible, and that such an attitude can result in dangerous policy making decisions that put the will of the majority over the needs of the minority.   ............................................................................................................................   Thumbnail Photographer: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX   ............................................................................................................................   Proposition:   JAMES LESTER   James is the head of the Cambridge Effective Altruism Society. He is a third-year student studying Economics at Emmanuel College. He won the right to speak through process of audition.   NAVYA KUMAR   Navya is a third-year student reading Economics at Homerton College. She won the right to speak through process of audition   SABRINA LEHMANN   Sabrina is completing an MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise at Newnham College. She won the right to speak through process of audition.       Opposition:       MARK FABIAN   Mark Fabian is an assistant professor of public policy at the University of Warwick in the department of politics and international studies (PAIS) and an affiliate researcher at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at Cambridge University. His work, especially A Theory of Subjective Wellbeing, seeks to define what wellbeing is and how it can be measured, and how to factor in the role of lived experience in these decisions.   PROFESSOR ALICE CRARY   Alice Crary is a Professor of Philosophy and also Visiting Fellow at Regent's Park College, University of Oxford. Professor Crary is a distinguished novelist and scholar on ethics, Wittgenstein as well as on animal rights and ethics; her publications include Inside Ethics and Animal Crisis: A New Critical Theory.   PROFESSOR NICHOLAS MCBRIDE   Professor Nicholas McBride is the Director of Studies for Law at Pembroke College, Cambridge, as well as a life fellow of All Soul's College in Oxford. In his legal work, Professor McBride has taken a particular interest in legal philosophy, especially through his book Great Debates in Jursiprudence. ............................................................................................................................   SUBSCRIBE for more speakers: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClOuePXlJnw8-br7SXiuHqg   ............................................................................................................................   Connect with us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCambridgeUnion Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambridgeunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambridgeunion LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cambridge-union-society

    1h 1m
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About

The Cambridge Union is the oldest debating society in the world, as well as the largest student society in Cambridge. It remains one of the highest-ranking competitive debating chambers worldwide, and hosts a range of speakers and topical debates each term. Since 1815 the Union has been committed to the principles of free speech and of fair, open, and honest debate. Founded at a time when the university authorities attempted to restrict these freedoms, the Union remains the centre of controversial and serious debate within the University of Cambridge.

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