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.

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?

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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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Thursday 11th January 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber. Do we still treat the industry as somewhere you have a job rather than a career? Is hospitality promoted as a legitimate career or education path at school career fairs? Are those choosing to work in our industry respected? Proposition: RACHEL BELLIERE-WILSON Rachel is an inclusion educator, advocate and communicator, working with organisations to implement accessibility and DEI initiatives. Rachel is an Advisory Board member for Events Apprenticeships supporting the drive to bridge the resource gap and bring diverse talent into the industry, regardless of background, identity, age, disability. LINDSAY CONROY Lindsay has been a passionate advocate of apprenticeships throughout her 20 year career in the sector. Her journey, which began as an apprentice, led to Lindsay conducting a broad range of roles within independent learning providers, with her expertise in quality, curriculum, and employer solutions. In her current role, as a member of the UCAS leadership team, Lindsay is on a mission to bridge the gap between traditional undergraduate pathways and apprenticeships, as well as technical education. She is dedicated to establishing parity of choice and unlocking the full potential of apprenticeships as a valuable educational route. MARTIN FULLARD Martin Fullard is Director, News & Content at brand communications agency Davies Tanner, where he fronts The Business of Events, an independent Think Tank and platform for Policy, Advocacy, Content, and Engagement, which works to research and develop Government policy initiatives for the events industry. He was previously an industry journalist at Conference News and Exhibition News, where he also contributed to BBC News, LBC, CNN, and to a host of national and regional titles, advocating for the events sector. Opposition: KATE NICHOLS Kate was appointed CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, in April 2018, having previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the ALMR. After gaining a degree in English and a post-graduate diploma in competition law, Kate worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament before joining Whitbread as Government Relations Manager, starting her careers in hospitality in 1993. SALLY BECK At the helm since 2013, Sally is responsible for leading one of London’s largest independent and iconic hotels. Sally and her team are also passionate about giving back to the community and work tirelessly to ensure that the hotel’s commitment to social responsibility is first rate within the industry. They regularly support the homeless by sleeping on the streets of London and raising money for The West London Mission, they also help the isolated and lonely as well as working closely with The Clink Charity as well as Springboard and Hospitality Action. PETER HANCOCK Peter Hancock is a professional conference and awards host. Ambassador for: James Hallam (insurance), Independent Hotel Show (London) & Gold Service Scholarship. Recently appointed Chair of the Quality Advisory Board for VisitEngland and the AA. Chief Exec at Pride of Britain Hotels 2000-2021. Publishing Director at Johansens 1988-2000. A hotel general manager in his early career, starting as a waiter in the late 1970s. Winner of the Hotel Catey in 2021 for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Industry.' ............................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................ 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

Sabrina Paterski speaks in the Keynes Library at 5:30pm on Wednesday 24th January 2024 ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: XXXXXXXXXXXX ............................................................................................................................ Sabrina is a high energy theoretical physicist and advocate for women in STEM. Throughout her adolescent years in Chicago, she was fascinated by aerospace engineering, building and flying her own single-engine plane as a teenager, before switching to physics during her undergraduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She earned her PhD from Harvard University, wher her early work resulted in the discovery of the "spin memory effect," which may be used to detect or verify the net effects of gravitational waves. She went on to a PCTS Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University before joining the faculty of the Perimeter Institute. As the founder and principal investigator of Perimeter's Celestial Holography Initiative, she is leading a team of amplitudes, mathematical physics, and quantum gravity researchers to jointly tackle this problem of encoding our universe as a hologram, and serves as a deputy director of the newly formed Simons Collaboration on Celestial Holography. ............................................................................................................................ 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

The Rt Hon Ali Sabry speaks in the Debating Chamber at 5pm on Tuesday 23rd January 2024. ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: XXXXXXXXXXXX ............................................................................................................................ Mr. Ali Sabry was appointed as Minister of Justice of Sri Lanka. Upon taking office, The Minister's justice sector reform programme is currently in the process of amending and introducing over 100 laws. In 2021, Mr. Ali Sabry was invited to speak at an event at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in recognition of his efforts at reforming the Sri Lankan justice sector. Mr Sabry was appointed Finance minister in 2022. As the Finance Minister he headed the Sri Lankan delegation comprising of aficials from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Ministry o' Finance to Washington D.C. USA for key negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Mr Sabry is now the incumbent Minister fo Foreign Affairs. ............................................................................................................................ 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

Thursday 25th January 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber.

Following an intense atomic race between Nazi Germany and America, the Second World War ended in an atomic cloud of ash and glass.

Through the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan capitulated to America, and an intense atomic race kicked off between the Soviet Union and the United States. Yet millions did not die in a war between the USSR and the USA; despite a 40-year duel, the USSR dissolved without war. Fukyama's dream did not come true; however, history has not ended, and nuclear proliferation with a rising China, an unstable USA and a recalcitrant Russia, the thin balance between deterrence and annihilation is once again on show.

Are nuclear weapons preventing direct conflict between superpowers and saving us from the fate of those in the 1910s or 30s, or are we sleepwalking towards atomic annihilation?

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Proposition:

PROFESSOR HEW STRACHAN

Professor Hew Strachan is a noted military historian and scholar, as well as a fellow of the British Society and the British Academy. A long-time professor both at Oxford and now at St Andrew's, Professor Strachan's main work has concentrated on the First World War, but he has written on an extensive range of military historical subjects, including on the Napoleonic Wars and Waterloo.

PROFESSOR PAUL SCHULTE

Paul Schulte is a nonresident senior associate in the Carnegie Nuclear Policy Program and at Carnegie Europe, where his research focuses on the future of deterrence, nuclear strategy, nuclear nonproliferation, cyber security, and their political implications. He previously served as director of proliferation and arms control for the UK Ministry of Defence, and as UK commissioner on the UN commissions for Iraqi disarmament, UNSCOM and UNMOVIC.

TOM PATE

Tom Pate is a third year student readin History at King’s College. He is the Chairman of the Cambridge University Conservative Association for Lent Term. He won the right to speak through process of audition.

Opposition:

WARD WILSON

Ward Wilson is a Senior Fellow and director of the Rethinking Nuclear Weapons project at the British American Security Information Council (BASIC), a think tank focusing on nuclear disarmament. Mr Wilson has worked extensively with the United Nations to highlight risks of nuclear conflict, including through his book, Five Myths About Nuclear Weapons, which was published to widespread acclaim in 2013.

FLORIAN EBLENKAMP

Florian Eblenkamp is the advocacy officer for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a group that won the Noble Peace Prize in 2017. With an academic background in complex statistics, Mr Eblenkamp has worked throughout his life on campaigning for the abolition of nuclear weaponry, including advocacy at the European Commission.

REBECCA JOHNSON

Rebecca Johnson has been a lifelong campaigner against nuclear weapons. A member of the Greenham Common Camp which protested nuclear weapons in the 1980s, Ms Johnson has devoted her life to opposing nuclear weaponry, including by founding the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy and co-founding the International Campaign to Abolish nuclear weapons. She is also an author on the threats of nuclear weaponry.

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This debate took place on Thursday 18th January 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber.

The United Kingdom faces a bitter general election this year, 5 years after losses in working class areas doomed Labour to its worst result since 1935. Currently leading the polls is Labour, led by Keir Starmer, aggressively moderating the stance of the party and even suspending its former leader, Corbyn, has greatly improved the poll standing and is broadly tipped to win.

But this approach has not been without its consequences, with many accusing Labour of failing to represent workers on picket lines as NHS workers go on strike or abandoning its key ideological principles. Adding to these difficulties, working class voters, who the Tories carried by 15 points in 2019, may still be unpersuaded on key issues such as immigration.

With international surges for right wing parties among working class supporters from America to the Netherlands observed in recent year, can Labour still represent working class voters? Or has it sold out the working class for electability among the middle classes?

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Proposition:

MAYOR JAMIE DRISCOLL

Jamie Driscoll is the current Mayor of the North of Tyne. Born and raised in a military and NHS background, Mayor Driscoll was elected tothe North of Tyne Combined Authority Mayoral Authority by twelve points in 2019. Since then, he has been a staunch advocate for the left of the Labour Party, declaring a climate emergency when he took office in the North of Tyne.

In 2023, the Labour Party barred him from selection in the North East Mayoral Election; in response, Mayor Driscoll quit the Labour Party and is now running as an independent for the 2024 election.

MR ZACK POLANSKI

Mr Zack Polanski was elected Deputy Leader of the Green Party in 2022. He also sits as a Green Member of the London Assembly. Mr Zack Polanski is a lifelong advocate on climate change, having attended COP26 as a delegate, proposed and passed a Climate and Ecological Emergency motion for London and helped to block Gatwick's expansion. Mr Polanski is also a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

ISMAIL BENYAHIA

Ismail Benyahia is a student speaker that won the right to speak through process of audition.

Opposition:

LORD GRIFFITHS DE BURY PORT

Born in destitution in South Wales, Lord Grifiths was raised on benefits, gained degrees in English, Theology and History at Cardiff, Cambridge and SOAS. He also had a cameo career as an academic, fifty years a Methodist minister including President of the Methodist Conference. In addition to these many accomplishments, Lord Griffiths spent 10 years in Haiti as a broadcast and writer, and has sat for 20 years on the Labour benches in the House of Lords. He is also a delegate to the Council of Europe where he sits on its Migration Committee. He is married with three children.

SEBASTIAN TOPAN

Sebastian Topan is a student speaker that won the right to speak through process of audition.

IOANNIS SKORDIS

Ioannis Skordis is a student speaker that won the right to speak through process of audition.

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This panel event took place in the Keynes Library at 7:30pm on Friday 24th November 2023. Renowned author Hans Christian Anderson once wrote that when words fail, music speaks. This could not be more true today, with music being an avenue for important social and cultural commentary. This panel brings together some of the most critically acclaimed voices of Young Britain to examine the place of music and songwriting in contemporary Britain, and what it means to be an artist. From Alfie Templeman to Hope Tala and ENNY, these young artists are both the present and future of the British music scene ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: Reva Croft ............................................................................................................................ PANELISTS: Alfie Templeman Since releasing his debut single 'Like An Animal' in 2018, 20 year old Alfie Templeman has cemented his position as one of the most exciting artists of his generation. Entirely self-taught, he plays no less than eleven instruments, writing or co-writing all his own material. With over 350 million streams worldwide, Alfie's global appeal is growing every day. Hope Tala British-Jamaican storyteller and artist Hope Tala was born and raised in West London and first made waves with self-produced Soundcloud releases, beginning with 'Peace Freestyle' in 2016. Two singles on her third EP Girl Eats Sun (2020) have been featured on Barack Obama's renowned playlists, with the former opening the Gossip Girl reboot. ENNY BBC Sound of 2022 singer and rapper ENNY is a soulful, truth-talking lyricist of Nigerian heritage (London born and raised). Since her 2020 breakout single Peng Black Girls, she's graced the biggest global playlist covers. 'Pollen' (Spotify), racked up over 100m streams across her catalogue, and continued to become a mainstay presence across BBC Radio where she reached A-List at 1Xtra and B-List at Radio 1. ............................................................................................................................ 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

Tom Aikens speaks in the Keynes Library at 3:00pm on Friday 24th November 2023. ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: Flo Tawns ............................................................................................................................ Tom Aikens Born in 1970 in Norwich, England, Aiken's culinary journey has been marked by creativity, passion, and an unwavering commitment to redefining the boundaries of fine dining. His journey to culinary stardom reached its pinnacle when, at the young age of 26, he became the youngest chef in the United Kingdom to earn two Michelin stars for his eponymous restaurant, "Tom Aikens." Aiken's culinary style is characterized by a profound respect for ingredients and a penchant for blending traditional techniques with modern innovation. His commitment to sustainable and locally sourced produce has not only influenced his own kitchens but has also set a broader example for the industry. Beyond his restaurants, Tom Aiken has shared his culinary expertise through television appearances, cookbooks, and as a mentor to aspiring chefs. His dedication to the craft of cooking and his pursuit of culinary excellence have earned him accolades and admiration worldwide. ............................................................................................................................ 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

Caroline Calloway speaks in the Debating Chamber on Wednesday 22nd November 2023 at 8pm. ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: Flo Tawns ............................................................................................................................ Caroline Calloway rose to fame whilst studying History of Art at the University of Cambridge and became known as the ‘Gatsby of Cambridge’. She is the author of the 2023 best-selling and critically acclaimed memoir Scammer, the title of which references accusations of scamming she has received from critics and fans alike. ............................................................................................................................ 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

This Panel took place in the Debating Chamber at 7:00pm on Saturday 7th October. Many of Modi's supporters argue his focus on 'India first' has resulted in economic growth and prosperity since his election in 2014. Yet others accuse his government of stirring up ethnic and religious divisions, restraining press freedom, and increasing crackdowns on dissent. By bringing together the voices of activists and academics, we ask what the path forward looks like for the world's most populous democracy. ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: Flo Tawns ............................................................................................................................ Panelists: Aakashi Bhatt Dr Aakashi Bhatt is the daughter of Mr Sanjiv Bhatt, a highly decorated former Indian Police Service officer who is the sole surviving witness to Narendra Modi's complicity in orchestrating the 2002 Gujarat pogrom. Dr Bhatt has testified before members of parliament in Australia, the United States and the European Parliament. Professor Nitasha Kaul Professor Nitasha Kaul is a multidisciplinary academic, novelist, economist, poet, and public intellectual. She holds a Chair in Politics, International Relations, and Critical Interdisciplinary Studies and is the Director of Centre for the Study of Democracy (CSD), University of Westminster, London. Ashis Ray Ashis Ray is the longest serving Indian foreign correspondent. in 46 years he has worked for the BBC, CNN, the Ananda Bazar Group and The Times of India. He recently spent a year at St. Antony's College, Oxford as an academic visitor researching a decisive phase of the Indian freedom movement. He is the author of Laid to Rest: The Controversy over Subhas Chandra Bose's Death. ............................................................................................................................ 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

This Panel took place in the Keynes Library at 6:30pm on Wednesday 4th October. The 'Being Class Act in Cambridge' panel is an attempt to showcase the experiences of staff and students at the University and examine whether Cambridge's reputation as an institution for the select few rings true today. We invited our panellists to discuss their experiences being from a Class Act background, their time at Cambridge, and how they believe the 'Cambridge Experience' can become more inclusive & equitable. ............................................................................................................................ Panellists: Dr Sean Holden Dr Sean Holden is University Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Technology, and Fellow and Director of Studies in Computer Science at Trinity College. He was the first person in his family to attend University. Jezz Brown Jezz Brown is a Finalist HSPS student and Learning and Development Director at the 93% Foundation. Coming from a working-class background, Jezz is passionate about issues of class & social mobility and ensuring greater diversity and inclusion at the University of Cambridge and in broader society. Fatima Zahra Yusuf Fatima Zahra Yusuf is a Second Year student reading HSPS at Lucy Cavendish College. Passionate about feminism, climate change, and improving political literacy, she wants to ensure Cambridge is an enclusive environment for students from a Class Act background. ............................................................................................................................ 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

India WIlloughby speaks in the Keynes Library at 7:30pm on Monday 20th November, in aid of Trans Day of Remembrance. ............................................................................................................................ Thumbnail Photographer: Nordin Catic ............................................................................................................................ India Willoughby India Willoughby is a broadcaster and journalist, best-known for being the World's first transgender national ty newsreader - and ITV's first trans 'Loose Woman'. She's also been a housemate on Celebrity Big Brother - and appears on shows such as This Morning, Good Morning Britain and BBC Question Time. India is currently writing a book about her life. ............................................................................................................................ 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

Sandi Toksvig speaks in the debating chamber on Sunday 5th November at 7:30pm. ................................................................................................................ Sandi Toksvig, a much-loved radio and television presenter, began her comedy career whilst at Girton College, Cambridge where she found time to write and perform in the first all-woman show at the Footlights as well as achieve a first-class degree. Since playing Ethel in the long-running Saturday-morning show Number 73, her career has included celebrated series such as QI, The Great British Bake Off, The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge, and The News Quiz. Much of Sandi’s time is devoted to writing. Her work includes more than 20 fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. In 2019, she became president of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain. Sandi is an activist for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. She received an OBE in 2014 and in 2015 she co-founded Britain’s newest political party, the Women’s Equality Party.

Thumbnail Photographer: Nordin Catic

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