Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Stormy Daniels, and Ali Abdaal to speak at Cambridge Union

The Cambridge Union’s newly released Easter term card reveals that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was famously detained by the Iranian government, Stormy Daniels, a former pornographic actress was embroiled in a scandal with Donald Trump, and studytuber Ali Abdaal are among the speakers planned to appear at the Union this term.

Founder of MoneySavingExpert.com Martin Lewis, editor of The Spectator Fraser Nelson, and alternative singer Courtney Love are to speak at the Union as well. Headie One, Christian Horner, and Dr Alex George are also listed as speakers.

Among the speakers scheduled at the Union this year (clockwise from upper right): Dr Alex George, Headie One, Christian Horner, Fraser Nelson, and Courtney Love (image credits: Pippa Fowles / No10 Downing Street via Creative Commons, Mixtape Madness via Creative Commons, Victor Fraile via Creative Commons, Policy Exchange via Creative Commons, and Manfred Werner via Creative Commons)

The Union will “reflect on the state of the world” by inviting Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Vadym Prystaiko, organising a series of lectures on Ukraine, and debating whether “Russia is a distraction” from long-term geopolitical concerns.

Ukrainian Ambassador Vadim Prystaiko will speak at the Union in a series of events on the conflict and Russia’s future (image credits: MYKOLA LAZARENKO via Creative Commons and DimitroSevastopol via Creative Commons)

The Union will be holding three other debates before the exam period. Robert Buckland and Gina Miller will debate whether “bad laws deserve to the broken”, and the Costa Rican Ambassador Rafael Ortiz Fábrega, Vince Cable, and Dr Mia Rose-Craig will discuss whether “only socialism can save us”. The first debate this term will take place on Thursday (28/4) and will be on the motion, “This house believes that private schools are a force for good”. After exams, the finale debate at The Union will be on the motion, “This house would separate the art from the artist”, where Turner Prize winner Tai Shani, Terry Eagleton, and incumbent Union President Leti Ryder will speak.

Robert Buckland (left) and Gina Miller (right) will debate on laws and obedience (image credits: Richard Townshend via Creative Commons and Keith Edkins via Creative Commons)

The Union also plans to “cater to exam season” by organising socials such as dog therapy, life drawing, and a period production of Saint Joan that will take place in Week 3. The Union will round out this academic year with a Union Garden Party in the Sidney Sussex College gardens.

Union President Leti Ryder commented, “I am so proud of our term card and so grateful to all the Officers who put so much time into making it what it is. The debate line up is spectacular, tackling issues from the law breaking to climate change.

“Accessibility is at the centre of this term card, we have strived to make some concrete changes which will transform how accessible our premises are to all our members, as well as making huge efforts to diversify our Thursday night debates through our new and improved women’s and non-binary debating program.”

Image credits: Om285 via Creative Commons

Physical copies of the Union term card can be obtained this week. The first debate on the merit of private schools is “open to all”, “member or not”.

Feature image credits: Mr Zero Page on Wikimedia via this Creative Commons License, Glenn Francis on Wikimedia via this Creative Commons License, and author’s screenshot from Youtube channel Ali Abdaal.