Information
Debating The Union will continue to run Debating Workshops on a Wednesday from 7.15pm in the Chamber for the first four weeks of term. They will be taught by Cambridge's senior debaters and by guests amounting to the best British speakers of the last decade. Most of these workshops will link closely with the weekly main debate topic. These main debates will be moulded into the sorts of things that you can expect to find debated competitively around the country, so if you want a practice for the floor speech that you're dying to give on the Thursday, come to debate workshops on the Wednesday! We will also continue to have socials each week after workshops, culminating in our famous May Week Debates' Garden Party, so if you're looking to get involved more socially than competitively, Easter term debating is the one for you. Furthermore, in the run up to the summer, and into the vacation, we will be sending teams to high quality debating tournaments all over Europe. The Union is very generous with funding, so if you want to get involved with debating, and want to travel, then Easter really is the ideal time to start learning from some of the best debaters in the world, and also seeing why debating is such a fun activity. Alongside these opportunities, we will also be opening applications for convenors for the four debating competitions that Cambridge will be hosting in the coming academic year, two of which (Cambridge Schools and the International Competition for Young Debaters) are probably the largest Secondary level debating competitions in the world. This is a great opportunity to contribute to the Union, and make in some cases, a genuinely life changing impact on children all over the world, as you facilitate their voices being heard, and the development of their analytical skills. Roles range from being responsible for the smooth running of the whole competition, to smaller ones that oversee finance and logistics. It's a great way to build a CV, and to begin to get involved in the Union. Moreover, getting involved in this way is an excellent way to gain the sort of 'contribution points' that will give you amazing opportunities in the next academic year. Cambridge will once again be sending debaters on tour to both India and America, along with the Thailand and Greece for the World and European Championships. Not only are these trips some of the most fun you can have by getting involved in the Union, but especially for the tours you really don't have to be a world-champion to get involved, you just have to want to learn, speaker, and contribute to the world's oldest debating society. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesdays! If you want more information about debating email: debating@cus.org for more details and join 'Cambridge Debating' on Facebook. 64