This photo gallery features images of the Festival of Politics 2008
Pictures from Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
| Day 4
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| Speaking at the Who Pays the Piper? - Funding Scottish Culture event, which examined existing mechanisms for supporting the arts and creative industries in Scotland, Dave Francis, the musician behind the Sex and the City soundtrack hit Auld Lang Syne, said: "Trust and freedom are key to funding the arts in Scotland." |
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In one of the first sessions of Festival of Politics 2008, Kate Allen, pictured left, director of Amnesty International UK, outlined new research highlighting the extent of people-trafficking into Scotland. She was joined by the chief executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, John Wilkes, standing, Ann Hamilton from the TARA project in Glasgow, and Hugh O'Donnell MSP, representing the Cross Party Groups on Human Rights and Civil Liberties, and Asylum Seekers and Refugees.
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| At the Pathways to Peace session, campaigners Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Mairéad Corrigan-Maguire, shared their experiences of how conflict can be transformed into peace, and how we might work to end violence in the new millennium. Speaking at the session, Arun quoted his grandfather: "I am willing to die – but there is no cause for which I'm willing to kill." |
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The Pathways to Peace session is one of four within the Festival being interpreted as standard into British Sign Language. The other events with BSL interpretation are Denis Healey, Douglas Hurd and Iraq – War on Terror or Conflict without End? This year the Festival is also providing the services of an electronic notetaker for three sessions. The sessions are Denis Healey, Douglas Hurd and No Time to Retire - Stories from Older Carers. |
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At the Law Unto Itself? debate, audience members voted according to their views on whether they thought there was too much or too little law ("too much" was the general conclusion); whether the law was for the public good or political expediency (the majority thought public good); and finally whether the law was a principled framework or reactive patchwork.
Michael Clancy, director of Law Reform, and Ian Smart from the Law Society reluctantly counted the votes to conclude it was the latter! |
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The role of international politics in the American presidential race came under scrutiny in the Setting The President session. Philip Davies, Professor of American Studies at De Montfort University, was joined by Miki Bowman, chairman of Republicans Abroad, and Bill Barnard, chairman of Democrats Abroad, to discuss the implications a presidential change would have for the US and the rest of the world. Mr Barnard said: "Any change in American foreign politics in the future isn't going to be as great as the critics of Bush would like or as great as those who fear change are apprehensive about."
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| In the last session of the first day of the Festival of Politics, actor Simon Callow, pictured with Deputy Presiding Officer Trish Godman, shared his personal experience of Britain's changing attitudes to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people. |
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Callow said: "There has been an unprecedented change in people's attitudes. I have lived through post-war changes and the changes in the law have been miraculous. I am immensely hopeful that remaining prejudice will fade away. The more people get to know gay people, the less prejudice will survive." |
2007 Gallery | More pictures from 2007 Festival | 2007 Open Day gallery
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