Mary Kenny has extensive experience as a traditional storyteller with people of all ages and abilities, and is an established member of the Scottish Storytelling Directory. A visual artist and sculptor for 30 years, Mary’s studio ‘little art house’ is in the grounds of Traquair House. Originally from the Midlands, the Borders have been her Home for many years.

Kindly supported by Lyon & Turnbull.

Alice Strang focus on British, particularly Scottish, art from approximately 1900 to 1975, with a special interest in women artists. She has over twenty-five years’ experience as a national gallery senior curator and as an international auction house specialist.

She has been responsible for many major exhibitions, accompanied by publications, including those on modern Scottish women painters and sculptors, the Scottish Colourists F. C. B. Cadell, S. J. Peploe and J. D. Fergusson, 20th-century Scottish Art and modern British art.

Alice is also a BBC Expert Woman and a Saltire Society Outstanding Woman of Scotland.

Flora Fraser DBE, also known as Lady Antonia Fraser, is a renowned British author, historian, and biographer. She has written extensively on historical subjects and is particularly known for her biographies of notable figures from British history. Flora Fraser began her writing career in the 1960s. She initially focused on writing historical non-fiction, often exploring the lives and events of significant figures from British history. Fraser’s meticulous research and engaging narrative style have made her biographies highly regarded.

Some of her notable works include:

“Mary, Queen of Scots” (1969), “The Gunpowder Plot: Terror and Faith in 1605” (1996), “Marie Antoinette: The Journey” (2001), “The Warrior Queens: Boadicea’s Chariot” (1988) and her most recent novel “Pretty Young Rebel: the Life of Flora MacDonald” (2023).  For her contributions to historical writing, Flora Fraser has received several honors. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2018 for her services to literature. This prestigious title reflects her significant achievements and contributions to the field of historical biography. Flora Fraser’s biographies continue to be widely read and appreciated for their scholarly rigor and engaging storytelling.

Jim Naughtie FRSE is a British radio and news presenter for the BBC. He began his career as a journalist at the Aberdeen Press and Journal before moving to the London offices of The Scotsman. He became its Chief Political Correspondent before working for The Washington Post and The Guardian. Mr Naughtie later moved into radio presenting and has anchored every BBC Radio UK election results programme since 1997, and worked on every US presidential election since 1988. He has been the main presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and his radio presenting has earned him two Sony Radio Awards: Radio Personality of the Year in 1991 and Voice of the Listener and Viewer Award in 2001. That same year, Mr Naughtie received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sterling and was appointed as its chancellor in 2008. He retired from regular presenting duties in 2016 and is currently the BBC’s Special Correspondent responsible for charting UK constitutional reform, as well as the BBC news’ Book Editor.

Graham Cundy OBE QCB

Graham served 25 years in the Royal Marines, twenty of which as a senior Special Forces officer providing specialist National Security advice. He Commanded the SBS between 2007 -2009 and is notable for leading the Western intervention in Afghanistan in support of the Northern Alliance immediately after 911.Graham is currently a senior British Civil Servant and was directly appointed by Michael Gove MP, the Secretary of State, the Department for Leveling Up Housing and Communities, as the Director of the Recovery Strategy Unit to pursue and prosecute those connected to the fire safety housing scandal in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy.He has recently been asked to establish a Delivery Unit within the Department to cut through obstacles to implement outcomes as part of the Government Levelling Up agenda.Before his recent appointments, he had over a decade of commercial experience. He was the CEO of Oxford Research and Analysis, an international consultancy specialising in strategic advice on cross multi- jurisdictional issues and frontier markets.Graham is a member of the international think tank, the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). He remains actively involved in foreign affairs and security sector reform and the utility of force.

Lindsey Hilsum is an award-winning journalist with a wealth of experience reporting from some of the most devastating conflicts around the world. She was at the forefront of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, in Belgrade for the 1999 NATO bombing, and in 1994 was the only English-speaking correspondent in Rwanda when the genocide began. In recent years she has covered the conflict in Syria and Ukraine and in 2017 received the Patron’s Medal from the Royal Geographical Society. Her highly praised publication ‘Sandstorm: Libya from Gaddafi to Revolution’ was nominated in 2012 for the Guardian First Book Award and she has recently published a biography, ‘In Extremis – The Life and Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin’. Ms Hilsum is currently the International Editor at Channel 4 News and is a regular contributor to The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Guardian, The New Statesman and Granta.

Allan Little is an award-winning Scottish journalist and presenter who has reported from more than 80 countries including a variety of war zones, revolutions and natural disasters. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Mr Little joined BBC Scotland as a news and current affairs researcher before moving to London to train as a radio reporter. He specialised in foreign reporting for BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, including accounts from the revolutions of 1989 across Eastern Europe. He then worked as a reporter for BBC News, reporting from hostile environments such as the 1991 Gulf War, Kuwait, former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Rwanda and Zaire. Mr Little also worked as the BBC Moscow correspondent and reported on the 1995 Afghanistan earthquakes before becoming the BBC’s Africa and later, Paris correspondent. He has won several awards, including three Gold Sony Radio Academy Awards for Reporter of the Year, the Bayeux War Correspondent of the Year, and in 2012 he won both the Thomas Reuters prize for Reporting Europe for his Radio 4 documentary, Europe’s Choice and the Charles Wheeler Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcast Journalism. Mr Little left the BBC in 2014 and today chairs the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Barbara Dickson is a multi million selling recording artist. She was born in Scotland, and was scouted by RSO Records when performing in a Beatle’s musical in London’s West End. She sang on the original cast recording of ‘Evita’ the musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Weber, and was awarded the ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ award from the Scoeity of West End Theatres for her role in ‘Blood Brothers’. Her ‘All For a Song’ album in 1982 was cetified platinum and spent almost a year on the album chart. She was awarded an OBE from Her Majesty the Queen in 2002 for Services to Music and Drana, She has also presented several radio series for BBC Radio Scotland and had major roles on TV. She remains one of Scotland’s biggest-selling female singers of all time.

Derek Goldman, is Artistic and Executive Director and co-Founder of the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University in Washington DC, with the mission to harness the power of performance to humanise global politics.  He is Chair of Georgetown University’s Department of Performing Arts and Director of the Theater & Performance Studies Program as well as Professor of Culture, Politics & Global Performance in GU’s School of Foreign Service.  He is an award-winning stage director, playwright/adapter, scholar, producer, and developer of new work, whose work has been seen throughout the US, off-Broadway, and internationally at leading venues such as Shakespeare Theater Company, Steppenwolf, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Baltimore CenterStage, Folger, Ford’s Theater, Chicago Shakespeare, and many others. He co-wrote and directed the award-winning play Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski starring Oscar-Nominated actor David Strathairn as the Polish Holocaust witness. The play is touring internationally to leading venues and will premiere Off-Broadway in New York in the Fall. The film version of Remember This is also premiering at leading festivals this summer.  Goldman is the author of more than 30 professionally produced plays and adaptations, including work published by Samuel French, and he has directed over 100 productions. His engagement with global performance in recent years has taken his work to Sudan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, China, Poland, South Africa, Australia, Peru, Japan, Bulgaria, Armenia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, France, and throughout the UK, among other places. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Theatre Communications Group (TCG); Vice-President of UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute, and Founding Director of the Global Network of Higher Education in the Performing Arts. He holds a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and he received the President’s Award for Distinguished Scholar-Teachers at Georgetown and the Provost’s Award for Innovation in Teaching for his work as creator of In Your Shoes, an internationally recognised groundbreaking model for using performance to counter polarisation and to engage challenging conversations across difference through theatrical techniques and deep, respectful listening.

Lang studied at the University of Bristol, where she earned a degree in Drama and English. After completing her education, she embarked on a career in journalism. Lang’s career in broadcasting took off when she joined the BBC World Service as a producer and reporter, covering various international events and issues. She later became a presenter for the BBC World Service arts and culture program, showcasing her passion for the arts.

Kirsty Lang is best known for her work on BBC Radio 4, where she presented and co-presented several programs. One of her notable contributions was as a co-presenter of “Front Row,” a daily radio arts and culture magazine show that featured interviews with prominent figures from the creative world.

Throughout her career, Lang has interviewed numerous artists, authors, actors, and musicians, providing insights into their work and creative processes. Her in-depth knowledge of the arts and her engaging interviewing style have made her a respected figure in the broadcasting industry.

David Strathairn, is an American actor known for his versatile performances in film, television, and stage.  has appeared in numerous acclaimed films throughout his career and has collaborated with renowned directors and actors. Some of his notable film roles include Edward R. Murrow in “Good Night, and Good Luck” (2005), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, as well as supporting roles in “L.A. Confidential” (1997), “The River Wild” (1994), “Dolores Claiborne” (1995), “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007), “Lincoln” (2012), and “Darkest Hour” (2017), among others. In addition to his film work, Strathairn has appeared in several television series. He portrayed Dr. Lee Rosen in the series “Alphas” (2011-2012) and also had guest roles in shows like “The Sopranos,” “House,” “The Blacklist,” and “Billions,” to name a few. David Strathairn has also been involved in stage productions, including performances on Broadway and in regional theatre. He is known for his work with the renowned theatre director Joseph Chaikin and his involvement in experimental theatre.

Monica McWilliams is a Professor of Women’s Studies based in the Transnational Justice Institute at Ulster University in Northern Ireland. She currently serves on a three-person panel established by the Northern Ireland government to make recommendations on the disbandment of parliamentary organisations in Northern Ireland. During the Northern Ireland peace process, Prof. McWilliams co-founded the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition political party and was elected as a delegate to the Multi-Party Peace Negotiations (1996-1998). She was also elected to serve as a member of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly (1998-2003). She is a signatory of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and chaired the implementation Committee on Human Rights on behalf of the British and Irish governments. She was the Oversight Commissioner for prison reform in Northern Ireland (2011-2015) and the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (2005-2011). As Chief Commissioner, she delivered the advice on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland to the UK government as mandated by the peace agreement. Prof. McWilliams received, with other party leaders, the John F. Kennedy Leadership and Courage Award for her role in delivering the peace agreement in Northern Ireland.

Nicola Sturgeon MSP, is the former First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (2014-2023). She is also the Member of Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Southside. Formerly a graduate of Law from the University of Glasgow, she originally worked as a solicitor. Having already become a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, she was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 and served as the SNP’s shadow minister for education, health and justice. Since then, she has held multiple positions within the party serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, deputy leader of the party and Deputy First Minister of Scotland before becoming First Minister. She has won several awards including both the title of Scottish Politician of the Year and the Donald Dewar Debater of the Year Award.

Dina Nayeri is an acclaimed author and faculty member at the University of St. Andrews. Born in Iran and raised in the United States. Nayeri’s work explores immigrant experience and the complexities of identity. Throughout her career, she has been a recipient of the Geschwister Scholl Preis (2020) and  finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Kirkus Price, and the Elle Grand Prix des Lectrices. Her works include A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea (2014), Refuge (2017), and The Ungrateful Refugee (2019). Her most recent book, Who Gets Believed: When the Truth Isn’t Enough was published in 2023.

Oscar Guardiola-Rivera is a writer and professor of human rights and political philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London. After leading the student movement that initiated a wave of constitutional reform throughout Latin America in the late 1990’s, he continued his studies in the United Kingdom where he obtained an LLM with Distinction at University College London, and a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen. He is the writer of the award-winning What If Latin America Ruled the World? which was listed as one the best non-fiction books of 2010 by The Financial Times. Dr Guardiola-Rivera is also the co-editor of the contemporary art and theory journal Naked Punch: An Engaged Review of Arts & Theory, and has engaged with an extensive range of publications and broadcasters, including Granta, El Espectador, the BBC World Service Nightwaves, and Al-Jazeera to name but a few. He is currently the Deputy Postgraduate Director of the Department of Law at Birkbeck, University of London and is recognized as one of the most representative voices of contemporary Latin American philosophy and literature.

Aleksander Hemon was born in Sarajevo and now lives in New Jersey. Hemon graduated from the University of Sarajevo and was a published writer in former Yugoslavia by the time he was 26. Since 1992 he has lived in the United States, where he found himself as a tourist and became stranded at the outbreak of the Bosnian war. In the U.S he worked as a Greenpeace canvasser sandwich assembly-line worker, bike messenger, graduate student in English literature, bookstore salesperson, and ESL teacher. He earned his master’s degrees from Northwestern University in 1996. His diverse output includes ‘The Lazarus Project’, 2008, a novel drawing on the 1908 shooting of a Jewish migrant by Chicago police; the autobiographical essay collection ‘The Book of My Lives’, 2013, which discusses the death of Hemon’s second child; and the screenplay for ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ co-written with Lana Wachowski and David Mitchell. His new book, ‘The World and All That It Holds’, is a century-spanning, cross-continental polyglot gay romance between two conscripts, one Jewish, one Muslim, who fall in love fighting the first world war in central Europe. Hemon now works at Princeton University, where he has been teaching creative writing since 2018. 

Allan Little is an award-winning Scottish journalist and presenter who has reported from more than 80 countries including a variety of war zones, revolutions and natural disasters. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Mr Little joined BBC Scotland as a news and current affairs researcher before moving to London to train as a radio reporter. He specialised in foreign reporting for BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, including accounts from the revolutions of 1989 across Eastern Europe. He then worked as a reporter for BBC News, reporting from hostile environments such as the 1991 Gulf War, Kuwait, former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Rwanda and Zaire. Mr Little also worked as the BBC Moscow correspondent and reported on the 1995 Afghanistan earthquakes before becoming the BBC’s Africa and later, Paris correspondent. He has won several awards, including three Gold Sony Radio Academy Awards for Reporter of the Year, the Bayeux War Correspondent of the Year, and in 2012 he won both the Thomas Reuters prize for Reporting Europe for his Radio 4 documentary, Europe’s Choice and the Charles Wheeler Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcast Journalism. Mr Little left the BBC in 2014 and today chairs the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Lord Jack McConnell, Baron McConnell of Glenscorrodale, is a Scottish politician and Labour life peer in the House of Lords. He was the First Minister of Scotland from 2001 to 2007 and MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw from 1999 to 2011. After leaving the Scottish Parliament, he was appointed as an adviser to the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative in Malawi and Rwanda and as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms by Gordon Brown. He is also a UK Ambassador for Action for Children, which promotes relationships between the UK and China.     

Steve Richards is a British TV presenter and political columnist who has written for the Guardian, Independent, News Statesman and Spectator. An insightful observer of the British political scene, he has produced many television talks on influential political leaders and major political turning points. Mr Richards regularly presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster and hosts a vibrant one man stand up show called Rock & Roll Politics. He has written numerous books, including his latest The Prime Ministers We Never Had: Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn, which was awarded Book of the Year by The Times, The Guardian and Prospect.

Rajesh Rai was introduced into the many different faiths of India including Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity, Sufism and Buddhism from a very early age. These faiths have formed a large part of his upbringing. His formal meditation training started in 1997, when he was taught a systematic practice by the Himalayan Institute. In 2001 he was initiated into the tradition of the Himalayan Masters on the banks of the Ganges at the Maha Kumbh Mela and has been a student of the Tradition since this time. He has been practicing Meditation on almost a daily basis since 1997.

He has travelled extensively to deepen his practice and has worked with various traditions including Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism, Sufism and Sikhism. He is a Barrister by profession specialising in Human Rights Law from Chambers in London. He is also a humanitarian and environmentalist where he has worked with and founded organisations around the world whose objectives are the rejuvenation of land, communities and promoting human rights. He helped found the first Indian vegetarian restaurant in Worcestershire with his family (www.mendiveg.com) (of which he is particularly proud), runs Poulstone Court retreat centre (www.poulstone.com) and founded Malvern Bhavan (www.malvernbhavan.com), a centre for Meditation and Enlightened Living.

Fi Martynoga is an environmental activist, journalist, museum researcher and a renowned figure in Scottish nature, sustainability, history and food circles.

Annette Dittert is a German journalist, filmmaker, correspondent, and author. Throughout her career, Dittert has covered a wide range of topics, including international conflicts, diplomatic relations, cultural developments, and human interest stories. Dittert studied at the University of Freiburg and at the Freie Universität Berlin before working for Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (1983-1985), Sender Freies Berlin (1984), and Westdeutscher Rundfunk. In 1993, Dittert joined German public broadcaster ARD, holding several key positions within the organisation, including serving as a correspondent in Moscow, London, and Warsaw. Dittert has also contributed to numerous publications, including Freedom for Scotland? (Freiheit für Schottland?) (2021) and London Calling: Als Deutsche auf der Brexit-Insel (2017) and has been awarded the Hanns Joachim Friedrichs Award and the Grimme-Preis.

Angus Robertson is a Scottish politician and former Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom. He was born on September 28, 1969, in London, England. Robertson is a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and has been actively involved in Scottish politics for many years. Robertson served as the SNP’s Westminster Group Leader from 2007 to 2017. During this time, he was also the party’s spokesperson on defence and foreign affairs. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 2001, representing the constituency of Moray. Robertson held his seat in the 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2017 general elections. As a prominent figure in the SNP, Robertson played a key role in the Scottish independence campaign during the 2014 referendum. He advocated for Scotland to become an independent country separate from the United Kingdom. Although the referendum did not result in independence, the SNP gained increased support and became the dominant political force in Scotland. In 2017, Robertson lost his seat in the House of Commons during the general election. However, he continued to be involved in politics and remained an influential figure within the SNP. In 2021, he was elected as the SNP’s Depute Leader, becoming the second-highest-ranking official in the party.

John Kampfner, is a British author, journalist, broadcaster, and commentator. He was born on December 17, 1962, in London, England. Kampfner is known for his extensive work in the field of international affairs, politics, and human rights. Kampfner began his career as a journalist in the early 1980s, working for the New Statesman magazine and then moving to the Daily Telegraph. He later became the Chief Political Correspondent for the Financial Times and worked as a foreign correspondent in Moscow and Berlin. In 2000, Kampfner became the Editor of the New Statesman, a position he held until 2005. During his tenure, he revitalised the publication and brought it to prominence with a focus on investigative journalism and political analysis. Kampfner has written several books on a wide range of topics. His book “Blair’s Wars” (2003) provides an analysis of Tony Blair’s foreign policy decisions during his time as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He has also authored books on freedom of speech, media ethics, and the future of democracy. In addition to his writing, Kampfner has worked as a broadcaster and commentator. He has hosted programs on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, covering international politics and human rights issues. He has also contributed to various television programs, including Newsnight and Panorama. Kampfner’s work has been widely recognised and awarded. He has received the Foreign Press Association Media Award and the One World Media Award for his journalism. He is a regular speaker at conferences and events, sharing his insights on global affairs and democracy. He currently serves as an Executive Director at Chatham House. He previously was Chair of the board of the Turner Contemporary art gallery as well as former Chief Executive of Index on Censorship and former editor of the New Statesman. He has written several books, including Blair’s Wars and, most recently Why the Germans do it Better: Notes from a Grown-Up Country.

Allan Little is an award-winning Scottish journalist and presenter who has reported from more than 80 countries including a variety of war zones, revolutions and natural disasters. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Mr Little joined BBC Scotland as a news and current affairs researcher before moving to London to train as a radio reporter. He specialised in foreign reporting for BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, including accounts from the revolutions of 1989 across Eastern Europe. He then worked as a reporter for BBC News, reporting from hostile environments such as the 1991 Gulf War, Kuwait, former Yugoslavia, South Africa, Rwanda and Zaire. Mr Little also worked as the BBC Moscow correspondent and reported on the 1995 Afghanistan earthquakes before becoming the BBC’s Africa and later, Paris correspondent. He has won several awards, including three Gold Sony Radio Academy Awards for Reporter of the Year, the Bayeux War Correspondent of the Year, and in 2012 he won both the Thomas Reuters prize for Reporting Europe for his Radio 4 documentary, Europe’s Choice and the Charles Wheeler Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcast Journalism. Mr Little left the BBC in 2014 and today chairs the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool is a South African politician and is the former South African ambassador to the United States. He studied at the University of Cape Town. Before his term as the Ambassador, he served as a Member of Parliament in South Africa’s National Assembly and Special Advisor to the State President. He has a long history of involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle. He has received many leadership awards for his contribution to South Africa including the “Indonesian Diasprean of 2012’ by the President of Indonesia. He also founded the World for All Foundation, which rethinks the intellectual tools available to Muslim and faith communities.

Christina Murray (Emeritus Professor) is currently living in London, serving a third term as a senior member of the Mediation Support Standby Team of the United Nations’ Department of Political Affairs with a focus on constitutions and power-sharing. Before this Christina worked on the constitutional support team of the Special Advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations on Yemen.

In 2012 Christina was a member of the Constitution Commission of Fiji. Between February 2009 and October 2010 she served as a member of the Kenyan Committee of Experts appointed by the Kenyan Parliament to draft a new Constitution of Kenya. That Constitution became law in Kenya on 27 August 2010.

Prof Murray’s first experience in constitution-making was serving on a panel of seven experts advising the South African Constitutional Assembly in drafting South Africa’s ‘final’ Constitution between 1994 and 1996. In addition to Yemen, Kenya and Fiji, her most recent constitutional work outside South Africa has concerned Somalia, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, South Sudan, Nepal, Zimbabwe and Pakistan.

Christina has taught and written on human rights law (and particularly issues relating to gender equality, violence against women, constitutional rights for women and African customary law), international law, and constitutional law (including systems of government, multilevel government, fiscal federalism and traditional leadership). She was head of the Department of Public Law at the University of Cape Town from 2002 – 2008 and Deputy Dean of the Law Faculty from 2000 – 2002.

She has held fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson School in Princeton and the United States Institute for Peace, among others.

Peter M. Sacks was born in 1950 in South Africa. Sacks studied at Oxford, as well as in the United States, at Princeton and Yale (where he wrote, partly as his thesis, The English Elegy: Studies in the Genre from Spenser to Yeats). All through this time, which included the study of art and the history of painting, Sacks also spent years of travel, often times on foot walking across various parts of South and North America, Africa, Europe and Asia. His recent paintings challenge our assumptions of what might or might not be human, whether in ourselves, or in the marks we make upon the spaces we inhabit, construct, deform or save. He has published five anthologies of poetry and several individual poems have been published in, for example, The New Yorker. Peter Sacks divides his time between Normandy, France and Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he teaches at Harvard University.

Dame Prue Leith DBE is a renowned British-South African restaurateur, chef, author, and television personality. She has made significant contributions to the culinary industry and is widely recognized for her expertise in food and cooking. Prue Leith was born in South Africa, in the city of Pretoria, during the height of World War II. She grew up in a household that greatly valued good food and shared meals. Her mother, Margaret, was a successful cook and food writer, which influenced Prue’s early interest in cooking. Leith’s culinary career began in the 1960s when she opened her own restaurant called Leith’s in London. The restaurant became highly regarded and won numerous accolades for its innovative menu and high-quality cuisine. Over the years, Prue Leith expanded her culinary empire, establishing several additional restaurants and catering businesses. In addition to her restaurant ventures, Prue Leith became a successful author, writing several cookbooks that showcased her culinary expertise. Her books, such as “Leith’s Cookery Bible” and “Leith’s How to Cook,” have become popular references for aspiring chefs and home cooks.Prue Leith’s television career took off when she became a judge on the popular British cooking competition show, “The Great British Menu,” in 2006. Her warm and engaging personality, combined with her extensive culinary knowledge, made her a fan favorite. In 2017, she joined the judging panel of another widely acclaimed cooking show, “The Great British Bake Off,” replacing Mary Berry. Her role on the show brought her widespread recognition and endeared her to audiences across the UK and beyond.Prue Leith’s contributions to the culinary industry have been recognized with numerous awards and honors throughout her career. In 2010, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to the food industry. In 2017, she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to food, broadcasting, and charity. Furthermore, in 2021, Prue Leith was honored with the prestigious title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to food, broadcasting, and charity. Beyond her culinary achievements, Prue Leith is also known for her philanthropy and activism. She has been involved in several charitable endeavors, including work with organizations that tackle poverty and support education and training in the culinary arts.

Jim Naughtie FRSE is a British radio and news presenter for the BBC. He began his career as a journalist at the Aberdeen Press and Journal before moving to the London offices of The Scotsman. He became its Chief Political Correspondent before working for The Washington Post and The Guardian. Mr Naughtie later moved into radio presenting and has anchored every BBC Radio UK election results programme since 1997, and worked on every US presidential election since 1988. He has been the main presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and his radio presenting has earned him two Sony Radio Awards: Radio Personality of the Year in 1991 and Voice of the Listener and Viewer Award in 2001. That same year, Mr Naughtie received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sterling and was appointed as its chancellor in 2008. He retired from regular presenting duties in 2016 and is currently the BBC’s Special Correspondent responsible for charting UK constitutional reform, as well as the BBC news’ Book Editor.

Peter York, is a British management consultant, author and broadcaster. He is best known for writing The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook with Ann Barr for Harpers & Queen. He has also worked as a columnist for The Independent on Sunday, GQ, and Management Today as well as Associate of the media, analysis and networking organisation for Editorial Intelligence. He is also the co-founder of SRU Ltd, Chairman of a Department of Trade and Industry Committee, and has continued publishing media such as Dictators’ Homes (2005) and most recently presenting Peter York’s Hipster Handbook on BBC Four.

Lucy Ash is a journalist and broadcaster. She began her radio career as a producer in the BBC Moscow bureau just as the Soviet Union was falling apart. After four years covering the chaotic birth of the New Russia, she returned to the UK and began presenting foreign affairs features and documentaries. Best known for her award winning reports on Radio 4’s Crossing Continents, Lucy has also presented documentary films on BBC2 and BBC World. She is a regular contributor to From Our Own Correspondent. Lucy also sometimes presents Outlook – an interview programme featuring remarkable personal stories – on the BBC World Service. Lucy currently works as a freelance broadcast journalist, reporting on foreign affairs topics including the Ukraine War and human rights.

Lindsey Hilsum is an award-winning journalist with a wealth of experience reporting from some of the most devastating conflicts around the world. She was at the forefront of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, in Belgrade for the 1999 NATO bombing, and in 1994 was the only English-speaking correspondent in Rwanda when the genocide began. In recent years she has covered the conflict in Syria and Ukraine and in 2017 received the Patron’s Medal from the Royal Geographical Society. Her highly praised publication ‘Sandstorm: Libya from Gaddafi to Revolution’ was nominated in 2012 for the Guardian First Book Award and she has recently published a biography, ‘In Extremis – The Life and Death of War Correspondent Marie Colvin’. Ms Hilsum is currently the International Editor at Channel 4 News and is a regular contributor to The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Guardian, The New Statesman and Granta.

Steve Richards is a British TV presenter and political columnist who has written for the Guardian, Independent, News Statesman and Spectator. An insightful observer of the British political scene, he has produced many television talks on influential political leaders and major political turning points. Mr Richards regularly presents Radio 4’s Week in Westminster and hosts a vibrant one man stand up show called Rock & Roll Politics. He has written numerous books, including his latest The Prime Ministers We Never Had: Success and Failure from Butler to Corbyn, which was awarded Book of the Year by The Times, The Guardian and Prospect.

Professor Marc Weller is a distinguished academic who currently occupies the prestigious Chair of International Law and International Constitutional Studies at the University of Cambridge. With an extensive background in the field, he has made significant contributions to the study and practice of international law. Previously, Professor Weller served as the Director and a Fellow of the renowned Lauterpacht Centre for International Law. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in advancing research and scholarship in international law, fostering a vibrant academic community. Beyond academia, Professor Weller has made notable contributions to international conflict resolution. He has lent his expertise as a United Nations Senior Mediation Expert, applying his vast knowledge and experience to help mediate complex disputes. His proficiency in international dispute settlement is widely recognized, and he has earned a reputation as a skilled professional in the field. Furthermore, Professor Weller holds certification and accreditation as a professional mediator, demonstrating his commitment to facilitating peaceful resolutions. His exceptional contributions have been acknowledged by the prestigious Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, where he was elected as a Fellow. Professor Weller is also a qualified barrister affiliated with the Middle Temple, as well as an Associate Tenant at Dougthy Street Chambers in London.

Tenx9 is a storytelling event where nine people have up to ten minutes each to tell a true story from their own life.

William Dalrynple is a Scottish-born bestselling author and historian. While studying at the University of Cambridge, he mirrored – on foot – the route of Marco Polo from Jerusalem to Mongolia and wrote his first book, In Xanadu about the journey. This became a bestseller and in 1990 he won the Yorkshire Post Best First Work Award and a Scottish Arts Council Spring Book Award. He has written several books about his travels, particularly around India, and his historical works have earned him several notable awards. Among them are the Wolfson Prize, the Scottish Book of the Year prize and three honorary doctorates of letters from the Universities of St Andrews, Lucknow and Aberdeen. His most recent written work The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company (2019) was shortlisted for numerous prizes. He is one of the co-founders and co-directors of the world’s largest writers festival, the annual Jaipur Literature Festival.

Oscar Guardiola-Rivera is a writer and professor of human rights and political philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London. After leading the student movement that initiated a wave of constitutional reform throughout Latin America in the late 1990’s, he continued his studies in the United Kingdom where he obtained an LLM with Distinction at University College London, and a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen. He is the writer of the award-winning What If Latin America Ruled the World? which was listed as one the best non-fiction books of 2010 by The Financial Times. Dr Guardiola-Rivera is also the co-editor of the contemporary art and theory journal Naked Punch: An Engaged Review of Arts & Theory, and has engaged with an extensive range of publications and broadcasters, including Granta, El Espectador, the BBC World Service Nightwaves, and Al-Jazeera to name but a few. He is currently the Deputy Postgraduate Director of the Department of Law at Birkbeck, University of London and is recognized as one of the most representative voices of contemporary Latin American philosophy and literature.

Dr. Kojo Koram is a legal scholar, writer, and activist. He studied at University of Kent and University of London before becoming a Lecturer at the School of Law at the University of Essex (2016-2018) and then a Senior Lecturer in Law at Birkbeck School of Law, University of London (2018-Present). Throughout his career, Dr. Koram has written for numerous publications, including the Guardian, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the New Statesman. He has also published a number of journal articles and books, including The War on Drugs and the Global Colour Line (2019) and, most recently, Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire (2022).

Alastair Campbell is a writer, communicator and strategist best known for his role as former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, press secretary and director of communications and strategy. In 2007, he published his first book The Blair Years which was an instant Sunday Times Number 1 bestseller. He has written seventeen books in total, including Number 1 best-seller Winners and How They Succeed. His latest, Living Better: How I learned to survive depression (2020), was another Sunday Times best-seller. In the wake of the referendum, he helped set up The New European newspaper where he is editor-at-large and writes a weekly column. For several years, he also wrote a monthly interview for GQ magazine. Mr Campbell has been a Humanitas Visiting Professor on Media at Cambridge University, and has been honoured by several Irish universities for his contribution to the Northern Ireland Peace Process. Still active in politics and campaigns in Britain and overseas, he now splits his time between writing, speaking, broadcasting, charities and consultancy.

Peebles High School, is a Secondary School located in Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Founded in 1858, Peebles High School serves nearly 1,500 students aged 12-18.