The soft power of culture and sport

Information

In partnership with Edinburgh International Festival

In a world dominated by headlines of conflict and division, cultural and sporting diplomacy such as the Commonwealth Games and the Edinburgh International Festival, can play a powerful force in working behind the scenes, away from legislatures, to foster mutual understanding between nations. How do these events work to avoid the pitfalls and politics of sponsorship, ownership, commercialisation and investment and instead forge longstanding and valuable connections where formal government diplomacy might falter?

Chair: Deputy Presiding Officer, Clare Adamson MSP

Panellists:

Professor Gayle McPherson is Board Director for Community Engagement and Legacy for Team Scotland and is a member of the Scottish Government’s group on social impact and legacy for the UEFA Men’s Euros 2028. Her focus is on the role of the mega-sport events and festivals as agents for societal change, in particular, the role of sport events and culture in soft power diplomacy and supporting marginalised groups. (ONLINE)

Francesca Hegyi OBE is Chief Executive of the Edinburgh International Festival and is a recognised cultural leader in the UK, combining over 25 years of extensive experience in arts and events management with a record of impactful, community-focused, and internationally acclaimed major projects.

Professor John McKendrick is a Trustee of the Tartan Army Children’s Charity and was admitted to the Scottish FA senior list of referees in 2000 and was a Category One referee for eleven seasons. John is also Professor in Social Justice at Glasgow Caledonian University and was appointed Commissioner for Fair Access (to higher education) by the Scottish Government in 2023. He is also Co-Director of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit in the Glasgow School for Business and Society at Glasgow Caledonian University.