Event will be held in Edinburgh and online
Prominent Scottish politicians will join international NGOs, academics, and public bodies at Scotland’s International Development Alliance (SIDA) annual conference on 4 September.
They include cabinet secretary Angus Robertson and former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Lord Jack McConnell.
The event, titled Collaborate Now for Future Generations, will explore the necessity for more cohesive, long-term, and global strategies in policy and decision-making.
The conference, which will also be online, precedes the UN’s Summit for the Future, where global leaders will deliberate on ways to deliver a better present and safeguard the future. The SIDA conference will consider policies closer to home such as proposals for a qellbeing & sustainable development bill and a future generations commissioner.
The event will feature young activists and experts from the global south, fostering knowledge exchange on embedding future-focused approaches. Discussions will also cover the evolution of international development, addressing pivotal questions with insights from experts including the coordinator of the RINGO project, which aims to re-imagine the role of international NGOs and global civil society.
Lord Jack McConnell, former First Minister and founder of the McConnell International Foundation said: “I’m delighted that SIDA’s conference is prioritising collaboration in achieving global sustainable development. A thriving international development sector in Scotland is important.
“We need integrated approaches across both UK and Scottish governments to support peace and sustainable development.”
Frances Guy, chief executive of Scotland’s International Development Alliance said: “SIDA has long championed ‘policy coherence for sustainable development’ an approach where all policies, decisions, and budgets are in the service of sustainable development.
“With converging crises on people and planet, we need joined-up approaches and long-term thinking more than ever. We’re pleased to be joined at our conference by those with direct experience of policy making along with those with fresh ideas to explore how we can all work together for a sustainable future.”
