Release date: 21/2/2005
For attention: news/features editor, Middle East editor, Education editor,
Religion editor.
Young People Debate on Peace Education and Citizenship at the Scottish Parliament
As part of 2nd Annual Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace it is planned to hold a Young People Debate on Peace Education and Citizenship at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 24 February 2005, jointly organised by the Middle East Festival and the Scottish Parliament Outreach Services. This debate will be chaired by Chris Ballance MSP, and it follows on from the debate among MSPs on Thursday 24 June 2004 on Education for Peace across Scotland.
The debate is particularly intended for young people from 15-18 years old,
and first or second generation from Middle Eastern backgrounds, as well as
young people from some of the diverse faith and ethnic traditions of Scotland.
Young people will be participating from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fife and Dumfries
and Galloway. MSPs will be among the guests to listen to this debate, and the
young people will be welcomed at the Scottish Parliament by Deputy Presiding
Officer Murray Tosh MSP.
Deputy
Presiding Officer Murray Tosh said:
"This is a wonderful opportunity for children from across Scotland to debate
the words on their Parliament's Mace: compassion, wisdom, justice and integrity.
Exploring how these concepts apply to the work of the Parliament and link in
with the various faiths represented is a challenge - but one I feel confident
they will enjoy."
Chris
Ballance MSP, who is opening the debate for the young people said:
"I am honoured to have been invited to chair this debate on Peace Education.
This topic was debated by MSPs last year and it will be interesting to see
how the perspectives of the gathered young people compare and contrast with
those expressed by my peers. Peace is such an important goal to strive for and
I am positively encouraged by the enthusiasm of the young people for this debate."
The 2nd Annual Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace, Monday 14 February Ð Sunday 6 March 2005, will bring together artists, scholars, grassroots spiritual activists, and speakers from the Sufi, Druze, BahaÕi, Ismaili, Zoroastrian and other lesser known spiritual traditions, in addition to representatives of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Festival is jointly organized by the Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities, EICWS, and the Edinburgh Institute for Advanced Learning, EIAL, and with the support of many other organizations.
Contact:
Neill Walker, 0131 331 4469, njwalk3001@hotmail.com
ENDS
Note
The debate takes place in Committee Room 1 of the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 24 February 2005, from 1.15pm-2.30pm. Media are welcome to attend the debate, and there will be an opportunity to interview some of the young people at the end of the debate. Those without Scottish Parliament media accreditation should contact the Scottish Parliament's Media Relations Office to organise a day pass (0131 348 6265). Please arrive in good time by 1pm.