In this unique episode of the Beyond Borders Scotland Podcast, we bring you a compelling conversation with two former UN envoys, Staffan de Mistura and Stephanie Williams.

Hosted by Duncan Peppe, a student from Peebles High School, this episode marks the first ever youth led podcast recorded at the Beyond Borders International Festival in 2024. From the journey to peace negotiations to the personal toll of conflict resolution, this intergenerational dialogue offers rare insight into the human side of diplomacy, all through the eyes of a young and curious host.

This episode is part of the Beyond Borders Youth Podcast Series, amplifying young voices in dialogue with global leaders and changemakers.

Featuring:

• Staffan de Mistura
• Stephanie Williams

Find out more:

Beyond Borders Scotland: https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com/

Beyond Borders International Festival: https://www.bbintfest.com/

Produced by FoSho STUDIOS

In this compelling episode of the Beyond Borders Scotland Podcast, we revisit an urgent and unflinching discussion recorded live at the Beyond Borders International Festival. Professor Sir Geoff Palmer is joined by historian William Dalrymple and journalist Alex Renton for a wide-ranging conversation that interrogates Scotland’s role in the legacies of slavery and empire, and how their repercussions are still felt today.

The panel unpacks how racial hierarchies were constructed to justify economic exploitation—from the chattel slavery of the Caribbean to the looting of the Indian subcontinent under the East India Company. Geoff Palmer’s perspective, rooted in personal and academic insight, provides a powerful lens on the enduring impact of colonialism and structural racism. Alex Renton shares his journey of discovering his family's links to slavery, as explored in his book Blood Legacy, while William Dalrymple details Scotland’s disproportionate involvement in colonial India and how the infrastructure of corporate imperialism was born.

Together, they call for truth-telling, reparative justice, and radical curriculum reform as vital steps toward healing and equity in a post-imperial society.

Featuring:

• Professor Sir Geoff Palmer - Human rights activist, academic, and historian
• William Dalrymple - Historian and author of The Anarchy
• Alexander Renton - Journalist and author of The Blood Legacy

Find out more:

Beyond Borders Scotland: https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com/

Beyond Borders International Festival: https://www.bbintfest.com/

Produced by FoSho STUDIOS

Step into the heart of ancient civilisations with celebrated historian and bestselling author William Dalrymple CBE, as he explores the remarkable legacy of India in his latest book, The Golden Road. In this thought-provoking lecture recorded live for Beyond Borders Scotland, Dalrymple charts the monumental influence of India’s religious, artistic, and economic power across Asia and beyond.

From the towering stupas of Sri Lanka to the Buddhist cave temples of China, The Golden Road reveals how Indian ideas, aesthetics, and institutions travelled along ancient trade routes, transforming entire cultures. In this episode, Dalrymple examines the origins and expansion of Indian civilisation’s spiritual and material gifts—and why this legacy remains crucial to understanding global history today.

This episode offers listeners an immersive journey through time, illuminating how a once-dominant culture shaped the contours of the modern world.

Featuring:

• William Dalrymple CBE – Historian and Author of The Golden Road

Find out more:

Empire Podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/@EmpirePodUK/featured

Beyond Borders Scotland: https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com/

Beyond Borders International Festival: https://www.bbintfest.com/

Produced by FoSho STUDIOS