Scotland’s leading international charities are working together to support some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Join to hear highlights from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) annual report.

Featuring:

Noor al Naser Frances Guy Val Brown Nadeem Baqir

Audio Editor: Aedan Wilson

In this episode, listen to a discussion about the pivotal role women play in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and mediation from a Beyond Borders Scotland (BBS) panel at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2025.

Speaking are selected Alumnae from the Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship, a unique training and networking programme which is run by BBS in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Law School. These are Noor al Naser, a former United Nations diplomat from Iraq who has extensive experience in counter-terrorism, mine action, and programme management and now works for Beyond Borders Scotland; Ameya Kilara, a senior lawyer and award winning peace mediation expert from India who is currently a Senior Projects Director at Inter Mediate; and Dr. Ketty Akello, a lawyer, peacebuilder, and Women, Peace and Security advocate from Uganda who recently obtained her PhD in Law from Durham University. The discussion is hosted by Dr. Roxani Krystalli, a Senior Lecturer and researcher in feminist peace and conflict studies at the University of St Andrews.

Featuring:

Noor al Naser Ameya Kilara Dr. Ketty Akello Dr. Roxani Krystalli

For more information about Beyond Borders Scotland’s work on the Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship visit our website to read about the Fellowship, the Women for the World Project, and find out more about our incredible Alumnae.

https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com/projects/women-in-conflict/

https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com/women-for-the-world/

https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com/projects/women-in-conflict/past-fellows/

Audio Editor: Aedan Wilson

Former cellmate of Nelson Mandela and PM of the Western Cape, Ebrahim Rassol talks with his co-authors, Dr Houda Abadi and Mark Muller Stuart KC, about their new book, A Guide to Islamic Principles of Peace-Making, and why they are needed more than ever as we confront ever greater cycles of conflict. Swedish diplomat, Eldridge Adolfo, asks the questions.

Contemporary peace-making frameworks deployed by global conflict resolution institutions and experts, have had mixed results in Muslim-majority countries and regions, affected by violent conflict. This new guide aims to address this by paying attention to critical contextual issues around religion and culture. Built on four years research by the International Norms Project (a unique collaboration between LSE, Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) and Uppsala University), it brought together a wide a range of Islamic Scholars, Muslim political transitional leaders and international peace practitioners. What this collaboration has co-created for the first time is a set Islamic peace-making principles that also share many commonalities with contemporary forms of inclusive peace-making and universal norms.

Featuring:

Ebrahim Rassol Dr Houda Abadi Eldridge Adolfo Mark Muller Stuart KC

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

Read Guide to Peacemaking Using Islamic Principles Here: https://fba.se/media/u2ylwpoz/guide-to-peacemaking-using-islamic-principles.pdf

https://fba.se/en/news-media/publications/guide-to-peacemaking-using-islamic-principles

Audio Editor: Aedan Wilson