Beyond Borders Scotland Podcast

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 deploy...

In this week’s podcast veteran peacemaker, Monica McWilliams, author of Stand Up, Speak Out, joins former UN Assistant Secretary-General, Andrew Gilmour, author of The Burning Question: Climate and Conflict - why Does it Matter? and Dr Roxani Krystalli from St Andrews University at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in partnership with Beyond Borders. Where they reflect upon climate, confli...

In this week’s podcast Mark Muller Stuart KC talks to veteran United Nations diplomat Staffan de Mistura at the Edinburgh International Book Festiva who reflects on his remarkable 50-year career in international diplomacy and conflict mediation for the UN in places like Sudan, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Featuring: Mark Muller Stuart KC Staffan De Mistura   Beyond Borders Scotland: https:...

Join veteran BBC broadcaster, Jim Naughtie, as he talks to Steve Crawshaw, former UK head of Human Rights Watch and author of Prosecuting the Powerful, alongside Derek Goldman, director of the Centre for Global Performance and Dialogue at Georgetown University, and the Noor Al-Naser, programme manager of the Scottish Peace Platform, about their work and the state of the world in the era of Trump....

Join Ambassador Nirupama Rao and Ambassador Riffat Masood alongside senior journalists Maya Mirchandani and Nasim Zehra as they discuss Indo-Pak relations after the recent escalation, the role of women in the peace process, and the space for peace in the changing global environment.   Featuring: Ambassador Nirupama Rao Ambassador Riffat Masood Maya Mirchandani Nasim Zehra Allan Little   Beyond Bor...

Listen as former First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon talks to Sigrid Van Aken, CEO the Postcode Lottery Group, about it's remarkable rise to become the world’s third biggest philanthropic funder of good causes and Chris Lockyear, the Médecins Sans Frontières Supremo, as he reveals the truth about the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, Gaza and beyond. Together they consider the impact of recent...

Listen as Former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, lifts the lid on her remarkable life as one of Scotland’s leading politicians in the 21st century as she recounts her journey from working-class Ayrshire to Bute House, in her candid memoir, Frankly.   Featuring: Nicola Sturgeon Allan Little   Beyond Borders Scotland: https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com   More From Nicola Sturgeon: (2025) Frankly...

Listen to legendary literary agent, Clare Conville, as she talks to novelist and journalist, Phoebe Greenwood, about her recent novel, Vulture, a fast pace, darkly funny heart wrenching satire that tears through the guts of the war-news industry.    Featuring: Phoebe Greenwood Clare Conville   Beyond Borders Scotland: https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com   More From Phoebe Greenwood: (2025) Vultu...

Join Field Marshall Lord Richards as he talks to military historian Hew Strahan his book ‘Retreat from Strategy’, the recent UK Defence Review, the conflict in Ukraine, and success of British and western military interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria, since his own victorious one into Sierre Leone in 2000.   Featuring: Field Marshall Lord Richards Hew Strahan   Beyond Borders Scotlan...

Introducing Sam Dalrymple as he discusses his stellar new work, Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia, and new approaches to historical scholarship with Empire Podcast co-host, William Dalrymple, and Moin Mir, asking the questions.    Featuring: Sam Dalrymple William Dalrymple Moin Mir   Beyond Borders Scotland: https://www.beyondbordersscotland.com   More From Sam Dalrymp...

Join Jeremy Corbyn MP as he talks about his extraordinary life as the most independent MP in the House of Commons and his ground breaking initiative to co-create a new party for the Left called Your Party. Oscar Guardiola Rivera explores why he continues to capture the imagination of young people as two local students, Ella Newton and Duncan Peppe, ask searching questions about his career and the...

Peebles High School student Beth Lapsley cross examines Former First Minister of Scotland, Lord Jack McConnell, and Martin Griffiths, former UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, about their latest ventures to help save the world from further conflict and chaos. Mark Muller KC introduces the session.    Featuring: Beth Lapsley Lord Jack McConnell Mar...

Catherine Maxwell Stuart introduces Professor Murray Pittock who paints a fascinating picture of John Buchan, author of The Thirty-Nine Steps, and a Scot who wasn’t just a literary legend, but a man who was well ahead of his time on issues that still resonate today from Scottish nationalism to the rights of indigenous peoples. Geoffrey Baskerville asks the questions.   Featuring: Professor Murray...

Listen to former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, in a dialogue about the future of Gaza and Palestine with current Palestine Ambassador, Husam Zomlot, who joins from the region, along with veteran Palestinian diplomat, Afif Safieh, and William Dalrymple, who explains why Britain bears a particular historic responsibility towards it.   Featuring: William Dalrymple Afif Safieh Humza Yousaf Husam Zomlo...

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 persona...

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 repercussio...

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 t...

Join us on this poignant episode of the Beyond Borders Scotland podcast as we explore stories of survival, justice, and reconciliation in the aftermath of some of the most devastating conflicts of recent times. Hosted by David Hamilton, trustee of the Scottish educational charity Beyond Srebrenica, this episode delves into the horrors of the Srebrenica genocide and the ongoing efforts to address i...

Join veteran BBC broadcaster Jim Naughtie as he converses with the ever-entertaining Miriam Margolyes in an unfiltered dialogue about her illustrious career and vibrant personal anecdotes. This episode offers listeners a unique opportunity to hear Miriam’s candid reflections and humorous tales from her diverse experiences both on and off the screen. Miriam, known for her roles across stage and scr...

In this compelling episode, Allan Little, an esteemed journalist, engages in a profound discussion with Humza Yousaf, Scotland's former First Minister, about his pivotal year in office. This conversation provides a unique personal insight into the challenges and triumphs faced by Humza Yousaf, including his management of national and personal issues against the backdrop of an increasingly complex...

In this compelling episode, BBC correspondent Kirsty Lang engages with Aminatta Forna OBE in a profound discussion about identity and belonging in today's global landscape. They delve into what shapes us as "global souls" - is it a choice, or are we moulded by forces such as mass migration, rising nationalism, and the surge of populism? This conversation explores the intricate dance between person...

In this episode, introduced by Catherine Maxwell Stuart, join Ben Cowell OBE, Director-General of the Historic Houses Association, as he discusses his book, "The British Country House Revival." Historians Geoffrey Baskerville and Wessley Edmonds also explore captivating stories, including a revealing letter from the Traquair House archives that uncovers the life of an enslaved boy. Discover the en...

In the light of the Scottish Parliament’s recent tribute to the remarkable Scottish politician that was Alex Salmond, after his untimely death on 12th October, this episode takes us back to a 2015 interview Salmond conducted with veteran BBC journalist, Jim Naughtie, in the wake of the vote on Scottish Independence, in which he talked about his life in politics, the phenomena that is Donald Trump,...

In this episode of the podcast, join seasoned political commentators Steve Richards and Tim Phillips as they dive into the ramifications of the recent general election in Britain and the upcoming US Presidential elections. With their expert analysis, they explore how these political events will shape both nations' futures on the global stage. Steve Richards, known for his sharp insights into Briti...

On 22 August 2024, Martin Griffiths CBE, the former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (2021-24) delivered the Second Keynote Address of Scottish Global Dialogues at the Signet Library in the heart of enlightenment Edinburgh during the height of the 2024 Edinburgh festivals on the Conflict Crisis.   Scottish Global Dialogues is a joint annual initi...