THREE former first ministers are to feature at an international festival in the Borders next month.
Jack McConnell, who served as first minister from 2001 to 2007, Nicola Sturgeon, from 2014 to 2023, and Humza Yousaf, from 2023 to 2024, will all feature at events part of the Beyond Borders Scotland festival.
The 15th Beyond Borders International Festival will take place from August 23-24 at Traquair House, Scotland's oldest inhabited house.
The festival builds on Scotland’s heritage, with a programme of cultural events, exhibitions, visual arts performances and panel discussions.
McConnell and local student Beth Lapsley will join former UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs Martin Griffiths to discuss his latest ventures to combat further conflict and chaos in global politics and war.
Sturgeon will discuss her new memoir, Frankly, with journalist Allan Little.
Elsewhere, Yousaf will speak with Palestinian ambassador Husam Zomlot and award-winning Gazan photographer Mohammed Salem about the future of [[Gaza]] and the realities of life during genocide over the last 18 months.
Jeremy Corbyn will also reflect on life as a now independent MP, while retired general David Richards and Professor Hew Strachan will speak on Britain’s military on the global stage, and veteran BBC correspondent Jim Naughtie will host a panel to talk about the state of the UK and the world.
Medecins Sans Frontieres [Doctors Without Borders] chief Chris Lockyear will later speak about the future of aid amongst UK and US government cuts.
Debut writers Sam Dalrymple and Phoebe Greenwood also join the programme, while attendees can also hear from historian William Dalrymple, Moin Mir, and Professor Murray Pittock.
Outside the main tent, events feature poetry and literary strolls with MSP Alasdair Allan, a storytelling walk with Mary Kenny, a foraging walk led by local environmentalist Fi Martynoga, and a magical musical journey through Ukrainian history, music, and culture with Nigel Osborne in the Traquair forest.
Music will come from Barbara Dickson, local trad musician Kirsty Law, and Latin American bands Los Chichanos and Dias Brazil.
There will also be four art exhibitions, including an immersive portrait installation of Belarusian political prisoners in the maze by artist Xisha Angelova, traditional Belarusian and Palestinian dance workshops, and film screenings curated by the Britain Palestine Project.
Tickets are on sale now, with students and under-25s enjoying 50% off all events. Flexible ticket options are also available for those wishing to only attend Walled Garden events at a discounted price.
