Responsible Debate

As the Scottish Parliament marks 25 years it is inevitable that we think of debate as a medium through which politicians reach decisions. But very often it is the way people and politicians alike debate that shapes those decisions. As the world becomes more polarised it is becoming clearer that the way we debate and discuss important issues is preventing us reaching solutions.

How can we debate and discuss in a way that deals with the important challenges facing us?

Chair: Ben Macpherson MSP, Edinburgh Northern and Leith

Panellists:

Dr Alice König is a senior lecturer in classics at the University of St Andrews, specialising in peace and conflict studies. While a member of the Young Academy of Scotland, she worked with colleagues to establish a Charter for Responsible Debate. She is interested in the role that our debating culture can play in driving conflict and building sustainable peace.

Quintin Oliver is a conflict and referendums specialist, based on his experiences in Northern Ireland. After a decade in welfare rights for Strathclyde Regional Council, he returned to Belfast to run the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA); he set up Stratagem, a public policy lobbying agency after running the 1998 Good Friday Agreement Referendum’s YES Campaign; he also established Stratagem International, TCI Engagement, and the Consultation Institute. He was awarded an Honorary Degree by Queen’s University, Belfast in 2023. 

John Sturrock KC, after a career in law, has spent over 20 years as a mediator and facilitator, dealing with complex disputes and working with senior figures in business, the public sector, sport, government and politics.  He was a founder of Collaborative Scotland and is the author of its Commitment to Respectful Dialogue. He sat on the Stewarding Group of Scotland’s first Citizens Assembly and has published two volumes of his “Mediator’s Musings”. 

Vitalii Diakov is a Ukrainian lawyer and accredited mediator in Scotland with an extensive background in civil and commercial dispute resolution since 2010. In 2022 Vitalii co-founded Ukrainians Together project and social enterprise Bring Together with Hanna Dushkova. In 2023 Vitalii joined as a Board member of the Scottish Refugee Council. Vitalii is a lead mediator with the Citizen Advice Edinburgh in Sheriff Courts.