Our Key Note Lecturer will be Irene Mosota chair of the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Implementation Group.

Topic: Addressing Edinburgh’s historic past role in sustaining slavery and colonialism!

In 2020 Edinburgh agreed to address historic racial injustice and stem modern day discrimination. As a consequence the independent review group was appointed to review the cities links to slavery and colonialism and to make recommendations to the council in how to respond to this.

Among the 10 recommendations which were accepted was for the city to acknowledge its past role in sustaining slavery and colonialism and to issue an apology to those places and people who suffered. In October 2022 the Lord Provost Robert Aldridge apologised on behalf of the city.

Irene will share some of the work, aims and objectives of the commission and how we as individuals and faith communities can support that work.

Irene Mosota, an Edinburgh-based social enterprise practitioner with experience in delivering a variety of social projects and campaigns, has been nominated to chair the implementation group. With a Master of Science in Intercultural Business Communications, Ms Mosota is the founder and managing director of Knowledge Bridge, which supports organisations to translate equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and sustainability strategies into meaningful action, change and impact.

The Annual Lecture will be followed by a Civic Reception hosted by The Lord Provost of The City of Edinburgh and the AGM of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association.