Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union is coming to an end, which gives us a perfect opportunity to organise an event to assess the achievements of this presidency, and their longer term consequences.

Event organised in collaboration with the Scottish Council on Global Affairs, the Faculty of Advocates and the Citizens Rights Project.

The event is aimed at participation from a wide range of leading voices from within the Scottish society (including the Polish community in Scotland), together with a select number of contributors from Poland. The purposes of the event are the following:

- to consider the wider geopolitical and security issues facing Poland, and how the UK could support and work with Poland on those issues

- to provide a forum for policy makers, academics, politicians, media, civic society leaders in Scotland to discuss with Polish experts the current issues facing Poland, ways of encouraging greater contact and co-operation between Scotland and Poland

- to provide information about current Scotland-Poland links in various sectors, education, business, cultural, civic society, and to consider how those might be developed and supported.

Programme:

930 Registration (coffee/tea)

1000 Introductory session: Overview of Poland today and the current issues facing Poland, Q & A

Dr Przemysław Biskup, Polish Institute of International Affairs

Prof Aleks Szczerbiak, University of Sussex

1105 Morning break

1130 The Polish presidency of the EU, 2025: achievements, consequences, future challenges

Prof Agnieszka Legucka, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland

George Byczynski, Chef Operating Officer of Anders de Wiart Associates and founder of "British Poles" website

1230 Lunch

1330 Future UK and Scottish cooperation with Poland

UK, Scottish and Polish government representatives

1430 Discussion, Q & A with Polish and UK/Scottish government speakers from earlier sessions.

1500 Afternoon break

1530 Panel session on current and future Poland-Scotland links

Lead: Mr Mark Lazarowicz

Prof Jo Shaw, the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the Rt. Hon. Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh
Ms Anna Sochańska, Director of the Department of Cooperation with the Polish Diaspora and Poles Abroad, MFA

Polish diaspora delegates

1630 Closing remarks

1635 Reception

Polish Scottish Forum