By Cara Sulieman
SCOTS rocker Annie Lennox will visit Holyrood this summer as part of the Festival of Politics – a year later than planned.
Lennox was due to give a talk at last year’s festival about her fight against HIV/Aids in Africa, but had to pull out because she had injured her back.
So she’s come back again this year to try again – speaking on the opening day about her work through her SING project and Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Foundation.
She joins other such as Australian-writer Germaine Greer, former MSP Dennis Canavan and one time Labour minister Clare Short MP on the line-up for the event, which runs from 18 August to 22 August.
Obama
Former Labour MP Clare Short will be interviewed about her 26-year political career, including her appointment as the first international development secretary and her stance on the Iraq war.
The granddaughter of the late US President Dwight Eisenhower, Susan, will join a panel debating the challenges faced by Barack Obama.
The festival has again attracted big names from around the world, including Germaine Greer who will take part in a discussion about the future of Scotland’s built environment.
And former Independent MSP Dennis Canavan will be returning to parliament to reflect on his life in politics.
“Invaluable tool”
There will also be the opportunity for members of the public to debate topical issues with MSPs in a Parliamentary Questions session.
Presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, Alex Ferguson, said: “The Festival of Politics has proven itself an invaluable tool in encouraging people to engage with the Scottish Parliament – so much so that the initiative is now being adopted by other parliaments around the world.”
