EDINBURGH COUNCILLORS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE
We are horrified by the situation unfolding in Gaza, and are calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the blockade of Gaza to allow urgent and unconditional food, water, fuel and medical supplies to enter the area.
Under international law collective punishment is illegal, as is blockading food, medicine and fuel supplies to the civilian population, and we therefore recognise the actions of the Israeli Government to be war crimes.
We condemn the killing and hostage taking of Israeli civilians by Hamas; the ongoing blockade of Gaza and occupation of the West Bank by Israel, deemed illegal by the United Nations; and the killing of Palestinians by the current Israeli blockade, bombardment, and ground offensive into Gaza.
We call for the immediate release of all hostages, and safe passage for Palestinians and others seeking to leave Gaza and the West Bank, with a commitment that they will be able to return.
We recognise Israel’s actions towards Palestine as apartheid, in line with human rights experts such as Amnesty International and call for an end to the occupation of Palestine.
We assert that all forms of racism, including anti-Palestinian racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia have no place in our city and condemn any attacks on Palestinian, Jewish or Muslim people.
We welcome the demonstrations of support for an end to violence and freedom for Palestinians which we have seen across the city, the UK and the world.
As councillors in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city, we recognise the power our collective voices can have, and support calls for immediate action to secure a lasting and just peace for Palestinians and Israelis, with freedom and security for all, based on international law.
Signed:
Alys Mumford Scottish Green Party Ben Parker Scottish Green Party Susan Rae Scottish Green Party Claire Miller Scottish Green Party Alex Staniforth Scottish Green Party Jule Bandel Scottish Green Party Kayleigh O’Neill Scottish Green Party Steve Burgess Scottish Green Party Chas Booth Scottish Green Party Dan Heap Scottish Green Party Ross McKenzie Independent Katrina Faccenda Scottish Labour Margaret Graham Labour and Co-operative Party Amy McNeese-Mechan Scottish National Party Norman Work Scottish National Party Lesley Macinnes Scottish National Part
Preparations are underway to begin enforcement against pavement parking in Edinburgh, following the introduction of new powers by the Scottish Government.
A report to Transport and Environment Committee sets out a proposed approach and timescales for enforcing against pavement parking as part of new parking prohibitions being introduced. National regulations are expected to come into force on 11 December and it is proposed that Edinburgh’s enforcement begins in January 2024.
Parking on pavements, at dropped kerbs and double parking can inconvenience all road users, significantly impacting people with mobility issues, parents with pushchairs and older people.
The Council has always supported a ban on pavement parking and has collaborated closely with Living Streets and Guide Dogs Scotland to lobby for the introduction of controls in Scotland. This will help ensure Edinburgh’s roads and footways are accessible for all, which is central to our vision of an equal, accessible and sustainable city as part of the City Mobility Plan.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Implementing these new parking restrictions is part of our commitment to ensure Edinburgh’s roads and pavements are accessible for all.
“Making sure our footways are kept clear will deliver real benefits for pedestrians and road users, particularly those who are disproportionately affected such as parents with pushchairs, older people and wheelchair users.
“We would expect everyone to adhere to the new prohibitions when the final regulations come into force to guarantee our streets are safer and more user-friendly.”
Stuart Hay, Director, Living Streets Scotland, said:“Edinburgh is taking the right approach to the enforcement of pavement parking, recognising that footways are for people, not parking spaces for cars.
“Exemptions should only be applied in exceptional cases based on evidence, which can only be collected via careful monitoring and consultation. This is the best way to ensure those most affected by blocked pavements, including disabled people, have safe access to our streets.”
Niall Foley, Lead External Affairs Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said:“Parking on pavements is a nuisance for everyone, but potentially dangerous if you are a wheelchair user forced onto the road, pushing a buggy, or have sight loss and can’t see traffic coming towards you.
“When cars block the way, it undermines the confidence of people with a vision impairment to get out and about independently.
“We welcome the parking measures being introduced and look forward to working with Edinburgh Council to ensure the pavement parking prohibitions are a success.”
Preparations include the assessment of 5,217 roads by officers as part of the footway parking assessment project. This has helped to identify a small number of streets where significant pavement parking may require mitigation measures to minimise potential negative impacts on the wider road network.
Despite the prohibitions featuring in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, the necessary regulations required to support the enforcement and appeals procedures have only recently been finalised by Transport Scotland and are expected to come into effect on 11 December.
Work to complete the necessary changes in Edinburgh will commence as soon as it is confirmed that the new regulations have come into force.
An awareness campaign, currently being designed by Transport Scotland, is hoped to drive a change in behaviour over the festive period in advance of enforcement beginning. A further Council-run campaign aligned with the national approach is intended once the new prohibitions take effect.
Non-Sport Lets for Community Access to City of Edinburgh Council Secondary Schools Transferring to Edinburgh Leisure
The management of community access to secondary schools for non-sport lets is being transferred from the City of Edinburgh Council to Edinburgh Leisure.
A phased transfer, with nine schools initially identified, will mean that organisations and individuals looking to book and hire classroom space during community time for classes and workshops, will now book through Edinburgh Leisure, rather than the City of Edinburgh Council.
Core community times are Monday to Friday, 18:00 – 21:45hrs and Saturday, 09:30 – 15:15hrs whilst during school holiday periods around the opening times.
The schools available to book through Edinburgh Leisure are:
Balerno High School.
Broughton High School.
Craigroyston High School.
Forrester High School / St Augustine’s R.C. High School.
Gracemount High School.
Leith Academy.
James Gillespie’s High School.
Portobello High School.
Since 2017, Edinburgh Leisure has managed community access to secondary school sports facilities and through this period have developed a robust booking process and operational infrastructure that has seen usage and net income grow each year.
The investment made by the Council in its school estate over the last 15 years has resulted in fantastic facilities and the ambition for the transfer is to improve access arrangements and increase use from all sections of the community by utilising Edinburgh Leisure’s experience and expertise in this field.
Jimmy Livingstone, Schools Manager at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We have been working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council and with our expertise in the field of facility management and community access to the schools, we are the logical partner to manage the non-sport lets in secondary schools, to support the Council in improving access, increasing usage and maximising revenue.”
Cllr Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener, for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Having Edinburgh Leisure manage the non-sport lets in our secondary schools is a really positive move given their experience and expertise in managing community access across the city.
“It will further develop our partnership and improve access to the fantastic facilities we have available in our secondary school estate.”
All current lets at the above schools have been advised of the new booking arrangements. The booking process for schools not transferring to Edinburgh Leisure in phase one will remain the same.
The booking system will go live from 13th November 2023 for bookings starting from January 2024.
Any organisations wishing to book rooms in community time from January 2024, should email exlets@edinburghleisure.co.uk.
Edinburgh is a five-time nominee for this year’s Scottish Public Service Awards. Now in their tenth year, the awards are run by Holyrood Communications in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament to help celebrate the contribution of public servants.
Capital-based nominees include Edinburgh’s Warm Scots Welcome, a community and voluntary sector partnership which has helped welcome more than 11,000 Ukrainian refugees since the Russian invasion early last year.
The initiative, which was organised in collaboration between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) and Volunteer Edinburgh (VE), is in the running for the Voluntary Sector Partnership Award.
Also nominated is the Edinburgh Ukrainian Welcome Hub, a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and the Royal Bank of Scotland which has supported Ukrainians arriving in Scotland by providing property and facilities management, opening bank accounts, raising aid, distributing donations, volunteering, running events, giving specialist expertise, and offering women and girls tech training and employment. The project is in the running for the Commercial Partnerships Award.
The City of Edinburgh Council-led Granton Waterfront Regeneration has also been shortlisted for this year’sSustainability Award.
Led by the council, the plan involves working with partners to deliver a new and sustainable 20 minute neighbourhood community for Edinburgh. The regeneration is already underway and once complete, will feature around 3,500 new net zero carbon homes and business start- up space.
This is all within what will become Europe’s largest coastal park – with new and enhanced green spaces and opportunities for the creative arts, culture, and leisure, connected to the rest of the city by sustainable transport routes.
Welcoming the news Council Leader Cammy Day said: “We’ve been putting a huge amount of work and ambition into creating a better, greener, fairer future for residents so recognition like this – for how the Council and city partners are trailblazing in many areas of Scottish public service – is very welcome.
“For instance, the huge amount of change we’re seeing in Granton is creating an exciting and sustainable place to live, work, travel and have fun. It is fantastic to see it shortlisted for a sustainability award.
“It is also positive to see our efforts with partners to help those from Ukraine being recognised. These projects have allowed people to not only move to Scotland but put down roots. Our work with NatWest to help those fleeing war into work and study is one of three employability projects supported by the council to be nominated for an award.
“We face big decisions about how we address our housing and climate emergencies, and one of our biggest priorities is make sure those in our communities feel supported and welcome. All of these projects are successfully working towards that aim. I’d like to wish everyone involved in the very best of luck.”
Other council supported nominees include the Whole Family Equality Project, supported by the Capital City Partnership, which supports families from diverse ethnic backgrounds in Edinburgh to reach financial resilience, improved health and wellbeing, and positive participation in school life.
Delivered by Children 1st and CHAI and funded by the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Government and Robertson Trust, the project empowers people to take leading roles in decision made about the project’s design and delivery and is nominated for the Championing Diversity and Inclusion Award.
The Integrated Regional Employability and Skills Programme (IRES) as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal programme, is also in the running for the Project and Programme Management Award.
The programme seeks to evolve regional labour market policy and practice to drive inclusive growth, promising to deliver deliver an additional 14,700 skill improvements across the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region and help 5,300 people into employment.
The finalists will be announced on Wednesday 6 December.
A report to Transport and Environment Committee has set out the Council’s understanding of the failures identified by Lord Hardie in delivery of the first phase of the tram project, and how lessons learned can ensure future delivery of major infrastructure projects can avoid similar issues.
This includes consideration of Lord Hardie’s recommendations relating to the Council, and an assessment of the consequences of the project’s failings, such as additional costs, disruption and impact on the Council’s reputation.
The report is accompanied by three other appendices covering: the financial cost and reporting of the tram project; whether any action is to be taken with employees as a result of the Inquiry’s findings and assurance of arrangements in place for Arm’s Length External Organisations (ALEO) and contractors; and an update on any possible legal action (the final to be considered in private).
These three reports will be considered by Governance Risk and Best Value Committee (GRBV) on 28 November and, along with the report to Transport and Environment Committee, will be referred to December’s Full Council for consideration.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Since the start of the Tram Inquiry we’ve completed the line to Newhaven and launched passenger services, the success of which was down to the hard work of the in-house project team and partners. It’s also thanks to lessons learned from the first project, and our own improvements to project management and governance, communication and independent oversight.
“It’s worth noting too that in the nine years since the line between Edinburgh Airport and York Place was built, the service has flourished to become a hugely successful transport route for thousands of residents and visitors each day.
“While we broadly agree with Lord Hardie’s recommendations, prior to the inquiry’s announcement we had already introduced processes and strategies to help avoid some of the problems experienced in the original tram project. Not only have we applied this in the construction of the line to Newhaven, but these lessons are hugely beneficial to other major infrastructure projects.
“Of course, scrutiny of the Inquiry’s findings has allowed us to provide further, robust assurance that we understand the factors that contributed to the difficulties in the first phase of tram delivery, and to build confidence in future infrastructure delivery. We want to make sure we continue learning and improving.
“We know that serious mistakes were made in the construction of the original tram line, which caused a great deal of disruption and concern for residents and businesses, as well as impacting the Council’s reputation. Once again, I want to apologise for this.
“Ultimately, creating a better connected, environmentally friendly transport system is essential for a modern, successful city and we need to transform the way people move around if we are to achieve our net zero goals.”
The Edinburgh Tram Inquiry report was published in September and provides an account of the original Edinburgh Tram project’s progress, identifying factors that contributed to difficulties in its delivery.
The independent inquiry was commissioned by the Scottish Government following the completion of the section of tram line between the airport and York Place in 2014. Its remit was to establish why the project was delivered years late, massively over budget and did not produce the promised ‘network’ – only part of one of the originally-promised lines was eventually delivered.
The Council’s response examines and acknowledges the findings made by the Inquiry, including those around governance, the need for independent legal advice and reporting practices. It also considers the implications for future project management.
While the report broadly agrees with Lord Hardie’s recommendation, it highlights that, since the original tram project, several processes and strategies have been put in place which have helped to avoid some of the problems experienced. It’s thanks to this approach, along with lessons learned from the original project, that we have successfully delivered the Trams to Newhaven line.
LESSONS LEARNED, BUT AT A TRULY MASSIVE COST TO EDINBURGH’S BUSINESSES AND THE HARD-PRESSED TAXPAYERS WHO FOOT THE BILL FOR FAILURE – Ed.
Recognised the world over as platforms of creative excellence, festivals in Edinburgh have received a total of £633,396 of additional funding from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland to support continued strategic development activity.
diversify their year-round partnerships with the culture sector across the city and Scotland
drive transformation and creative innovation through long-term programming approaches
increase career and skills development capacity for creatives and young people
build new and lasting relationships with less engaged communities.
An independent evaluation report from BOP Consulting has found that PlaCE funding played a significant role in festival resilience through the pandemic and 97% of community partners reported high levels of satisfaction from engagement with the festivals.
Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said: “The Scottish Government’s commitment to investing in arts and culture remains strong, which is why we have continued to provide support, through Creative Scotland, to Edinburgh’s festivals.
“Communities right across the city will benefit from almost £640,000 in PLaCE funding. We hope this will allow Festivals to continue their development and deliver more fantastic work in our schools and with our local communities.”
This additional funding on top of the transformative PlaCE programme will allow festivals in Edinburgh to continue delivery of this strategic development activity into the next year and beyond.
The following festivals have received this funding:
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has today announced an incredible programme of free events to start 2024, as First Footin’ and Sprogmanay return on New Year’s Day, inviting audiences to enjoy a free programme of music and live events in venues and city centre attractions throughout the capital’s Old and New Towns.
First Footin’ invites audiences to explore the historic city, discovering an eclectic range of live music in outstanding venues, embracing Hogmanay traditions of friendship, love, and resolution, not forgetting some delicious food and drink along the way.
Featuring some of Scotland’s most beloved artists alongside exciting newcomers and some very special guests, music-lovers can enjoy an afternoon of performance and guest collaborations from award-winning artists including Lau, Fergus McCreadie, Kathryn Joseph, Hot Chip (DJ set), Bemz, Cloth, Sean Shibe and much more, to welcome in 2024 on New Year’s Day.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, created and produced by UniqueAssembly on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council, has collaborated with award-winning musician and composer Aidan O’Rourke to curate the First Footin’ programme, which is funded by the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund and supported by Essential Edinburgh and Cold Town Beer.
On the afternoon of 1 January, locals and tourists alike can enjoy live music at the First Footin’ culture trail, with performances ranging from folk to rap, indie to classical, and much more.
Aidan O’Rourke, Lau who guest curated the First Footin’ programme said: “The first day of the new year. Normal rules don’t apply. Emotions are big and wobbly. Hopes are high. The light seems different. Resolutions are … pending.
“We might feel refreshed but also (possibly) heftily hungover. A special sensitivity! A perfect day for listening, resetting, turning off the phones and sitting still for a moment or several. It’s been a joy to curate these free concerts: incredible musicians playing in up-close, low-key and immersive settings.”
First Footin’ highlights include:
An exclusive collaboration between pioneering folk trio Lau, who will be joined by special guest and cult singer-songwriter Kathryn Joseph for a New Year’s Day party like no other at St Giles’ Cathedral, greeting their first-footers with songs and a warm welcome
Aspecial day time club event at Virgin Hotel with very special guests Hot Chip (DJ Set) and guest DJs
An afternoon of award-winning jazz from Fergus McCreadie Trio and special guests Juliette Lemoine & Chris Amer at Greyfriars Kirk
Edinburgh bornguitarist and recipient of the 2022 Leonard Bernstein Award Sean Shibe and special guest violinist Mira Benjamin at the Fruitmarket Gallery
Live music score performed by the Graeme Stephen Trio to classic silent movies, at the new St Andrew Square Spiegeltent
An afternoon of ceilidh dancing with Mull’s Hannah Fisher Ceilidh Band at the Assembly Rooms Ballroom
Plus an evening of revelry at the First Footin’ Sessions with Cold Town Beer taking place in Edinburgh’s best city centre pubs and bars
In a special collaboration with The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award and partners Stirling Council, First Footin’ will this year welcome a selection of 2023’s Shortlisted artists to the live music trail, with nominees Becky Sikasa, Bemz, Cloth, and this year’s Sound of Young Scotland winner No Windows performing at the Assembly Rooms Music Hall. Named amongst the 10 most outstanding Scottish Albums of the Year, this showcase of SAY Award alumni presents the very best in contemporary Scottish music.
Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “I’m delighted to see the announcement of this year’s First Footin’ and Sprogmanay. Residents and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the start of 2024 with an eclectic, exciting and free programme of events.
“From experimental folk music, to award-winning rap, all the way to arts, crafts and family activities there is truly something for everyone of all ages.
“I’d like to thank the organisers for their efforts, and I can’t wait to experience what this year has in store for our city.”
A spokesperson from UniqueAssembly who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of City of Edinburgh Council said: “We’re thrilled to be able to announce our free New Year’s Day activity thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund.
“With family events at the National Museum of Scotland and Assembly Roxy, and an eclectic music trail across the city, there’s hopefully something for everyone to enjoy.
“This is the second year of our First Footin’ Culture Trail – an opportunity for music fans to see some of Scotland’s best local talent alongside international acts right on their doorstep. The Festivals Expo Fund has enabled us to continue this new tradition, showcasing the amazing artists performing in Scotland year round and the incredible live music venues that support them.”
First Footin’ takes place at venues throughout the city from 2pm – 8pm on New Year’s Day. A full line-up of artists and venues along with First Footin’ trail map will be released in early December, for participants to plan their fun-packed New Year’s Day.
Celebrations for families and young revellers run throughout New Year’s Day with the return of the hugely popular Sprogmanay in collaboration with the National Museum of Scotland. Enjoy lively performances and activities for all the family with a vibrant free programme including; music performances from Unicorn Dance Party and Sprog Rock, arts and crafts, and the ‘Resolution Tree’, where children are invited to write their hopes and ambitions for 2024 on a star – sure to be a special moment for families on the first day of the New Year.
Dance the day away at the Sprogmanay Family Ceilidh hosted by the incredible Fruin Ceilidh Band at Assembly Roxy. The fun, relaxed environment is the perfect chance to embrace tradition and introduce the kids to a classic ceilidh for the first time with an expert caller on hand to ensure everyone of all ability can join in. Running all afternoon, families are invited to stay for the afternoon or drop in and out of sessions to catch their breath!
Sprogmanay and First Footin’ Culture Trail round off four days of world-class celebrations in Edinburgh to welcome in the New Year, thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund.
Celebrations begin on 29 December with the Torchlight Procession and Ho-Ho-Hogmanay, plus the Night Afore Disco Party and Night Afore Hoolie on 30 December.
On Hogmanay night itself New Year Revels with its all-night ceilidh, makes a welcome return to Assembly Rooms, while Princes Street and Princes Street Gardens will host 50,000 party goers at the world-famous Street Party and Concert in the Gardens with Pulp and special guests Hot Chip (DJ set).
Further information and tickets for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 30th anniversary celebrations are available now from www.edinburghshogmanay.com.
HRH The Princess Royal has officially opened a museum celebrating the remarkable history of Scotland’s firefighting tradition in Edinburgh.
Her Royal Highness is now one of more than 7,200 visitors who have visited the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage since it opened its doors to the public in McDonald Road at the end of June.
The Rt. Hon Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, was one of several dignitaries to greet The Princess Royal. He said: “It was a pleasure to welcome HRH The Princess Royal to the city and the McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station on behalf of the people of Edinburgh.
“To have the opportunity to learn more about the rich history of firefighting in Scotland was also an extremely interesting and proud experience.
“I would like to thank the team at McDonald Road for accommodating us today and pay tribute to our fantastic firefighters, alongside our other emergency services, who make sure we are all kept safe.”
Ross Haggart, Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was at the museum to extend a warm welcome to Princess Anne. He said: “We are deeply honoured to have the opportunity to show Her Royal Highness the fascinating exhibits that chart the remarkable history of our firefighting tradition.
“This special building is home to an array of artefacts dating back almost two hundred years, including fire appliances, uniforms and equipment.
“Next year, our service will be marking the bicentenary of the world’s first municipal fire service founded in Edinburgh by James Braidwood.”
As part of the visit, The Princess Royal was also given a tour of McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station, which has been newly refurbished as an emergency hub building alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service. HRH was greeted by a contingent of firefighters and ambulance crews.
Chair of the Scottish Ambulance Service, Tom Steele, said: “I was delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness to McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station alongside our colleagues at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
“The museum is a fantastic celebration of the fire service’s history. As well as sharing a number of co-locations with the fire service, including here in Edinburgh, we share a strong history of caring for and improving the lives of the people in Scotland.
“We look forward to many more years of working together to provide life-saving work.”
After watching a demonstration of how firefighters use a high reach appliance, HRH was presented with a posy by Crew Commander Blair Muir, who carefully manoeuvred the vehicle so he could hand deliver the flowers from onboard the appliance.
The Princess Royal spoke with staff and volunteers, including Jim McDonald, a museum volunteer. Mr McDonald said: “It was a truly remarkable and humbling experience to meet Her Royal Highness. Her genuine interest in our exhibits left a lasting impression on all of us.”
At the end of the visit, The Princess Royal officially unveiled commemorative plaques, marking the official opening of the museum.
McDonald Road Community Fire and Ambulance Station has undergone renovations and modernisation and last month won a Commendation in the Large Projects and Regeneration/Strategy Award Categories for the 2023 Edinburgh Architectural Awards.
Following the decision of the Policy and Sustainability Committee on October 24, 2023 it was agreed that the Council and Police Scotland would issue a joint statement for Islamophobia Awareness Month.
Joint statement from Councillor Cammy Day, Leader of City of Edinburgh Council, and Edinburgh Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Sean Scott from Police Scotland:
‘Edinburgh is characterised and strengthened by its diversity across our communities, and we remain committed to ensuring that the Capital remains a safe, tolerant, and welcoming city for all.
‘We are unequivocal in our condemnation of all prejudice and intolerance – neither of which have any place here in Edinburgh or across our society.
‘We acknowledge the impact of hate incidents and crimes on victims, their families, and wider communities and will work together with them to tackle Islamophobia and all other forms of hate crime.
‘We will continue to work with groups who have lived experience of Islamophobia, and we will use their insights to further inform our work. Engagement with these communities is rightly at the heart of our approach to tackling discrimination and reassuring our residents.
‘We know that hate crime is under-reported and we are working closely with victims, communities, and partners to build confidence in the process and its outcomes. If you are affected by hate or know of someone who is, please report it. Find out about the different ways to report hate incidents.
‘Within both our own organisations, we are fully committed to broadening our understanding of Islam and combatting Islamophobia through a range of learning and development activities, such as community visits, webinars, and workshops.
‘Please get in touch if you need our help or if you would like to work with us on stamping Islamophobia out once and for all.’
This week marks the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) 2023, which aims to raise awareness of Islamophobia and its prevalence in Scotland.
Figures show that many people are still subject to Islamophobic abuse, which can include harassment, hate speech, violent attacks, religious profiling and being prejudiced against Muslims. IAM seeks to demonstrate the effect of Islamophobia and how it can be tackled, in addition to the positive contributions of Muslims in the UK.
The Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Challenging Racial & Religious Prejudice recently received an update on its 2021 inquiry into Islamophobia in Scotland.
The 2021 inquiry found that 75% of Muslims say that Islamophobia is a regular or everyday issue in Scottish society. 78% of Muslims in Scotland believed that Islamophobia was getting worse, which rose to 82% of Muslim respondents with a Glasgow postcode.
Over 80% of all Muslim respondents to the survey have a friend or family member who has experienced Islamophobia.
The update received by the CPG earlier this week re-launched the Islamophobia Inquiry recommendations, with Convener Foysol Choudhury MSP highlighting that Islamophobia is still a prevalent issue in Scotland and that key recommendations such as improving on the reporting and recording of Islamophobia in schools should be urgently progressed.
Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury, who is the new Convener of the CPG taking over from colleague Anas Sarwar MSP, is encouraging constituents to talk about these experiences during Islamophobia Awareness Month, to raise awareness that these problems do exist and people are facing them daily.
Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “Islamophobia is still such a big issue for all Muslims and we need to find a way to eradicate the abuse and hatred urgently, to help those who face issues with Islamophobia on a daily basis.
“I have been raising in the Scottish Parliament the issue of how the Scottish Government will ensure that all police officers will be able to fully investigate all reported hate crimes, so people will then hopefully feel more comfortable going to the police about the abuse and hatred they receive.”
Following his previous work on Islamophobia, Foysol Choudhury is continuing to encourage people this month to share their experiences and speak out: “I really want to make sure people feel enabled to speak out about their issues, to give support to those who face hate or abuse because of their membership to religious communities.
“It is my hope that this will then create a more peaceful Scotland for everyone, free from any kind of religious intolerance or hatred.”
