A major public discussion on the future of tourism in Edinburgh will take place at the City Chambers on 12 May, bringing together European experts, local practitioners, and community voices to address one of the most pressing issues facing historic cities today.
Hosted by the Cockburn Association as part of the Festival of Europe, Homes or Homecomings? Managing Tourism Tensions with European Partners will explore how cities can balance the economic benefits of tourism with the needs of residents.
Tourism remains central to Edinburgh’s economy and identity, but increasing visitor numbers have placed growing pressure on housing, infrastructure, and everyday life in the city centre. The event will present new research on tourism impacts in Edinburgh while drawing on European case studies to examine how other historic cities are responding to similar challenges.
Speakers include academics and practitioners working across the UK and Europe, alongside representatives from business and community-led organisations. The discussion will consider issues such as short-term lets, housing availability, and how to sustain living communities in globally recognised heritage destinations.
The event is open to the public and will bring together policymakers, researchers, residents, and those working in tourism and heritage.
Event details:
Date: Tuesday, 12 May
Venue: City Chambers, Edinburgh
Host: The Cockburn Association
Part of: Festival of Europe programme
Tickets and further information are available via Eventbrite.
Live Music Now Scotland will join this year’s Festival of Europe Scotland with a special performance at National Galleries Scotland: National, presented in partnership with Live Music Now Vienna.
Taking place on 7 May 2026 (18:00–18:30), the concert features Duo Winter–Djurdjevic — flautist Anna Winter and guitarist Mihajlo Djurdjević — in a programme celebrating European composers of the 18th and 19th centuries.
This event forms part of an ongoing international exchange between Live Music Now organisations, creating opportunities for emerging musicians to share their work across borders and connect with new audiences through live performance. It also builds on Live Music Now Scotland’s continuing partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland, which this year is celebrating 85 years of musical performances in the galleries.
Rooted in the vision of founder Yehudi Menuhin, Live Music Now supports musicians at the start of their careers while bringing high-quality live music into communities and settings where it can have real impact.
Jude Anderson, Chief Executive, Live Music Now Scotland, said: “At this concert we will be treated to some brilliantly talented musicians in a programme celebrating European artists; it is a real pleasure to be presenting in partnership with the Festival of Europe.
“Artists hold such an important role in our society, exploring new ways of thinking while providing moments for joy, peace and togetherness.’
Set within the informal surroundings of the National gallery, the performance invites audiences to experience live music in a relaxed and welcoming way — offering a moment to pause, listen, and connect through a shared cultural experience.
This event is supported by the NGS Foundation and the Festival of Europe (Scotland). Elaine Ballantyne, the festival’s Trustee and Director, said: ‘Scotland has a rich heritage of European connections and the Festival of Europe (Scotland) is delighted to support Live Music Now and the National Galleries of Scotland in furthering new European opportunities for young musicians.
“We very much look forward to the Duo Winter–Djurdjevic concert on the opening of our 2026 Festival programme on 7 May.”
Event details Duo Winter–Djurdjevic will perform a varied programme of chamber music by European composers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Date: 7 May 2026 Time: 18:00–18:30 Location: National Galleries Scotland: National, The Mound, Edinburgh Admission: Free – booking required via the National Galleries of Scotland
Keeping democracy healthy in Europe is key theme, says organiser
Scotland’s second Festival of Europe is being held at the French Institute, Edinburgh, on 10th and 11th May. Backed by the European Movement in Scotland and a wide range of other organisations, a major theme of the two-day event is “The Future of European Democracy”.
The Festival comes at a time when far right parties are on the rise across Europe and, as Donald Trump’s administration changes the global order that has been in place since the end of World War 2.
Mark Lazarowicz, one of the conference organisers and a former Edinburgh MP, says: “The world is more unstable today than at any time in the past 80 years. There are powerful political forces at work here, in Europe, the USA and globally that want to tear down the institutions and ideas that have brought freedom, dignity, security and stability to millions.
“We have assembled an outstanding cast of speakers who will explain where we are now and look at how we can keep democracy healthy in Europe.”
Among the issues to be discussed are proposals to revitalise the European project of political and economic integration, how the EU should respond to hard right politics, how political parties and civil society can strengthen liberal democracy and what the prospects for closer ties between Scotland, the UK and the EU.
On the economics front, the recent report on the future of European competitiveness is being seen as a vital blueprint for Europe, a matter made far more urgent by America’s new protectionist trade policy. A conference session will look at how the report recommendations can be implemented the implications for economies across Europe, including Scotland and the UK.
MSP Clare Adamson and Alistair Mackie, Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, will look at progress on the Face the Music campaign. Brexit has meant that artists, performers and technical specialists who support performers have lost income and bookings across Europe.
To book tickets for The Future of European Democracy Conference and all the other events taking place as part of the Festival of Europe go to
Tanja Bueltmann, Professor of International History at the University of Strathclyde. She specialises in the history of migration and diaspora. She is also a citizens’ rights campaigner and founder of the EU Citizens’ Champion campaign.
Mark Leonard is co-founder and director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, currently the Henry A Kissinger Chair in foreign policy and international relations at the US Library of Congress, Washington DC.
Sophie Pornschlegel is Deputy Director of Europe Jacques Delors, a Brussels-based think tank. She is also a Policy Fellow with Das Progressive Zentrum in Berlin.
Alyn Smith was an SNP Member of the European Parliament for Scotland from 2004-2019 and SNP MP for Stirling from 2019 to 2024. He was the party’s Westminster lead on Europe until last year.
Sir Graham Robert Watson was a Liberal Democrat Member of the European Parliament between 1994 and 2014. He is a previous leader of the Liberal Group in the European Parliament,
Sandro GoziMEP sits for France in the European Parliament. He is Chair of the European Parliament Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly. He is a former Minister for European Affairs in the Italian government.
Catherine Barnard has been Professor of European Union and Employment Law at the University of Cambridge since 2008. She has also been Deputy Director of the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank.
Cecilia Jastrzembska is President, Young European Movement (YEM). She has worked as a senior policy advisor in UK government departments. She has also held leadership roles in the Young European Socialists. She speaks and writes on feminism, climate change and AI, and European citizens’ rights.
Stephen Gethins has been an SNP MP from 2015-2019 and from 2024. He was SNP Spokesperson for International Affairs and Europe at Westminster. He is Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St. Andrews. He has worked in the NGO sector specialising in peace-building, arms control and democracy in the Caucasus and the Balkans.
Alistair Mackie, Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Originally from Ayrshire, Alistair Mackie was appointed Chief Executive of the RSNO in 2019. A classical musician before entering management, he was principal trumpet with the London Sinfonietta and a professor at The Royal College of Music.
Clare Adamson MSP is Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. She will talk about the committee’s work and the cross-party parliamentary support for the Face the Music campaign.
The Festival of Europe website contains information on other events being held across Scotland to mark Europe Day. They include Edinburgh performances by award winning singer, Christine Bovill and walking tours in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Fife that will look at Scotland’s historic ties with Europe.
The Pentland Ukrainian Support Group (PUSG) is holding a Europe-themed party.
The Citizens Rights Project is holding a conference looking at the issues and challenges facing EU citizens in Scotland.
Scotland’s first Festival of Europe, co-hosted by the European Movement in Scotland, the Scottish Council on Global Affairs, the Citizen’s Rights Project and the New Europeans UK, will be taking place at Summerhall, Edinburgh, on 11th-12th May 2024.
The Festival will discuss the big issues at the heart of the UK’s current and future relations with the EU, and include speakers from the sponsoring organisations as well as the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews, the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Scottish Advisory Forum on Europe and the British Chamber of Commerce.
Here are the links to the events. Tickets are free with registration, just sign up to whichever ones interest you:
As part of the Festival, we are delighted to be able to announce Madeleina Kay’s Brexiles exhibition and the galleries of the Demarco European Foundation will be open to participants.
The European Movement is open to people of all political persuasions and it would be a pleasure to see you there.
