2006 Fellows Arrive in Edinburgh
On Monday 5th June 2006, twenty four young leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine arrived in Edinburgh to take part in the 2006 John Smith Fellowship Programme.
2006 Fellows with Trust Chairman Lord Robertson
Photo courtesy of Sunsol
The five-week Programme begins in Edinburgh where Fellows learn about devolution and local self-governance, meeting Members of Scottish Parliament and the First Minister, and attending First Minister’s Questions. Fellows began the Programme with a team-building day then met a representative from the Scottish Information Commissioner, then attended a presentation on the The Freedom of Information Act in Scotland and how this compares to similar legislation in the Fellows’ countries.
Fellows taking part in a team-building activity
Photo courtesy of the British Council
The Fellows were formally welcomed to Scotland at an evening reception hosted by Scottish & Newcastle plc which gave Fellows a view of their own countries from the perspective of a major international company investing in the CIS. During their time in Scotland, Fellows also visited Edinburgh Prison where they met the prison Governor, David Croft, who provided them with a unique insight into the UK penal system.
The Programme in Edinburgh also included a Seminar Series on democracy, good governance and civil society, organised by the Centre for Studies in Security and Diplomacy (CSSD), University of Birmingham, and hosted by the University of Edinburgh.
Adam Crozier delivers a speech to Fellows
Photo courtesy of Sunsol
As part of the Seminar Series, Former Chief Executive of the FA and current Chief Executive of the Royal Mail Group, Adam Crozier, held a workshop on ‘The Nature of the Market Economy’. Trustee and Former Solicitor General of Scotland Lord McCluskey held a session on the Rule of Law and its importance as an underpinning of democratic practise. Maj. Gen. Graham Messervy-Whiting gave a presentation and led a discussion on ‘The Role of the Armed Forces Today’ using the Balkans as a case study. Other lecture and workshop topics included: Elections in Britain and Scotland, Standards in Public Life in the Newly Independent Countries, Human Rights Dilemmas, and Economic Liberalisation and Market Reform in the NIS.
Fellows attending the Adam Crozier presentation
Photo Courtesy of Sunsol
After the seminar series, Fellows spent two weeks on an attachment period where they pursued a programme of individual meetings and work placements tailored to their particular needs and interests. As part of his attachment programme, Armenian Fellow Tigran Mkrtchyan who is Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Speaker of the Parliament, National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, spent time with Angus Robertson MP, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Michael Moore MP, the House of Lords EU Committee, Malcolm Rifkind MP, and the House of Commons Library.
After the attachment period, Fellows and invited guests attended one of the highlights of the Programme – the annual Weekend Retreat sponsored by the Leadership Trust. Over the weekend, Fellows and guests discussed and debated Media Regulation in the UK, Changes in the Global Media, Press Responsibility and Freedom, and Tackling Corruption. Speakers included: Charlie Beckett, Director POLIS and Senior Editor, Channel 4 News; Mike Jempson, Director, MediaWise Trust; Laurence Cockroft, Chairman, Transparency International UK; and Jean-Eric Aubert, Leading Specialist, World Bank Institute.
The Fellows then attended a second seminar series in London hosted by the British Council and organised by the University of Birmingham. Sessions included Conflict Resolution, Terrorism and Human Rights, and the Rise and Fall of the Great Powers.
Fellows with the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon Tony Blair MP
Photo courtesy of Sunsol
The Fellowship Programme concluded with a Final Day at No.11 Downing Street where Fellows reported to the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Trustees, Advisors and the British Council on issues they explored during there time in the UK. After the Fellows’ presentations, Bridget Prentice MP hosted an award ceremony where she presented each Fellow with a certificate. Fellows were also given a tour of Number 10 and the Prime Minister met Fellows for a brief photocall. The day concluded with a reception for Fellows, Attachment Hosts and other guests hosted by Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP, and a final dinner held at the National Liberal Club.
June/July 2006