EDAS 25 Years Celebration

Join us for a special afternoon as we celebrate 25 years of EDAS – a journey shaped by our members and the wider economic development community.

In an era defined by uncertainty and rapid change – from economic shocks to climate challenges – it has never been more important to come together, reflect, and celebrate the power of collaboration, positivity, and innovation. As we mark 25 years of EDAS, we honour not just our history, but the resilience and forward-thinking spirit that continues to shape Scotland’s economic development story.

This exclusive invitation-only event for EDAS members will feature:
🎤 Guest speakers including Minister for Employment & Investment, Tom Arthur MSP
💡 Insightful contributions from Julia Steinberger & Grace Blakeley.
🎙️ Lively discussions, with EDAS Board Member Charlie Woods, with EDAS Chairs past and present, sharing their        perspectives
🏆 Special awards honouring contributions to EDAS and to economic development
🎭 Poetry recital by Brian Connolly
🎻 Drinks reception with music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Agenda

Arrival for 1:30 start (coffee & sweet treats available to be taken into theatre)

1:30 Welcome from Neil McInroy, Chair of EDAS and Global Lead for Community Wealth Building, The Democracy Collaborative.

Featuring ‘Quartercentury’ recital by Brian Connolly, Specialist – Innovation Ecosystems, Scottish Enterprise

1:45 Ministerial Address: Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Employment & Investment, Scottish Government

2:00 Exploring economic futures and the role for economic development: Grace Blakeley, Economics and politics commentator, columnist, journalist and author.

2.20 Audience Questions

2.35 EDAS Board Member Charlie Woods, with EDAS Chairs past and present, sharing their perspectives on what economic development means for them.

Featuring, Jean Hamilton (EDAS Founder & Chair, 1999 - 2005), Robert Pollock (Chaired twice between 2013 and 2022), Neil McInroy (Chair, 2023 to present) and Clare Stoddart, (Chair, EDAS Future Leaders Network, 2024 to present).

3:00 Comfort break

3.20 Countering Cataclysm Capitalism: Professor Julia K Steinberger, Professor of societal challenges of climate change, University of Lausanne

3.40 Audience Questions

3.55 Special awards honouring contributions to EDAS and to economic development

• Contribution to Economic Development
• Lifetime Achievement
• Outstanding Early Career Achievement

4.15 Drinks Reception with music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Privacy

To support networking and help you get the most out of our event, we will provide those coming with a list of the names and organisational affiliation of those attending.

Furthermore, we typically take photographs of proceedings in order to highlight or showcase EDAS’s activities.

Please let us know if you do not wish to provide consent for the use of your personal data in this way. To see how we use and take care of your information, please see our privacy notice.