A RECRUITMENT drive is under way in Edinburgh for members of two groups involved in taking forward recommendations to address the capital city’s historic links to Slavery and Colonialism.
In August 2022, the Policy and Sustainability Committee endorsed 10 recommendations produced by the independent Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group (ESCLR).
The group was chaired by Sir Geoff Palmer and operated over an 18-month period between December 2020 and July 2022 and involved public engagement.
Now, the group hoping to implement these recommendations are searching for nine people from diverse backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, genders and interests to join the chair and ensure a mix of views are considered in its work and decision-making process.
Chair of the implementation group Irene Mosota said: “It is my great pleasure as the independent chair of the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review (ESCLR) Implementation Group to extend this invitation to those who wish to join us.
“Our mission is to promote equity, justice, dignity, compassion, and love in our beautiful city and I believe that diverse voices and perspectives are essential to ensure our recommendations meet the needs of our entire community.
“That's why we are actively seeking passionate individuals to become members and supporters of this work. Together, we can drive meaningful change and create a more inclusive and equitable city.
“It is not enough to simply acknowledge the existence of inequality and racism; we must show brave and courageous leadership and take action to address these issues.
“By doing so, we can truly realise equity and afford dignity to everyone.”
In addition to the implementation group, there is an ongoing opportunity to be part of the Supporters Network.
This public forum is open to any individual or organisation with an interest in the work of the ESCLR Implementation Group.
Supporters will receive e-bulletins about the work of the group and will have opportunities to feed in to plans or comment on proposals being developed.
They will be made aware of any participatory activities being organised in which they might like to take part.
Council leader Cammy Day said: “This is a great opportunity for anyone who’s interested in promoting equality and anti-racism to get involved.
“We want the group and network to reflect a broad range of viewpoints and experience and to make sure action is taken.
“If you’ve got ideas on how we can do things differently or if you just want to play a bigger role in the city's response to this work, we want to hear from you.”
The deadline for notes of interest is 5pm on Friday, July 21, 2023 and the recruitment pack can be found on the council's website.
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