Video Credit Radio Free Europe. UNHS is disappointed that the United States has chosen to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA), commonly referred to as the Iran Deal. As fervent supporters of the nuclear disarmament movement and the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, we view this announcement as an unfortunate regress from building a safer world for all. While the loss of the United States’s cooperation in this deal is damaging, UNHS believes that it is not fatal. The rest of the international community, especially those of us in Europe, must compensate for this loss and work with Iran to continue the enforcement of this deal. UN House SCISA expert Lukasz

“Genocide may seem far removed from Scotland, but conflicts can happen anywhere when people don’t know and understand their neighbours – no one is immune from genocide.” - Church of Scotland Minister Iain Torrance. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the conference On the 10th of May, I had the pleasure to attend the meeting on the Plan of Action for the Prevention of Genocide, at the Scottish Parliament. The event was organised by the Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society as a part of a two-days visit to Scotland of the UN Under-Secretary General, Adama Dieng. The seminar was sponsored by MSP Bill Kidd, and government, organisations and religious leaders were present for the occasion. The debate was c

Ahead of 29 May, International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, UN House has prepared a new Parliamentary One-Pager (POP), highlighting the UK contribution to UN Peacekeeping Forces and the important responsibilities of the agency. View the POP below or download a copy. The POP will be distributed to MSPs in the days leading up to 29 May, and look forward to continued support from Scottish and British Government to UN Peacekeeping Forces.

UNHS is happy to release, "Football and Modern Slavery: An Investigation into English and Scottish Top-flight Clubs’ Commitment to Tackling a Global Issue." Executive Summary As part of the work of the United Nations House Scotland to promote the Sustainable Development Goals [anti-human trafficking efforts are listed under SDG 8], this Report focuses on the way in which English and Scottish top-flight football clubs take action to combat human trafficking and modern slavery. The project was initiated in the light of our focus on the private sector’s responsibility to tackle these issues as well as our Conference on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery at the Scottish Parliament in March 201

UNHS is pleased to offer for the first time a set of short courses. The inaugural session will be led by Dr. Jehan Al-Azzawi, and takes place Wednesdays throughout June and July. You may register for Session 1, Session 2, or both sessions combined. If you wish to register, we suggest you do so soon as space is strictly limited. See registration details below: #middleeastpeace #middleeast #middleeastconflict

Image Credit: Nukewatch UK On 2 May, I attended a debate at the Scottish Parliament on nuclear convoys in Scotland. While I have attended events and committees at the Scottish Parliament in various capacities, this was my first debate in the chamber. I found it to be fascinating and it was interesting to see the interactions between MSPs. The debate was addressed the Civil Contingencies Act (CCA) and its application in nuclear weapon transport. Led by Mark Ruskell MSP of the Scottish Greens, the debate centred around the lack of risk assessments by councils in convoy routes and more importantly, the lack of awareness of the public about the movement of nuclear and explosive material through

Last week, I attended the first week of the 2018 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Preparatory Committee at the United Nations Office in Geneva. The weekend before the NPT, I attended the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Campaigners’ Meeting. It was a fast-paced and enlightening week and I have gained insight into diplomatic negotiations and the impact of civil society on international norms and regimes. The ICAN Campaigners’ Meeting was an incredible gathering of representatives from ICAN partner organisations from around the world. I’ve met people everywhere from South Korea to Nigeria and learning about their organisations and how they have pushed for the Treaty on th

Claudia Beamish MSP speaks at UNHS Conference,"Scotland's Path to Climate Justice." Claudia Beamish MSP hailed the impact of the conference Scotland’s Path to Climate Justice, which was held at the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation on 27 April. ‘My education has been enriched and my moral compass has been changed. I have been truly challenged and inspired,’ the Scottish Labour MSP summarised. 'Let's be warriors!' she said. The sold-out conference, organised by UN House Scotland and sponsored by Ms Beamish, sought to provide an additional perspective of climate justice to the one embedded in the Climate Change Bill that is currently going through Parliament. Scotland’s Path to Climate