Former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson was among the international delegates who came to Holyrood on Friday 23 June for a discussion on “Civil Society and Participative Democracy”, as part of the 6th Civicus World Assembly.

The main conference took place in Glasgow from 21 to 25 June. Hosted by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), it marked the start of a three year period in which Scotland will host the next two annual assemblies and will remain at the centre of global civil society throughout that time.

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the African Women's Development Fund, and Dr Aruna Rao, Director of Gender at Work.

Presiding Officer George Reid MSP welcomed assembly delegates to Holyrood's Committee Room 2 to take part in the debate.

Linda Fabiani MSP and Saso Klekovski of the Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation.

Jan Jakub Wygnanski, President of Forum of Non-Governmental Initiatives Poland and Civicus board member, and Professor Sir Clive Booth, Chair of Centres and the Big Lottery Fund.

See more information in the news release.