Member
Galashiels is set to welcome the 6th Scottish Rural & Islands Parliament (6th SRIP) during the
last week of October 2027.
Hundreds of delegates will come together in the town’s historic Volunteer Hall to explore
shared priorities and ensure rural and island voices are heard in national discussions and
policy-making. Other venues across the Scottish Borders will host a variety of workshops,
study trips and cultural celebrations.
The location announcement was made at the Borders Community Action inaugural
conference which also ran a workshop with young people and representatives from youth
groups to help design the 6th Scottish Rural & Islands Youth Parliament.
The chosen theme for 6th SRIP is ‘The Power of Lived Experience’ and the Scottish Rural
and Islands Youth Parliament forms an important part of the SRIP, providing a dedicated
platform for young people to share their experiences, contribute ideas and lead discussions
about the future of their rural and island communities.
Planning of the 6th SRIP is a collaboration between host region and national partners
including Borders Community Action, Youth Borders, Scottish Borders Council, Scottish
Borders Chamber of Commerce, the Southern Uplands Partnership, South of Scotland
Enterprise, the CLLD Local Action Group and Youth Local Action Group, Scottish Rural
Action, the Scottish Government and Scottish Rural Network.
Speaking on behalf of Borders Community Action, the Borders TSI, Juliana Amaral, CEO,
said: “We’re delighted that Scottish Borders will host the 6th Scottish Rural & Islands Parliament in
2027, taking place in Galashiels. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the pride, warmth
and community spirit that defines the Scottish Borders, while bringing people together from
across Scotland to share ideas, learn from one another and help shape a positive future for
our communities, with young people playing a vital role in those conversations.”Speaking on behalf of the host region partners, Hans Waltl, Chair of the CLLD Local Action
Group said: “Communities in the Scottish Borders each have a distinct history and heritage, as well as
unique assets and challenges. The region provides a rich source of learning to inform
discussions at the 6th Scottish Rural & Islands Parliament. Recent years have seen profound
changes for our rural and island places and the programme we design will enable us to
collectively identify what future policy should look like.”Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Government, Cabinet Secretary Gillian Martin MSP said:
“After the success of Scotland hosting the 2025 European Rural Parliament, I am looking
forward to seeing that momentum carried forward to Autumn 2027 with the 6th Scottish
Rural & Islands Parliament and Youth Parliament in the Scottish Borders. The Scottish
Government looks forward to engaging delegates on a range of matters, including a Rural
Renewal Bill and the next stages in the implementation of the Community Wealth Building
Act, and the National Islands Plan.”
Delegate registration will open in 2027. The SRIP is a free event, and open to all. People,
organisations and businesses from communities across the Scottish Borders are invited to
get in touch with Nikki at Scottish Rural Action ([email protected]) to discuss any projects or
priorities they would like to see included in the programme.
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