That the Parliament congratulates the entire team behind the Orkney International Science Festival on staging another successful and engaging programme of events , which ran from 3 to 9 September 2026 across Orkney; understands that this festival, which was launched in 1991, is one of the world's longest established science festivals, following on the earlier success of the Edinburgh Science Festival, which was first held in 1989; notes that the 2026 festival kicked off with an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of Heriot-Watt University's Scientific Diving Team, and included stories of the team's underwater surveys studying sea life in Scapa Flow, as well as historic photos from its earlier years; understands that the festival also featured a talk on the future of the Orcadian dialect, led by Dr Tom Rendall and Dr Sarah Jane Gibbon, a screening of People's Emergency Briefing, a new film that sets out the urgent action that the makers believe is required to respond to nature loss and climate change, and discussions on local ecology, nature-based food solutions, AI, mental health and more; considers that Orkney has a rich tradition of cultivating vibrant community-driven events, festivals and shows, all of which have helped to promote local culture, music, history, and sectors in the islands over the years; believes that the annual Science Festival is an integral part of this tradition; congratulates all involved with the organisation and delivery of the 2026 festival on another fascinating week of programming, with special thanks to the festival's incredible director, Howie Firth; looks forward to what the festival has in store for 2027's programme, and wishes the festival team continued success in the years to come.
Supported by: Clare Adamson, Jackie Baillie, Max Bannerman, Andrew Baxter, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Ariane Burgess, Alexander Burnett, Victor Currie, Bob Doris, Tim Eagle, Stuart McMillan, Emma Roddick, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance