Dr Irene Oldfather wins award for inspiring European connections – strengthening Scotland’s civil society voice in Europe.

We are delighted to announce that the Scottish Advisory Forum on Europe (SAFE), chaired by ALLIANCE Director for Strategic Partnerships, External Affairs and Oureach, Dr Irene Oldfather, has won the “Inspiring European Connections” category at the 2025 EmpowerEU Awards, hosted by the EU Delegation in the UK.

SAFE was established in May 2023 to provide a structured, independent platform for dialogue between Scotland and Europe.

Guided by the principles of conversations, cooperation, participation, SAFE brings together citizens voices from academia, business, and the third sector to strengthen Scotland’s European relationships and foster collaboration across borders.

This award recognises SAFE’s outstanding contribution to building meaningful people-to-people connections between Scotland and European communities. Through initiatives such as youth engagement, policy dialogue, and partnerships with European institutions, SAFE continues to ensure Scotland’s civil society has a strong voice in shaping European relations.

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