Welcome and introductions

Councillor Heather Brannan-McVey opened the conference with a warm welcome and some guidance to allow the online event to run smoothly.

The council’s Chief Executive, Des Murray then spoke about the ambition for North Lanarkshire to be the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit - and that is for everyone. As one of the first local authorities in the UK to come out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, that public support, and the conference, are integral to that ambition. 

Co-chairs of the Black Lives Matter working group 

Councillor Junaid Ashraf and Councillor Paul Kelly, Depute Leader of the Council, both gave personal accounts of their reasons why the Black Lives Matter movement resonates with them. They spoke about how all political factions in the council came together to endorse the movement and to take action in North Lanarkshire to eradicate the scourge of racism – firstly recognising that racism does exist in North Lanarkshire. The Black Lives Matter Working Group was then born.