A humane education charity has announced the addition of a Ukrainian campaigner to its line up of speakers at its first international conference on compassion.
Fostering Compassion, which has its base in Ormiston, East Lothian, is hosting the two-day conference at the Roslin Institute, in Midlothian, in October.
The Compassion Always event marks the charity's tenth anniversary and is part of The Dick Vet's bicentennial celebrations this year.
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And it will hear from Zhenya Dove, an activist and volunteer from Ukraine who is based in Edinburgh.
Zhenya has been working with various Ukrainian, Scottish and international charities, including Danish Animal Protection, and is the organiser of the War Through Children’s Eyes photo exhibition and Unbroken cultural event.
She will speak about compassion for Ukraine.
The conference, which is being held on Saturday October 7 and Sunday October 8 will also welcome representatives from the Helen Woodward Animal Center, from Santa Fe, California, including thier president Mike Arms,
Fostering Compassion which was set up in 2013 by Tranent woman Lesley Winton BEM, runs workshops at its Ormiston base and in schools to help children and young people tap into their empathy and emotions by talking about the experiences of rescue animals and relating it to how they feel.
The work has proved extremely successful in helping children identified as struggling with behaviour or emotional issues.
Lesley, who was awarded the British Empire Medal for Services to Animal Welfare, said she was thrilled Zhenya is joining the conference.
She said: “The conference is a big event for us as it marks Fostering Compassion’s 10th year of working with children and animals and bring a lot of our supporters and partners together.
"It will have people from all over the world taking part as well as those closer to home and I am delighted Zhenya will be joining us."
The Dick Vet is marking 200 years of veterinary teaching this year with a series of live events and as part of its celebrations has provided the charity with the venue for free.
The charity is offering free tickets to all students throughout the conference with ticket prices for other attendees ranging from £10 a day to £15 for the weekend with lunch and refreshments included..
As well as featuring key note speakers from across the breadth of animal welfare and education compassion, there will be an Animal Heroes section of the event with representatives from organisations who use animals in working life and to save lives there.
Tickets for the two day conference and full details of the line-up can be found on the Fostering Compassion website at www.fosteringcompassion.org/connect-with-compassion/conference2023
