Humza Yousaf: My Family’s Escape from Gaza and The Cost of Leadership

In October 2023, Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf, got a call from Gaza and feared the worst. His wife’s parents, Elizabeth and Maged, had been visiting the Palestinian territory to see Maged’s sick Palestinian mother. Now, after Hamas’ unprecedented terrorist onslaught, Elizabeth and Maged were caught in Israel’s full-scale military response.

In this live event, Humza will be in conversation with the Ambassador of Palestine to the United Kingdom, Dr Husam S. Zomlot. They will discuss Humza’s month-long nightmare as he tried desperately to get his in-laws out of Gaza and back home to Dundee. With the British government ignoring his pleas for help, he was forced to coordinate with other countries to ensure their escape. All the while, he had to lead the whole of Scotland, and reassure the nation’s traumatised Jewish community. In the background, he was receiving a deluge of online attacks.

The evening sits squarely within The Conduit’s work on Reimagining Democracy and Justice and the Future of Impact Leadership. As a son of immigrants, Humza will also document how he grew up to become the first Muslim leader of a Western European country, his fears on the rise of far-right populism, and how to combat the forces that seek to divide us.

Join us for a reminder that, in a world driven with conflict, it is more important than ever that leaders under pressure maintain their humanity and empathy for all.

Event Schedule

6:15pm: Pre-event socialising and networking
A cash bar will be available for refreshments.

6:30pm: Event begins

7:45pm: Event ends

Speakers

Humza Yousaf was the First Minister of Scotland from 2023 to 24, the first Muslim leader of a Western European country and the youngest First Minister in Scotland’s history. He was appointed as Minister for External Affairs and International Development in 2012, and later served as a Minister for Europe, Minister for Transport, as well as Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Health & Social Care. First elected as an MSP for Glasgow in 2011, he was elected in 2016 to serve Glasgow Pollok, becoming the first ethnic minority Member of the Scottish Parliament to be directly elected to a constituency. After 15 years in politics, including 12 years in government, he has announced his decision to step down from frontline politics in May 2026.

Dr Husam S. Zomlot is the Ambassador of Palestine to the United Kingdom. Previously, Dr. Zomlot served as Ambassador to the United States, Strategic Affairs Advisor to the Palestinian president. Dr Zomlot held several academic positions. He worked as a professor of Public Policy at Birzeit University, where he co-founded and chaired the Birzeit School of Government. He held a number of teaching and research positions at Harvard University and the University of London. His professional experience includes working as an economist at the United Nations and economic researcher with the London School of Economics and the Palestine Policy Research Institute. Dr Zomlot holds a PhD in economics from the University of London.