If these walls could talk...

If the chap in the painting could talk, I wonder what he’d make of the scene before him—three women leading the national academies of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, united in their commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything they do.

I was fortunate to work with all three of these remarkable CEOs last year on the Celtic Academies Alliance (CAA), a collaborative partnership that brings together the Royal Irish Academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the Learned Society of Wales.

Their leadership demonstrates how far we’ve come in breaking down barriers and embedding inclusivity. While I’m not sure we can ever take our foot off the pedal, sometimes it’s good to pause and acknowledge where we’ve come from and where we are now.

Olivia Harrison, CEO The Learned Society of Wales, Siobhan O'Sullivan, CEO The Royal Irish Academy and Sarah Skeratt, CEO The Royal Society of Edinburgh - The RIA, Dublin