Nicola Sturgeon amongst speakers at the 2026 Belfast Summit, Sponsored by LQ BID

Former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has been announced as one of the keynote speakers at the Belfast Summit. The Summit, now in its third year, takes place on Thursday 29 January 2026 at the Belfast Harbour Commissioners Office and this year’s theme is: A City for Living – from Daylife to Nightlife.

Sturgeon – who served as First Minister and SNP Leader for nine years, and was named Scottish Politician of the Year four times, Spectator Politician of the Year in 2015 and one of Forbes’ ‘World’s Most Powerful Women’ in 2016 – will share insights from her time in office, focusing on how she navigated major policy challenges to delivery meaningful change on the ground.

The Belfast Summit is an annual event that brings together civic leaders, planners, architects, business professionals and urban innovators to explore how Belfast can become one of Europe’s best small cities to live, work and socialise. The Summit has previously welcomed global figures including Carlos Moreno, creator of the 15-minute city, and Ariel Palitz, New York’s first Nighttime Mayor. This year’s line-up continues that ambition, and along with Nicola Sturgeon, will feature:

• Dr Wei Yang OBE: Dr Wei Yang is a globally recognised urban planner and past President of the Royal Town Planning Institute, and CEO of the Digital Task Force for Planning in London;
• Sadie Morgan: Award-winning Architect and Co-founder of dRMM, chair of the HS3 Independent Design Panel and member of the National Infrastructure Commission.
• Michael Kill: CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, championing vibrant, inclusive nightlife and cultural sectors across the UK.

Sharing her excitement ahead of the Belfast Summit, Sturgeon said:

“I am delighted to be joining leaders, innovators and thinkers in Belfast for the 2026 Summit. Events like this give us the space to reflect, challenge assumptions, and chart a more ambitious future.”

“There is a lot that connects Scotland and Northern Ireland, culturally, economically and socially, and I look forward to sharing my experience leading change in Government, tackling adversity and building a better society.”

The Summit will be hosted by the BBC’s Linsdey Telford, an award-winning BBC journalist who has worked for Spotlight, Panorama and BBC Newsline. Speaking at the Summit launch, MW Advocate’s Sibley Berty said:

“The Belfast Summit is an opportunity to hear from national and global experts who have navigated complex systems to delivery for their towns, cities and countries. The Summit also brings local decision makers together to explore how we can apply these lessons to Belfast.”

“The shared passion for our city is palpable, and that’s reflected in continued growth across multiple sectors such as investment, planning, retail, hospitality and more. But there’s still so much untapped potential to make sure we become one of the best small cities in Europe,” she added.

The Belfast Summit is supported by partners Belfast Harbour, Linen Quarter BID, Cathedral Quarter BID, Belfast One BID with additional support from Merrion Property Group & TSA.

Tickets and agenda details are available now at www.belfastsummit.com. LQ BID members can enjoy 15% off using the code ‘MEMBER15’