British Council Scotland has announced a series of talks and panel discussions as part of its ongoing partnership with the Edinburgh International Festival.

Continental Shifts is a series of talks and debates on Festival themes and ideas, presented with the support of British Council Scotland, in association with The Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

A diverse range of Festival performers, cultural commentators, international academics and intellectuals will come together to discuss perspectives and ideas affecting our understanding and shifting perceptions of the global landscape with special reference to Asia.

Guest speakers will include Scottish author Christopher Brookmyre, writer and broadcaster Dr Richard Holloway, Korean theatre director Tae-Suk Oh, member of the Indian Parliament Dr Sashi Tharoor and Anglo-Indian author Anita Nair, amongst a list of many.

British Council Scotland Director Paul Docherty said: 'As an organisation that builds cultural links for Scotland overseas, we are delighted to be working with the best international arts and culture festival in the world for the second year running.

Given the vast interest in Asian culture in the West this year’s theme with its special focus on Asia is sure to prove fascinating and we are proud to have such a diverse range of guest speakers from across the globe. These conversations will help build closer links between Scotland and Asia and promote Scotland to international audiences in the context of the Festival.'

Edinburgh International Festival Director Jonathan Mills added: 'The programme for Festival 2011 began as a personal exploration of the ideas and themes which Continental Shifts will explore – concepts and enquiries which have fascinated artists, scholars and commentators across the globe.

'Some reach back across many centuries, many are news-worthy and directly relate to political and social agendas of today. That exploration has flowered into the celebration of contemporary Asian culture and its influence on western art and artists which we present at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

'With the insight and wealth of knowledge our expert participants bring this year – and the questions of our audiences - Continental Shifts aims to take this exploration in new and fascination directions as we continue our highly successful collaboration with the British Council.'

Continental Shifts is a series of 12 talks and debates on Festival themes and ideas and will take place between the 13 August - 2 September. Tickets cost £6.

For more information on each of the events and details on how to book tickets please visit the Edinburgh International Festival web site.

For more information on our work with the arts please email dana.macleod@britishcouncil.org or telephone +44(0)131 524 5732.