Fresh from a 42-hour journey from Donbas, Ukraine, Giles Duley launched his keynote speech in Aberdeen with a “funny story about getting blown up in Afghanistan”.
Although the incident where he stepped on a landmine nearly cost him his life, as well as an arm and both legs, the photojournalist, author, speaker and chef described how he returned to the war zone the next year to continue his work, while telling a range of anecdotes about his career that were in turns funny, tragic and insightful.
Duley was speaking at the Transform Business Festival at Aberdeen Science Centre, aimed at giving new and existing businesses insight into how they can start, grow, and build their own enterprise.
Recounting how he first came to terms with photographing the results of war on innocent men, women and children, he admits he still “struggles sometimes”.
“Each one of us has the power to create change using the skills we have,” he said.
“I wish I was a politician or I had finance or I was a doctor who can save a life directly – I’m none of those things.
“I have one gift, that is to tell stories. And each one of us in this room has the power to create change in our environment by using the skills we have.”
He was joined at the breakfast session kicking off the day-long event by Dr Fiona McIntyre, who is well known in Aberdeen for being the founder and managing director of the popular visitor attraction, Greyhope Bay.
A graduate of the business support group Elevator’s accelerator program, McIntyre raced through the history of the project at Torry Battery from its early visionary concept to its current incarnation as a cafe, community and education space which offers visitors a panoramic view of the dolphins and other marine life at the mouth of Port of Aberdeen.
She added that she is currently looking at a second phase of the project.
She said her vision for the scheme – currently a temporary “off-grid” eco-facility built out of converted shipping containers – had shifted from a “big building” in its early inception more than ten years ago, but that this was the key to the projects’ future.
“The big building might be presented as a vision but ultimately it was a concept.
“Actually what I believe we have done is delivered on a vision which is to do the things I originally wanted the thing to do – it has an education program, it has a space for people to observe the marine environment, it has space where people can experience joy when the dolphins jump and it is a space where the community comes together.
“Steps are important in terms of getting you to the end goal.”
Professor Gary McEwan, the chief executive of Elevator which organised the event, joined Duley and McIntyre for a question and answer session.
He summed up the session.
“I agree with a lot with what Giles has said – resilience comes as a consequence of adversity you go through,” he said.
“Now I reflect on some of those worst moments of my life actually now I would say they were the best moments of my life.
“That helps me get through tribulation.”
Also see a gallery of pictures and reaction from attendees from the event, which was also supported by Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire in partnership with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils.
Conversation