Brian Filling is the Honorary Consul for South Africa in Scotland.
He was the founding Chair of the Scottish Committee of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, from 1976 until its dissolution in 1994, with the ending of apartheid. He is Chair of the successor organisation, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) Scotland.
He is Chair of the Mandela-Tambo Lecture series; and Chair of the Nelson Mandela International Day Scottish Planning Committee.
He was a Guest at the 1994 Inauguration of Nelson Mandela as President of the Republic of South Africa.
Brian Filling has written, contributed to, and edited books and publications related to South Africa including:
- The Glasgow Mandela Story, 3rd edition, published as an e-book, 2016. 1st print edition published 2011.
- Oliver Tambo Remembered, 2007
- Freedom Spring: Ten years on, 2005.
- From Colonialism and Apartheid to Ten Years of the New South Africa, 2005.
- The End of a Regime? An Anthology of Scottish-South African Writing against Apartheid, 1991.
Awards include:
- South African “National Order of Companions of O.R. Tambo”, Pretoria, 2012, for outstanding solidarity work. This is the highest honour bestowed upon non-South Africans by the Republic of South Africa.
- Glasgow Caledonian University Honorary Doctor of Laws for services to South Africa and promoting links between the University and South Africa, 2014.
- City of Glasgow Lord Provost’s Special Category Award for his services to South Africa and for liaising on behalf of the nine UK cities, ANC and Nelson Mandela’s office in organising the presentation of the Freedoms of their cities to Nelson Mandela at a single ceremony in Glasgow, 1993.