Welcome Message

First Minister, the Right Honourable Alex Salmond MP MSP.

It's time to take Scotland to the world – that's one of the key messages I want to establish as Scotland's new First Minister.

Scotland's place in the international community and our ability to reach out to the vast Scottish Diaspora is absolutely central to my aspirations for this country. Part of my job is to encourage Scots to have confidence in their own potential, and an important aspect of that is a restoration of our internationalism.

We have a fund of goodwill throughout the world and an unrivalled history of world leadership in economics, philosophy, science and invention. Scotland must once again aspire to leadership – this time in areas like carbon capture, renewable energy and nanotechnology.

We know that business sees Scotland as a country in which to invest – both for a presence in this country and as a gateway to other markets. We know that students from China, from the US and from all parts of Europe come to our Universities because of their excellence and the warmth of the Scottish welcome which awaits. We know, too, that visitors to these shores come to enjoy our unique attractions – whether Scotland's history or our stunning golf courses.

But Scotland now has a new urgency in reaching beyond our boundaries. We do so as a proudly multicultural nation – our strength of community derived from a sense of social cohesion and a belief in the 'common weal'. You may know that this year sees the 60th Anniversary of independence for India and Pakistan. What you may not know is that to my immense pride, this year also saw the election of Bashir Ahmed as Scotland's first Scots Asian MSP. His election is a tangible sign of our multiculturalism and the inclusive nature of Scottish culture and society.

Since being elected, one of the campaigns I have been supporting is Glasgow's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The final vote is not until November and there is a huge amount to do before then, but those Games represent a fabulous opportunity to promote modern Glasgow, and Scotland, to a worldwide audience. The article in this edition puts that bid in context and I am confident we have a great chance of success.

This summer is one when Scotland is again looking forward to hosting friends and visitors from across the globe. Our internationally famous festivals again take centre stage – not just the Edinburgh International Festival but also the Edinburgh Fringe, Glasgow's Merchant City Festival and the inaugural Connect music festival at Inveraray. And those planning to visit the home of golf will hopefully enjoy our feature on golfing legends including Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance in this edition. I hope it inspires all of you to great things on the tee!

Whether you are a visitor to Scotland, a business looking to invest or simply have ties of kinship or affiliation, the message is the same – we value your friendship, we want to engage with you as never before and, as First Minister, I stand ready to help in any and every way to ensure that Scotland plays a full role in the world we share.

In the meantime, I trust that you will enjoy this latest edition of Scotland Now.

Alex Salmond, First Minister MSP