Welcome Message
First Minister, the Right Honourable Alex Salmond MP MSP.
Welcome to this special St Andrew's Day edition of Scotland Now.
Our national day – St Andrew's Day – gives Scots the world over an opportunity to celebrate Scotland and consider our potential as a nation. Scotland has so many things to be proud of – we have an extraordinary history, heritage and culture. For centuries, Scots have distinguished themselves across the world in learning, letters, science and innovation. And as a people we are warmly welcomed abroad for our compassion, our humour and our humanity.
St Andrew's Day brings all of Scotland's cultures together in a celebration of what it means to be Scottish in the 21st century. And over the coming year I want us to do even more to celebrate this great nation.
On a recent visit to St Margaret's Primary School in Loanhead, I announced our new Winter Festival programme – stretching through to the Burns season – and highlighted the government's promise to enrich St Andrew's Day for future generations. Now more than ever, I want to highlight the potential that Scotland's younger generation possesses.
Just three weeks ago I had the pleasure of being in Sri Lanka for the award of the Commonwealth Games. We are committed to making the Glasgow 2014 Games one of the best ever. We will provide a fantastic experience for the world's great athletes, the many thousands of visitors, and of course the people of Scotland. Our friends across the world have expressed a huge vote of confidence in this nation and we are rightly proud.
St Andrew's Day in Scotland is celebrated with pride and great spirit. From our six cities to our many towns, events are planned to celebrate our heritage and culture. There are impressive Ceilidhs all over Scotland, with a bid to break the world record for the longest Strip the Willow in Inverness, a Shindig in the Square in Glasgow and an exclusive performance in Edinburgh's Princes Street Garden's with chart-topping Scots artist, Sandi Thom. There really is something for everyone to enjoy and take part in!
The celebration of Scottishness doesn't end at our shores. Events all around the globe take place at many of our St Andrew's Societies. From Washington to Wellington and back to Beijing, St Andrew's Day is celebrated in every corner of the globe. Over 100 events have been organised around the world to mark Scotland's national day.
I hope that you enjoy this special edition of Scotland Now. I wish you a great St Andrew's Day and hope you have the chance to join us in Scotland over the Winter Festival period.
With best wishes,
Rt. Hon Alex Salmond MSP MP,
