Welcome Message
First Minister, the Right Honourable Alex Salmond MP MSP.
These may be tough times internationally but Scotland also has plenty of good reasons to celebrate. This month’s Scotland Now captures all the recent highlights.
In August, Scottish athletes Chris Hoy, Ross Edgar, Katherine Grainger and David Florence were amongst the many Olympic medallists who participated so successfully in Beijing. I was delighted to honour the achievements of all our athletes with a special reception at Edinburgh Castle. And their success is really stoking the anticipation and excitement ahead for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, when we welcome the world to Glasgow. You can learn more here about the fantastic sporting infrastructure we are creating, and the positive and enduring legacy that the Games will bring to Scotland. And, of course, we hope to foster for a new generation of Scottish sporting heroes.
A second reason for celebration is the announcement of Glasgow’s recent recognition as a UNESCO: City of Music. This is an extraordinary accolade, making Glasgow only the third city in Europe to receive such an honour. And with this award, Scotland becomes the only nation in the world that hosts two UNESCO ‘Creative Cities’. That follows Edinburgh’s recognition as a City of Literature in 2004. These are fantastic achievements and a fitting reward for Scotland’s remarkable creativity and cultural life. In this issue, Clark McGinn writes on both Glasgow: City of Music, and Edinburgh: City of Literature, offering a fascinating insight into the reasons behind the UNESCO awards.
This summer also marked the birthday celebrations of NHS Scotland, which is 60 years young this year. Delivering a modern, world-class National Health Service is a continuous challenge but the Service remains a powerful and positive success story. Above all, the fundamental ethos of free provision at the point of delivery is still anchored within the system. My government firmly endorses that ethos and with the removal of car parking charges in NHS hospitals, and with the abolition of prescription charges well underway, we are building on that founding principle. Of course, Scotland has a long history of scientific and medical innovation, and today an expanding life sciences sector. Scotland’s major contributions to medical science in recent decades have been thanks in no small part to the role of the NHS. You can find out more about these advances in our article on NHS Scotland at 60.
And Scotland’s celebrations don’t end there.Next year sees the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns – and with it, Scotland’s Year of Homecoming. We are putting on an outstanding programme of events throughout the year, showcasing the five key themes: golf, whisky, Scottish invention and innovation, the Enlightenment and our rich cultural heritage. I am certainly looking forward to it, and passing on the invitation to our friends and family across the globe. Why not take a look at what’s on offer at: www.homecomingscotland2009.com.I hope that in 2009 we will be able to extend a warm Scottish welcome to you too!
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