The Scottish Parliament takes part in Scotland Week 2013

04.04.2013

The Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP, and Committee Conveners Duncan McNeil MSP and Bruce Crawford MSP have begun a series of engagements on behalf of the Scottish Parliament to mark Scotland Week.

The Presiding Officer has a busy programme of visits that will see her participate in meetings covering parliamentary matters, the Scottish diaspora and philanthropy. Alongside this, Duncan McNeil MSP and Bruce Crawford MSP will take part in a number of different engagements including the Tartan Day parade, in New York, walking alongside an estimated 2,000 marchers along 6th Avenue, and meetings on health and tourism matters.

The Presiding Officer Rt Hon Tricia Marwick MSP said:

“From family and cultural connections through to business and philanthropy, we Scots have a strong and enduring relationship with our American cousins. Scotland Week is a great opportunity to showcase and to celebrate these important links.

“As part of this year’s programme, I’ll be visiting Pittsburgh to discuss the work and legacy of Andrew Carnegie. The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Awards will be hosted at Holyrood later this year and I’m delighted the Scottish Parliament will play such a prominent role in commemorating his philanthropic work which extends across the Atlantic.”

The Presiding Officer’s engagements currently include:

• Meetings in Pittsburgh including those on October’s Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy ceremony taking place at Holyrood.
• Meeting with Representative Terie Norelli, President of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Addressing the Capital Tartan Day Symposium and Reception in Capitol Hill on ‘Scotland and the Diaspora: getting ready for the 21st Century’.

Duncan McNeil MSP and Bruce Crawford MSP engagements currently include:

• Addressing an American Scottish Foundation Event on ‘Our Energy Future: The Power of Partnerships in America and Scotland’ at the Bank of America, chaired by journalist Keith Aitken. 
• Meetings focussed on tourism, including with VisitScotland and VisitBritain, and the NYC and Company (official tourism organisation for the City of New York). These will also support the 2014 Commonwealth Games efforts.
• Meetings focussed on health inequalities with NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
• Attending event to mark the ‘Highland Heart’ exhibition by Scottish photographer David Eustace.
• Meeting participants taking part in the Scotland Run in Central Park and holding the finishing tape.
• Participating in the Kirkin’ of the Tartan service and the Tartan Day Parade along 6th Avenue.

Joint engagements currently include:

• Meeting with the UK Ambassador to the US, Sir Peter Westmacott.
• Meetings with the US Department of State Global Intergovernmental Affairs team and Special Representative Reta Jo Lewis.
• Meeting the Honorable William J Howell, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.
• Meeting with The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader and Representative from California.

Background

Since 1998, Tartan Day has been recognised by the U.S. House of Representatives as an official celebration of the contribution of American-Scots to U.S. culture and life. Over the past 10 years Scotland-focused activity around Tartan Day has grown into a week-long programme to promote Scotland in North America and is now called Scotland Week.

Scotland Week 2013 is a week long programme of events in America, aiming to promote all things Scottish. Fifty million people across the world claim Scottish heritage - the majority being in America and Canada.

Further information about all the events in Scotland Week (external website) can be found online.

The Scottish Parliament’s budget for all aspects of Scotland Week 2013 has been capped at £30,000 since 2007.