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Gaelic revival will enrich Highland communities
18/09/1998
Raising the profile of Gaelic in the Highlands will improve and enrich the lives of all who live there, Scottish Gaelic Minister Calum MacDonald said today.
Speaking at the launch of Highland Council's Gaelic Development Strategy in Inverness, Mr MacDonald said:
"A great change is underway: energy, vitality and enthusiasm abounds in Gaelic-speaking areas and young people are once again beginning to take pride in using the language.
"Increased use of the language benefits Gaelic-speaking communities in many ways, including:
· schoolchildren taught in Gaelic have the advantage of two languages and are kept in touch with different cultures;
· the language and its associated culture, particularly music, act as an important attraction for visitors to the Highlands;
· road signs in Gaelic as well as English let visitors know they are coming into an area where the language is held in high regard.
"Highland Council's Gaelic Development Strategy recognises the importance both the language and the culture play in shaping the distinctive nature of the region. In doing so it builds on Government initiatives to further the renewal of Gaelic in Scottish education, broadcasting and the arts."
News Release: 1892/98
18 September 1998