This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Plans progress to celebrate Union
06/02/2003
Plans to celebrate the 400 th anniversary of the Union of the Crowns in Scotland will be progressed today at the first meeting of a new advisory group.
Set up by First Minister Jack McConnell it will review a variety of options to celebrate the anniversary.
Ahead of the meeting Mr McConnell said:
"Tourism makes a significant contribution to Scotland's wealth and pride and the anniversary of the Union of the Crowns is just one of a number of significant dates which can be used to promote our country.
"I am delighted that Edinburgh Lord Provost Eric Milligan has agreed to chair this group and that Pete Irvine of Unique Events can add his expertise to the plans. I am confident they will help drive forward an ambitious programme of events to celebrate the Union of the Crowns later this year."
The Advisory Group, chaired by Edinburgh Lord Provost Eric Milligan, comprises Pete Irvine of Unique Events, Graham Munro, Chief Executive Historic Scotland, Malcolm Roughhead, Marketing Director VisitScotland, Andrew Mathieson, Chair, Scottish Tourism Forum, a representative from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Professor Michael Lynch, historian, Eric Miller of the Scotland Office, and John Mason and Hamish Blair from the Scottish Executive.
The group will consider various proposals to celebrate the anniversary which are currently being developed and costed by Historic Scotland, VisitScotland and others and the budget for them will be finalised once the programme has been reviewed.
The First Minister is keen to see two other anniversaries celebrated. These are the 700 th anniversary of the death of William Wallace on August 23, 2005 and the 300 th anniversary of the Union of the Parliaments on May 1, 2007. Event Scotland will be asked later in the year to set up groups to take forward plans for these.