"A Celebration of Scotland's Treasures"

Haddow House, Aberdeenshire, held in trust

As I travel around Scottish highland games, I ask people if they have ever visited Scotland.  A good number have – and have been many times – and the rest are either planning or dreaming of a trip.  In conversation they tell me that they would like to see Scotland’s historic castles and battlefields and majestic natural scenery.  Like all Scots I am proud to hear this as my country’s history is almost as dramatic as its natural beauty. And as David Eustace’s recent exhibition in New York has shown, the beauty of Scotland’s landscape changes with the shifting weather and seasons.  No view remains the same for more than a minute. 

Many of Scotland’s historic homes, natural history and battlefields are held in trust for all to enjoy by the National Trust for Scotland.  In all, the Trust is responsible for the upkeep of 129 heritage properties in Scotland, comprising some 190,000 acres of countryside, 1,770 buildings, and 16 islands, including St Kilda, the most westward point of the United Kingdom and a Dual World Heritage Site.

On Tuesday night, Melanie and I were privileged to attend the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA’s annual gala dinner at the Metropolitan Club in New York.  Since 2000 the Foundation has contributed $6.7m to the work of the National Trust for Scotland.  That is a magnificent sum, and all who love Scotland, whether Scots, Americans or from elsewhere should be very grateful to the Foundation and all those who work hard to that end.

This year the gala honoured Ian Gow, the Trust’s Chief Curator and awarded him with the Great Scot Award. This is a truly deserved award that recognised his authoritative work on Scottish architecture and the decorative arts.  In his most recent book, Scotland’s Lost Houses, Ian Gow selects twenty of the 200 or so historic houses that were demolished since 1945.  While this is a poignant account of what we have lost, it also speaks of the invaluable work of the Foundation as it supports the National Trust for Scotland in its work of “protecting and promoting Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy”.

http://www.ntsusa.org/donate-join/membership/

The Scottish Lion Meets the Asian Dragon

 

This year’s From Scotland With Love fashion show features the Scottish Lion and the Asian Dragon in a ying/yang design and beautifully captures the tone the 2013 fashion show held in New York last night.  It was a wonderful evening featuring not only traditional Scottish tailoring and Chinese Han Couture, but also fresh, contemporary designs incorporating tartan, tweed and silk.  Modelling designs from Dame Vivienne Westwood, new talent from Edinburgh’s Napier University and others were Josh Elliot, co-anchor of Good Morning America, Colonel Martha McSally, the first female fighter pilot in US history, and Lord McConnell, former Scottish First Minister.  Notably, Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, took to the runway to model the World Peace Tartan.

Linking the fortunes of the Lion and the Dragon makes good economic sense.  As the economies of the UK, US and Europe are stalling or stagnating, the Asian Dragon represents the dynamism of the eastern economies.  Last night’s event was an excellent opportunity to promote Scottish designers, manufacturers to a new and growing market. 

It was a dynamic, lively and fresh event and Melanie and I were delighted to be there.  In addition to providing commercial opportunities for Scottish businesses, the primary aim of this annual event is to promote a more contemporary vision of Scotland.  The event honoured the Scottish diaspora who settled across the globe – notably in Asia – and took their traditions and heritage with them.  But it gave a vision of Scotland today that is international and outward looking; taking the traditional brand of tartan, tweed, woollens and kilts but representing them with a renewed freshness and vitality.

See below links from the show.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/josh-elliott-kilt-video-bible-miniseries-smashes-dvd-18913085

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/04/09/watch-fox-news-channels-maria-molina-and-anna-kooiman-work-the-catwalk-in-support-of-the-wounded-warriors/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FoxNewsInsider+(Fox+News+Insider)

Tartan Day in New York City

 

Melanie and I are in New York City to celebrate Tartan Week, a week of events celebrating Scottish culture, music, art and fashion, with a few surprises I am sure.  Tartan Day itself has been established in perpetuity on the 6^th April by Presidential proclamation and celebrates “the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish Americans to the United States”. 

 

We join our new friends from Caledonian Club of New York at the head of the parade. The Caledonians are a very friendly club and we have already made a number of new friends and acquaintances at their ceilidh the previous night. Held at the Mount Vernon Hotel, which is reckoned to be the eighth oldest building in Manhattan, it was the perfect venue for Scottish reeling, good food and company. 

 

The parade is the centrepiece of the day, and 83 Scottish groups are registered to take part. This includes over 20 pipe bands, Scottish highland dancers, together with representatives of charitable societies, clan associations and Scottish University alumni groups in New York.  More surprising were the Viking Jarl Squad from the Shetland Isles, a pack of West Highland and Scottish terriers, Shetland ponies dressed in Fair Isle sweaters, a Nessie puppet and the Scottish hip-hop band, Stanley Odd.  Scotia in all her glory is represented here today!

 

We set off to the skirl of the West Point College band and march down Sixth Avenue. A bit foot sore having run the Scotland 10K around Central Park earlier in the day, but the crowd that line the sidewalks are enthusiastic and cheer us on.  It is hard to believe that we are marching down one of the most famous streets in the world.  On the other hand, we are representing a small country with a readily identifiable brand.  The pipes, tartan and dancers were to be expected; the Vikings and hip-hop band less so.  All together they represent the rich, vibrant culture that is Scotland's.