Tartan Day flies the flag for Scotland’s interests abroad - Angus Robertson
Scotland’s diaspora and the role of Scots around the world is celebrated every year on Tartan Day. Timed to coincide with the April 6 anniversary of Scotland’s declaration of independence, events are held to mark the historic, cultural and economic connections between the old country and the new.
Nowhere is the celebration bigger than in the Big Apple, where Tartan Day involves a parade down Fifth Avenue with thousands of participants, including dozens of pipe bands.
Now in its 26th year, Tartan Day 2025 in New York City will be led by Alan Cumming, who for the second time as Grand Marshall follows Sir Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, Brian Cox, Karen Gillan and KT Tunstall among prominent others.
Alan Cumming will be joined at the front of the parade by First Minister John Swinney and members of the Scottish Government-led Brand Scotland partnership, who do so much to promote Scotland: Scottish Enterprise, Visit Scotland, Food and Drink Scotland, Universities Scotland and Creative Scotland.
The Scottish Government has consistently supported Tartan Day since its inception in 1999, not only as a celebration of the Scottish diaspora, but also an opportunity to promote Scotland as a great place to invest in, work, live, study or visit.
In recognition of the important role of the US as a key investment and trading partner, the First Minister will meet a number of high profile current and potential investors to promote the economic opportunities on offer in Scotland.
Speaking ahead of his visit, the First Minister said: “Scotland enjoys deep and enduring links with the US, which is both our largest inward investor and second largest export market after the European Union.
“In 2023, exports of Scottish goods to the US were worth £4 billion. And here in Scotland, more than 700 US-owned enterprises provide employment to more than 115,000 people.
“Scotland is open for business and is one of the best places in the world to invest. We have a reputation as a world-class entrepreneurial nation, with the number of start-ups, spin-outs, and scale- up companies growing at pace. We also have the potential to become a strategic hub for future renewable energy investments, specifically by developing and scaling projects in offshore wind, green hydrogen and energy storage.
“Tartan Week in April is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Scottish culture, and promote economic opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.
“I am looking forward to attending this week’s Tartan Week events, meeting our dynamic diaspora, and engaging with some of our biggest current and potential investors. I want to showcase Scotland’s progressive international outlook, and our focus on innovation, sustainability and growth.”
The value of US-Scottish investment has been underlined with the excellent recent news that Los Angeles-based animation and visualisation company Halon Entertainment will be investing £28 million in a new Glasgow studio, creating up to 250 jobs over the next three years.
Founded in 2003, Halon is a pioneer in visualisation and virtual production for feature films, and a leading provider of final animation for the gaming industry. In recent years the company has worked on blockbuster movies and games.
Tartan Day is an excellent opportunity to develop commercial and investment opportunities for Scottish and American companies. The Scottish Government is absolutely right to prioritise economic cooperation at a time of rising concerns about trade conflict.
MSP for Edinburgh Central