Transcript – Wednesday 22 August 2018: Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony includes the following contributions. A transcript can be downloaded from above.

Welcome to the Scottish Parliament

The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)

Welcome to the Culture Summit

Sir Ciarán Devane (British Council)

The Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs (Fiona Hyslop)

Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP
(Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, UK Government)

Introduction to the Summit Programme

Sir Jonathan Mills (Programme Director, Edinburgh International Culture Summit)

Special Messages

Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP (First Minister, Scottish Government)

Sir Jerry Mateparae (High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom)

Dr Catarina Vaz Pinto (Councillor of Culture for the City of Lisbon)

Joshua Ramo (Vice Chairman and Co-Chief Executive, Kissinger Association)

Video Message

Rt Hon Theresa May MP (Prime Minister, UK Government)

Performances by Pu Cunxin and Charlene Boyd

Pu Cunxin (President, China Theatre Association)

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Joining as a Trustee is Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies and Assistant Principal for Religion and Society at the University of Edinburgh. She is known internationally as a public intellectual and is a regular commentator in the media.

Dan Mulhall will be joining the board as a Trustee. Dan is a retired Irish diplomat, academic and published author. He is the current Parnell Fellow at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge and is a consultant with the global law firm DLA Piper.

Also joining as a Trustee is Professor Gayle McPherson, Professor of Events and Cultural Policy and Director of the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). She is also a member of the European Cultural Parliament.

Joining us as a Trustee is Stephen Gethins, Professor of International Affairs at the University of St Andrews. Prior to that, Stephen was MP for North East Fife, the SNP International affairs spokesperson and was twice selected to sit on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Joining in the role of Chair is Shonaig Macpherson CBE, an experienced Chair and non-executive director used to working at the most senior levels of government, private, public and third sectors.

If you're interested in attending Edinburgh International Culture Summit 2022 as media, interviews with contributors and ministers, or photo opportunities, please contact Susie Gray at susie@thecornershoppr.com or 07834 073795.

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