Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will give a special lecture to celebrate the Saltire Society’s 80th anniversary at the Royal Society of Edinburgh tonight.
Entitled ‘Inspiring Scotland – 80 years of the Saltire Society’, Mr Salmond’s lecture will focus on the history of the Saltire Society and its varied contribution to Scotland’s public life, culture and society since being set up in 1936. As part of the lecture, Mr. Salmond will also consider what Scotland’s future might hold and its changing place in the world.
The event is open to the public and tickets are free but must be booked by emailing saltire@saltiresociety.org.uk. Tickets can also be booked through the Saltire Society website, www.saltiresociety.org.uk.
Ahead of the lecture, Mr Salmond said: “The Saltire Society is a superb collective where Scottish culture is preserved, nurtured and most importantly, enjoyed, across the globe. As we approach a century of their great work, I am thrilled to be able to host this event and look back on eighty years of Comann Crann na h-Alba. Long may their work – and celebrating everything it means to be Scottish – continue.”
Alex Salmond was first elected as an SNP MP for Banff and Buchan in 1987 and first became leader of the SNP in 1990. He was elected First Minister of Scotland following the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections in which the SNP beat Labour into second place and became the largest single Parliamentary party. He then led a minority SNP administration until the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections, at which the SNP won an overall majority.
He led negotiations on the terms of the 2014 Referendum on Scottish Independence. On the day after the referendum vote, he announced his intention to resign as Leader of the SNP and as First Minister immediately following the SNP’s Annual Conference in November 2014, where he was succeeded as SNP Leader and First Minister by Nicola Sturgeon. He is currently MP for Gordon where he won 48% of the constituency vote at the 2015 UK General Election.
Jim Tough, Executive Director of the Saltire Society, said: “We are very excited to announce that former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will be addressing the Saltire Society on its 80th anniversary. We are enjoying an extremely busy year of events, awards, and lectures to celebrate 80 years of the Saltire Society and I believe this will be another great highlight.
“I am very much looking forward to what I’m sure will be a fascinating and thought-provoking lecture and would encourage anyone interested to come along and join the audience for what is bound to be a very popular event.”
The lecture will take place at 6.30pm tonight at The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street.
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