Launch of Programme of Events to celebrate
The Scottish Parliament in Aberdeen
A comprehensive programme of events will be launched in Edinburgh tonight by Aberdeen City Council and the University of Aberdeen to mark the visit of the Scottish Parliament to the City next month.
The Parliament will meet in Aberdeen from 28-30 May when the Church of Scotland returns to the Mound for its annual General Assembly. There will be all-day, full plenary session meetings (all 129 MSPs) at the King's College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen.
To celebrate this historic event, Aberdeen City Council and the University of Aberdeen have organised a number of events throughout May which they hope will be both informative and enjoyable to MSPs, colleagues and the people of Aberdeen and the North east. This includes celebrations to mark the visit of Her Majesty the Queen to the city and the Parliament on May 28.
Tonight, Aberdeen City Council Leader Len Ironside and University Principal C Duncan Rice will host a reception at the Signet Library to unveil the programme to an invited group of MSPs, media, and Parliament colleagues.
Councillor Ironside said: "We worked together in partnership to pull off this feat and there is a real buzz of excitement surrounding the visit. We are working closely with the Parliament to ensure this is a first-class visit to remember and that the events will showcase the City and the North-East."
Principal Rice said: "We are deeply proud to have been able to work in partnership with the City Council to bring the Parliament to Aberdeen. Combined with the Golden Jubilee visit of Her Majesty The Queen, it promises to be an historic event for the City, the North-East of Scotland and indeed for the University.
"It is after all the first time a Parliament of Scotland has met in full session in Aberdeen. It is also a wonderful opportunity for Aberdeen to showcase itself, to articulate its concerns, and to engage with the Parliament," he said.
Sir David Steel, Presiding Officer, The Scottish Parliament, said: "A huge amount of work has already gone on behind the scenes to prepare for The Scottish Parliament sitting in Aberdeen next month and for the visit of Her Majesty the Queen. The City Council and the University have put together a terrific programme of events which will pave the way to May's meetings and have public participation at its heart. It is genuinely exciting to see our visit generate such enthusiasm from the City and from the people of the North-East."
Note to news/picture editors: A photograph of Sir David Steel meeting Cllr Ironside and Principal Rice before tonight's reception will be taken at 6.20pm and will be available to the media on request. For more information, please contact Douglas Robertson, on: 0131 467 7028 or mobile: 07930 433834.
Overview of the programme of events is attached.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Press Office, the University of Aberdeen, on: 01224 272014; or
Press Office, Aberdeen City Council, on: 07764 771260; or
Eric MacLeod, Media Relations, The Scottish Parliament, on: 0131 348 5605.
Issued by Public Relations Office, External Relations, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen. Tel: 01224 272014 Fax: 01224 272086
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-272960 or email e.darling@abdn.ac.uk