The 2014 Commonwealth Games will see Glasgow hosting a spectacular sporting event which will be viewed the world over but it is also an unrivalled opportunity to leave a lasting cultural legacy for the people of Scotland, Minister for Culture Michael Russell said today.
During a visit to Vancouver as part of Scotland Week 2009, the Minister met with Philip Steenkamp, President and Chief Executive Officer of the British Columbia Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, to share ideas and develop links to enhance Scotland's legacy work.
Mr Russell said:
"Since winning the bid to host the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, we made clear that this is not only about putting on one of the best sporting experiences ever but also about leaving a powerful legacy for Glasgow and for Scotland.
"It has been very useful to meet with Philip Steenkamp to hear about the work he has done on building a legacy after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The team here has been successful in mobilising local communities and they established 90 committees made up of artists, sports people and local government to extend the benefit of the Olympics beyond the city. We have done something similar in Scotland, bringing together a wide range of representatives from the public, private and third sectors to ensure the benefits our Games will be felt across the whole country. Recent polls in British Columbia show strong support for the Olympics across the Province, showing a far reaching sense of involvement.
"The Scottish Government wants to build a dynamic legacy plan that will see the excitement of the Games encourage more people in Scotland to lead healthier, active lives and really get involved in their communities and culture - that is at the heart of our legacy aspirations.
"Glasgow 2014, London 2012 and our major events provide an exceptional platform to promote Scotland internationally, to strengthen our businesses and to bring together and empower our local communities - and we must make the most of these opportunities."
"I hope that the links I've made here in Vancouver will grow over the coming months and years, allowing us to learn from each other's experiences as we head towards Vancouver's Winter Games in 2010 and Glasgow's Games in 2014."
The Scottish Government published an interim Games legacy plan in December 2008. The full detailed Games Legacy Plan will be published in summer 2009.