By Martin Graham
Sports Minister Shona Robison was joined by Indian dancers and young rugby players as she launched the Games for Scotland programme in Edinburgh.
The Games for Scotland programme aims to involve communities across the country in readiness for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and to raise awareness of the closing handover ceremony at the 2010 games in Delhi, which will mark the start of the four year journey towards the Glasgow games.
The event programme includes music, dance and sports events and will involve each of the 32 local authorities in Scotland celebrating the handover ceremony on 14 October.
Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health and Sport said: “I’m delighted to see all 32 local authorities taking part and joining in the celebrations around the handover of the Commonwealth Games to Scotland.
“The range of these events will help make the Handover a memorable occasion across Scotland and build real excitement and involvement in our communities as we take a significant step to hosting the Games in 2014.
“We want to create a lasting legacy from the games and we want to get the country involved.
“The events will be a chance for Scots all over the country to join in, be inspired and get active.”
The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be the biggest ever sporting event to take place in Scotland.
The Handover Ceremony in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru stadium will mark the passing of the flag to Glasgow and will include a mass choreographed dance routine featuring dancers and artists from across Scotland.
There will be 60,000 people watching live at the event and an estimated global audience of one billion throughout the commonwealth.
Speaking about the ceremony, Paul Bush from organisers Event Scotland said: “The Handover Ceremony will be uniquely Scottish and blend together the traditional aspects of Scottish culture with the passion, style and fun of modern Scotland and it is these qualities that I hope will be replicated across the nation and throughout the Games for Scotland events as we celebrate Glasgow becoming the next host city on October 14.”
