Welcome to Scotland reception - First Minister's speech - 21 July

My fellow ministers and heads of delegations from around the Commonwealth, and ladies and gentlemen, it is my enormous pleasure to welcome you here to the city of Glasgow, to the opening of Scotland House, a base of friendship and camaraderie, of bringing people together to share in the wonderful experience of the Commonwealth Games being here in the city of Glasgow once again.

We have the fondest and deepest of memories of Glasgow 2014, that outstanding experience of the Commonwealth Games, that brought this city - brought this country to life, and which brought people together from across the Commonwealth in an outstanding sporting celebration. It was therefore, with great trepidation, that we'd begun to contemplate the concept of repeating Glasgow 2014. And Dr. Rukare talked about Scotland, the Brave, deciding to welcome the Commonwealth Games here once again. And you are absolutely right, Dr. Rukare, about Scotland, the Brave, because for 2014, we had seven years of time to prepare for the Commonwealth Games. On this occasion, we had 18 months.

And for anybody that takes forward major landmark projects, an aggressive time scale of that nature would put um a great deal of fear into everybody involved. But of course, that was not the case in Scotland, the Brave, where the city of Glasgow was able to step forward with all the experience of 2014. And with the commanding reputation of this city and its ability to host major events recently hosting COP26. A demonstration of the strength and the attributes of the city of Glasgow, being able to welcome people from all over the world, and to ensure that there is a successful and a positive encounter between people who come here to the city of Glasgow, and to be welcomed into the arms of Scotland.

So despite the sense of trepidation that there was about the short time period, we're here now, and we're about to begin. And Glasgow is ready. And I want to pay as First Minister the warmest tribute I can to the city of Glasgow, to the city's people, its leadership, for being prepared to come forward and to host the Commonwealth Games, which will open on Thursday evening in a magnificent ceremony in the city, which will commence this sporting encounter from around the Commonwealth. Because without the willingness of the city of Glasgow to take forward the Commonwealth Games, there might not have been Commonwealth Games in 2026. And that would have been a great loss to the Commonwealth. It would be a great loss to the international community.

Because at this moment in all of our lives, we need more opportunities to come together as countries and to, yes, compete in sporting encounters, and there will be all sorts of energetic and passionate competition by athletes over the course of the Commonwealth Games in the city of Glasgow. But there will also be friendship. There be warmth, there will be empathy. There will be understanding, there will be support, there will be respect. And all of these attributes are what one will need more of today than we currently have in supply at the present moment.

So the Commonwealth Games and the decision of Commonwealth Games Scotland, to come home with this proposition, to embrace the city and the government here in Scotland to make this happen. It's really a landmark moment, not just for the sporting excellence that will be on display in this city. But for the act of bringing people together at a time when across the world, people need to be brought together, and that is something that as First Minister of Scotland brings me enormous joy that Scotland and Glasgow are fulfilling that obligation and that moment that we celebrate tonight.

I'd like to thank Commonwealth Sport, Commonwealth Games Scotland, Glasgow 2026, the city council, and all of the partners, the staff, and the volunteers who whose commitment has made these games possible. Because without that combined endeavour, and I pay tribute to the leadership that Ian has given, that George Black has given through the organising committee to make all of what is going to happen, happen. And I'm confident that the city is ready to embrace the games with the support of the wonderful volunteer network from across Scotland and all of the other component parts that will be here to support the athletes and to support them in their endeavours.

One of the great joys of preparing for the Commonwealth Games has been the King's Baton Relay, that has worked its way around the Commonwealth, 74 nations and territories. Each conveying a baton around their country, and those batons arriving here in Scotland, carrying stories, hopes, and aspirations before coming together at the opening ceremony on Thursday. It was a particular joy to welcome the baton into Scotland a few weeks ago, to see its journey around the diverse communities of Scotland, whether that's in our isolated rural communities or our deeply congested urban communities, the areas of natural beauty, the areas of outstanding sporting significance in our country.

The wonderful areas of community endeavour, all of them, have been involved in the King's Baton Relay, an opportunity to bring people together and to ensure that they all have an involvement in the preparation for the opening ceremony on Thursday and for the events and the games that will take place thereafter. So I could not be more proud, as First Minister, to welcome the Commonwealth Games here to Scotland, to thank warmly everyone who's played a part in making this happen, to make sure that I to pay tribute to the city of Glasgow for the welcome that it has given to the Commonwealth Games, and to reiterate the statement, which is embodied by this city, capturing so much of what this city is, that people make Glasgow.

And we saw that in the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and I'm absolutely certain we will see it again in the Commonwealth Games in 2026. As we look forward with optimism to India hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030, we should take heart and take reassurance from the fact that Glasgow made that possible by creating the bridge of having these games in 2026. It was an act of courage and bravery, yes, but also an act of ambition, statement of who we are in Scotland, of being a welcoming country, prepared to bring people together, and to take the difficult decisions, to make that happen. I'm so proud that the city of Glasgow has made that possible. Thank you very much.