This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Memorial gardens for 9/11 victims
05/04/2004
The Executive will donate $10,000
towards a memorial garden in Manhattan to commemorate the
British victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The Minister for Finance and Public
Services Andy Kerr made the announcement yesterday during
his visit to New York.
Mr Kerr is currently attending US
Tartan Day celebrations in New York and Washington, where
he and First Minister Jack McConnell are involved in events
to promote Scotland to American businesses and tourists
alike.
The British Memorial Garden is planned
for Hanover Square in Manhattan, an area close to Ground
Zero with significant historical connections to the UK. It
will commemorate the 67 British citizens who died in the
September 11 terrorist attacks in New York.
Mr Kerr said:
"The Scottish Executive is
contributing to this memorial garden, which will provide a
place of reflection and remembrance of the Britons who died
in the World Trade Centre attacks. Stone quarried from two
Scottish council areas, Morayshire and Caithness, will be
used throughout the garden, demonstrating the strong link
that continues to exist between Scotland and America."
Mr Kerr is also participating in the
Scotland Run, a 10 kilometre run in Central Park on Sunday
4 April. The race is a qualifier for the New York marathon
and the Minister will be raising money for his local
charity, the Kilbryde Hospice.
Mr Kerr said:
"Competing alongside 5000 other
runners in Central Park is going to be a unique experience,
and although my training for the event is going to be
limited, I do hope to complete the course with a
respectable finishing time and raise as much as possible
for charity."
He added:
"Tartan Day is an American celebration
of Scottish ancestry and of the contribution Scots have
made to the US. It provides excellent opportunities to
showcase both traditional and contemporary Scotland in the
US, in particular why Scotland is an excellent place to
live, work and study."
Mr Kerr will also participate in
various business community events, including visiting the
Scotland Showcase in Central Park, New York and
participating in a ground breaking ceremony for the Capitol
Hills Tower project in Washington.
A British Memorial Garden Trust has
been set up and of which HRH The Prince of Wales is the
patron.
They aim to raise a total of $3.5 million
dollars towards the cost of design, construction and
ongoing maintenance.
The British Memorial Garden Trust will have a small
display at the joint Scottish Executive/Scottish Parliament
reception at the Boathouse inCentral ParkinNew Yorkon Sunday 4 April.