Ken Macintosh, new presiding officer of the Scottish government, with Pamala McDougall, representative Friend of General Meeting for Scotland. Photo: Courtesy of Pamala McDougall.
Friends at opening of Scottish parliament
Friends attended the opening of the Scottish parliament
Pamala McDougall, the representative Friend of General Meeting for Scotland, attended the Kirking of the Scottish parliament on 12 May and the official opening of the fifth session on 2 July.
The Kirking, or church blessing, was an interfaith service attended by representatives of church and civic communities and by members of the Scottish parliament (MSPs), including Alex Cole-Hamilton, the only Quaker MSP.
The formal opening of the fifth session of the Scottish parliament included congratulations on the queen’s ninetieth birthday and speeches as well as poetry readings and music, with Scottish musician Midge Ure singing Robert Burns’ ‘A Man’s a Man for a’ That’.
Pamala said: ‘It was a privilege to be present and to absorb the atmosphere of much needed celebration in difficult and uncertain times. My General Meeting post often throws up unusual but often exciting opportunities to be part of civic and ecumenical life – this was part of that bridge-building.’
