English

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will, this week, bring together a panel of Gaels from the business community across Scotland, with the purpose of focussing on promoting the contribution of Gaelic to the economic development of the region.

Following the publishing of its Gaelic Plan last month, the development agency is looking to a number of individuals with a track record in fields such as the hospitality industry, broadcasting, the creative industries and retail who have a background in Gaelic.

HIE sees the Gaelic Sectoral Panel as fulfilling an important function in helping identify specific areas where the agency can further support Gaelic, the Gàidhealach culture, and the bilingual identity of the Scottish Gàidhealtachd, to play an increasingly significant role in the growth of the region.

John Watt, Director of HIE strengthening communities, looked forward to hosting the meeting, “HIE has had success in promoting and protecting Gaelic and Gàidhealach culture, with some significant benefits for the cultural and creative industries and in strengthening communities in the Highlands and Islands. The publication of the HIE Gaelic Plan; an increasing appreciation of the Gaelic identity of Scotland, and developments such as the recent launch of BBC Alba, add to the sense of energy and wellbeing around Gaelic and Gaels in the Highlands and Islands.

Mr Watt continued, “We sense opportunities to harness that energy in the growth of businesses and key sectors in the Highlands and Islands. This is a good opportunity for us, with advice from the Panel, to identify practical and proactive measures which will have clear and quantifiable business benefits and promote the place of Gaelic in the growth of sectors such as tourism, the creative industries and in expanding the market for Gaelic goods and services.”

The Panel will meet up to five times of the course of the next eighteen months. The first meeting will be held in Inverness tomorrow (Thursday June 11)

Gaelic

Tha Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd ‘s nan Eilean (HIE) an t-seachdainnsa an dùil buidheann bheag de Ghàidheil bho ghnìomhachasan air feadhAlba a chruinneachadh còmhla a-chum gus comhairle a thoirt seachad air ciamar fèidhir a mar a theid air HIE a’ Ghàidhlig a chleachdadh ann an leasachadh na sgìre.

Is e an dèidh ciad Phlana Gàidhlig na buidhne fhoillseachadh bho chionn beagan sheachdainnean, tha a’ bhuidheann leasachaidh a-nis a’ coimhead ri daoine a tha air a bhi an sàs anns an leithid turasachd; craoladh, sna gnìomhachasan cruthachail air neo ann am marsantachd, aig a bheil buntanas dhan a’ Ghàidhlig.

Tha HIE an dùil gur i dreuchd chudromach a bhios aig a’ bhuidhinn, is i gu bhi coimhead ris na roinnean sna h-àiteachan fa leth far am b’ urrainnear piseach mòr a thoirt air mar a tha a’ Ghàidhlig; an cànan, an dualchas Gàidhealach, agus fèin-aithne dà-chànanach na Gàidhealtachd, a’ cur ri leasachadh na sgìre.

Thuirt John Watt, Neach-stiùiridh neartachadh choimhearsnachdan aig HIE, is e dèanamh fiughair ris a’ chiad choinneimh, “Tha beagan soirbheis air a bhi againn is sinne feuchainn ri brosnachadh agus leasachadh a thoirt air a’ Ghàidhlig agus air an dualchas Ghàidhealach, le buannachdan dha na gnìomhachasan cruthachail is cultarail agus ann an neartachadh choimhearsnachdan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd ‘s na h-Eilean. Tha cuideachd foillseachadh phlanaichean Gàidhlig, barrachd meas air dualchas Gàidhlig na h-Alba, agus nithean eile leithid cuir air bhog BBC Alba, uile a’ toirt beagan spionnaidh agus neart dha na Gàidheil agus dhan a’ Ghàidhlig”

Lean Mgr Watt air, “Tha sinn a’ meas gu bheil cothroman an lùib an spionnaidh seo airson, can, leasachadh ghnìomhachasan agus prìomh roinnean na Gàidhealtachd ‘s nan Eilean. ’S e cothrom air leth a tha seo, agus tha sinn gu mòr airson, le coimhairle bhon a’ bhuidhinn seo, gun seall sinn ri cò iad na gnìomhan pragtaicheach a ghabhas a chuir an gnìomh, agus air am b’ urrainn dhuinne tomhais a dhèanamh, ach am faic sinn fìor thoradh dha leasachadh àite na Gàidhlig ann an roinnean leithid an roinn turasachd, na gnìomhachash cruthachail, agus le bhi toirt fàs air a’ mhargadh airson bathar agus seirbheisean Gàidhlig.”

Thathas an dùil gun coinnich a’ bhuidheann mu chòig treuban tharais air na h-ochd mìosan deug tha romhainn. ’S i coinneamh a-màireach (Diardaoin, 11 Ògmhios), ciad choinneamh na buidhne.