Chicago Scots was proud to be a partner organization for Judson University’s World Leaders Forum Tuesday night, honoring two great Scot’s – business leader The Lord Smith of Kelvin and renowned composer Sir James MacMillan. The evening included a fascinating fireside chat moderated by Chicago Scots president, Gus Noble OBE.
Judson’s World Leaders Forum is hosted annually to inspire the next generation of emerging leaders. Tuesday’s event featured the Eric Liddell Community in Edinburgh, Scotland which celebrates the legacy of missionary Eric Liddell by bringing people together in their local communities to enhance health and well-being. Eric Liddell’s 1924 win at the Paris Olympics inspired the film Chariots of Fire.
A delegation from the Eric Liddell Community toured Caledonia Senior Living & Memory Care on Monday to learn about the innovative dementia care offered at our MacLean House. The Eric Liddell Community also has a focus on dementia care and the tour opened doors for an ongoing exchange of best practices. Members of the visiting delegation included: The Lord Smith; Dr. Gene Crume, president of Judson University; members of Eric Liddell’s family; and executives from the Liddell Community including Irene Adams OBE, Board Chair and John MacMillan, CEO.
Following remarks to a capacity audience at Judson University, Gus led a fireside chat with Lord Smith, Sir James and ABC7’s Dionne Miller, exploring the values and experiences which shaped both their formative years and their subsequent careers as prominent global figures. The Chicago Scots ensured a good showing of tartan and the evening included honorary doctorate degrees for each speaker. The lecture was also the official North American launch of the Eric Liddell 100, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of “the flying Scotsman’s” world record breaking, gold medal victory in the 400 metres at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.
The next day, alongside the British-Consulate General and the British American Business Council in Chicago, the Chicago Scots co-hosted a luncheon in honor of Lord Smith and Sir James for key business leaders.
Activities concluded later that afternoon when violin virtuoso, Rachel Barton Pine hosted Sir James at ChiArts, the Chicago High School For the Performing Arts, for an inspirational discussion on music and composition. ChiArts scholar-artists performed Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 by Beethoven and 11-year old Sylvia Pine performed a two-violin version of her string composition for orchestra Rising Storm with her Mother.
Rachel, who accepted the Chicago Scots highest honor, the Distinguished Citizen Award in 2010, will travel to Scotland in October to perform a recently discovered Violin Concerto No. 2 by Black composer Florence Price with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Rachel recorded the Price symphony in January 2021 with the RSNO. Click here for more information on this important discovery.
We thank the Chicago Scots community and the staff and residents at Caledonia Senior Living for providing such a warm welcome to the Honorees of this year’s World Leaders Forum.
Every year at our Scottish Festival & Highland Games, the Chicago Scots feature a family or an organization as our Honored Clan. This year, to recognize and celebrate its’ strong Scottish roots, our Honored Clan is Rotary International. We are proud to announce that Rotary International’s Scottish President, Gordon McInally has agreed to lead our Parade of Tartans at 12:30 p.m. Gordon will also receive the Salute to the Chieftain from the Massed Pipe Bands at approximately 6.30pm on Saturday, June 15, 2024.