A LEADING Scots campaigner and author gave a moving tribute to “multinational Scotland” after accepting an honorary doctorate.
Billy Kay gave the speech after accepting the degree from the University of St Andrews as he encouraged graduates listening to be “ambassadors for Scotland wherever in the world you go”.
Kay reflected on how Scotland has always been a multinational and multilingual country since the 11th century, and declared “all you need to do to belong” in Scotland "is to want to belong”.
After accepting his award, he told graduates: “When ancient Scottish burghs like St Andrews were founded in the reign of David I back in the 11th century, he addressed the inhabitants as Scottis Et Anglis, Frankis et Flemmingis – the Scots, English, French and Flemish who inhabited what we proudly called the community of the realm.
“Scotland then was a multinational, multicultural, multilingual country from its very beginnings and I’m pleased to say that this continues today where diversity is cherished, a civic rather than ethnic national identity prevails and all you need to do to belong is want to belong, to respect the culture and to return the love we bestow upon you.
“And this is now your role too, to show how much you cherished your time here and to become ambassadors for Scotland wherever in the world you go, to engage with us in the soft diplomacy that we’re very good at, from our scientific inventions to the gallus charm of the Tartan Army.”
Kay told The National many people had written to him after to say how much the speech had meant to them and “supported their identity as Scots”.
Legendary Scots campaigner Billy Kay received his honorary doctorate from St Andrews University - and spoke passionate of his pride in Scotland's civic national identity, from its scientific inventions to the soft power of the Tartan Army 🏴 pic.twitter.com/9uYw09dkVh
— The National (@ScotNational) July 15, 2026
His honorary doctorate from St Andrews came after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of the West of Scotland in 2009 and the Oliver Award in 2010.
He was hailed for work such as producing the Odyssey series documenting the oral history of Scotland’s working class and his book Scots: The Mither Tongue.
Later in the speech he reflected on how when Fife-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie applied for a job in Pittsburgh in 1870 and his boss asked him if he was native born, he replied “no, sir, I’m a Scotchman” which he later said “made him feel proud as every Roman did when it was their boast to say ‘I am a Roman citizen’”.
He then brought Scots into his address in his closing remarks, expressing how even those who cannot speak the language can still carry Scotland in their heart in their future.
Kay said: “Gin ye hae a guid Scots or Scots Gaelic tongue in yer heid, then yaise it, but even if you don’t have a good Scots tongue in your head, you can still leave here with a good Scots heart in your breast and we’ll love you for keeping it beating strongly wherever you go.
“And remember in the words of Robert Burns ‘nae treasure nor pleasure could mak us happy lang, the hert aye’s the pairt aye that maks us richt or wrang’.
“Gang forit fae here in guid hert. But haste ye back.”
On the University of St Andrews’ website, Kay was described as having made “a significant contribution to the promotion of Scottish culture, language and history” and was honoured for having played “an active role in Scotland’s cultural and civic life, supporting the campaign for a Scottish Parliament and contributing to the promotion of the Scots language through the Cross-Party Group on the Scots Language”.
