2022 A Celebration of Scotland’s Treasures and Great Scot Honoree, Diana Gabaldon
Tartan-clad philanthropists gathered at New York City’s The Metropolitan Club on April 14 to honor American author Diana Gabaldon as the 2022 Great Scot. Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander novels have brought the romance and drama of Scottish history to life for more than 50 million readers worldwide.
The presentation of the Great Scot Award was the highlight of the event, which this year raised $375,000 to support the conservation of heritage sites in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, including Culloden Battlefield and Robert Burns’s birthplace.
Actors Sam Heughan and Graham MacTavish, stars of the Starz television series Outlander, presented the award to Gabaldon virtually from the United Kingdom, where they were filming.
Now it’s true that Diana herself is not Scottish, but I don’t think any of us can deny that Diana has done more than almost anyone to promote Scotland, its history and culture, on the world stage over the past decade. For that reason, I think, and I am sure you will agree, that Diana is surely an honorary Scot – and now a Great one at that.
– Graham MacTavish
2022 Great Scot Honoree and Author of Outlander Diana Gabaldon gives speech
Diana’s humorous and heartfelt remarks touched on the origins of her first novel, the public’s reaction to the Outlander series, and her unanticipated role in preserving Scottish culture. In her remarks, Diana reflected on the fragility of the Gaelic language, and her work to protect it.
A Celebration of Scotland’s Treasures was chaired by arts philanthropist Naoma Tate, whose great-grandfather was a master stonemason at Drumlanrig, home of the Duke of Buccleuch. Mrs. Thomas H. Hubbard and Jeannie Redpath Campbell Becton served as honorary co-chairs in recognition of their leadership support for the Isle of Canna over the past decade.
The evening included a live and silent auction supported by dozens of brands and individuals. An auction catalog of closed lots and a list of our generous sponsors is still browsable here.
