First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is among the names on a list of women who have contributed something “truly special” to Scotland’s culture and heritage.
The Saltire Society invited members of the public to submit nominations last year, with the key criteria being that names put forward should be living contemporary examples of Scottish women who have made a significant contribution to culture and society.
Ten women were inducted into the inaugural Outstanding Women of Scotland list, with Nicola Sturgeon joined by veteran SNP politician Winnie Ewing, Scotland’s national poet Liz Lochhead and former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini.
Professor Bashabi Fraser of Edinburgh Napier University and poet and novelist Jackie Kay were also inducted alongside songwriter Karine Polwart.
Completing the list is Doris Littlejohn, the former president of Industrial Tribunals Scotland, singer and writer Anne Lorne Gillies and Strathclyde University engineering Professor Rebecca Lunn.
The award was launched to coincide with today’s International Women’s Day events, with a ceremony taking place at Glasgow Women’s Library.
It is now hoped it will become an annual event celebrating the achievements of Scottish women from all walks of life based on nominations from the general public.
Ms Sturgeon said: “I am very honoured to have been nominated. I hope that the achievements of all those featured on this list will inspire many more Scottish women, from across all walks of life, to fulfil their ambitions.
“Being First Minister is a big responsibility and I’m determined to use that position to help further the ability of other women to get on and make a difference.”
The late Professor Ailsa McKay, a leading feminist economist who died in 2014, also received a special mention at the event.
Prof McKay was the overwhelming winner of a Twitter poll seeking nominations to the Outstanding Women of Scotland list organised by the Saltire Society last year.
Susan Garnsworthy, council member at the Saltire Society, an independent non-political body promoting Scottish heritage, said: “It is incredibly fitting that we include the First Minister as one of the inaugural inductees as she is a shining example not only of an outstanding woman of Scotland, but also a woman who made it happen by becoming the first female first minister for Scotland.
“All ten of this year’s inductees have contributed something truly special to Scotland’s culture and heritage, and I am delighted that we have been able to honour their many and varied achievements to date.
“We also felt it was important to pay special tribute to Professor Ailsa McKay for the incredible contribution she made throughout her life, both as a well-respected economist and as a leading equality campaigner.”