REMINDER!
COSCA Annual Clan Meeting
July 11, 2009 -
Grandfather Mtn. Highland Games
- 2:00pm Chief's Tent
COSCA invites all clan
representatives to attend. You do not need to have a tent at
the games to participate.
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COSCA invites all Scots worldwide to
The Gathering; an unprecedented international Gathering of the
Clans to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland July 25 -26, 2009. For
complete information, visit
The Gathering website.
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Follow COSCA on
Twitter & Facebook!
On Twitter, follow
us at
@COSCAnet
On Facebook, join our
group:
COSCA-Council of Scottish Clans & Associations
Clan Webmasters: In order to
help consolidate clans in one location and make it easier for
users to find you, COSCA encourages all Scottish Clans
developing Twitter accounts to use the following hashtags on
directories such as
WeFollow:
#highlandgames, #scottishclan,
#scotland.
What Is COSCA?
COSCA is the acronym for the Council of Scottish Clans and
Associations. COSCA's primary purpose is to preserve and promote
the customs, traditions, and heritage of the Scottish people. We
strive to do this by educating the public about Scottish
history, literature, music, poetry, art, and culture.
With over 60,000 clan
members represented, COSCA serves as a clearing house for clan
activities throughout the US. While not a governing or
supervisory board for any organization, COSCA strives to bring the clans and associations together
through a variety of means. Our AGM is
held each July at the Grandfather
Mountain Highland Games
in Linville, NC. This is open to any clan representative;
whether or not their clan is hosting a tent at the games. Our
e-newsletter, "The Claymore" regularly
reports on items of
interest to the Scottish community, both here and abroad.
Our new Twitter page
regularly posts items of interest across a broad range of
topics and also serves as an instant way for clans and Scottish
organizations to disseminate announcements to a world-wide
audience.
One of COSCA's key
services is
to assist people who wish to identify their Scottish clan.
Whether online or at one of the many highland games and festivals
throughout the country, COSCA representatives offer a wealth of extensive
research materials designed
specifically to facilitate this process. Visitor inquiry forms are
forwarded to the appropriate clan(s) so they may contact
the prospective member directly. This, in effect, allows COSCA to act as the
Clan's representative even if they aren't present at the games.
COSCA is also an active
participant in The Scottish Coalition; a collective of several
organizations united by a common purpose: namely to serve the
Scottish-American community through research, long-term planning
and information designed to promote our heritage. The Scottish Symposium is held annually where
Coalition representatives and key leaders within the Scottish community come together to
advance our unique identity. An
example of the effectiveness of this alliance was the recent
recognition of Tartan Day as an official national observance.
(Please see our Links page for a list of
Coalition members and their websites.)
So whether you're
interested in what COSCA can do for your clan, society or
association or whether you're an individual seeking to find out
more about your Scottish heritage, COSCA is here to help you. We
welcome you to our website and hope you will find it a helpful
resource. Visit often, and make sure to find the COSCA
representatives
at your next highland game. We look forward to meeting you!
About
Our Tartan Background
COSCA is using the
Grandfather Mountain Games tartan for its wallpaper. COSCA
originated from these games and continues to hold its annual
meetings there each July. The tartan was designed in 1994 by
Marjorie Warren. Details on the Grandfather Mountain Games
tartan can be found at
The Scottish Register of Tartans.
