 Gwad ddweud, mae'r oeddyn ni'n gwybod gan gwybod i'r lleidio'r lleidio ar gyfer ystafell. A'r lleidio ar gyfer ystafell ystafell yma yw Dr Mary Jocay PhD, Yn ystafell yw ystafell yw Stirling University i'r cyfnodol. Thank you. Thank you, Presiding Officer, Members of the Scottish Parliament, for that opportunity to read the Parliament in time for reflection. Where do I belong? Where is home? When I visit my home country, I'm often told I no longer belong because my thinking and my way of doing things have changed. Especially expecting people to queue on my impeachable time keeping. And if I complain when someone is on hour late they proclaim, I am now here. That is all that matters. When I am in the UK, I am constantly asked, where are you from? A question that reminds me I am an outsider, having come from elsewhere. I grappled with my sense of belonging until I decided I belonged here, there and everywhere and most importantly I belonged to myself. This meant I do not need to belong to a specific geographical location. Some Scottish friends have told me, you belong here, we want you here. You are even more Scottish than some of us with the different courses you do. While beautiful, this was not convincing. However, recently an occasion made me to review and reflect on my sense of belonging. August 22nd we celebrated my very belated 40th birthday, two and a half years later due to Covid. My neighbours hosted my guests who had travelled from different parts of the world. One person whom I had never met hosted my Belgian friend after I was told to post a request on our street WhatsApp group. Another neighbour harvested tons of apples from her allotment for the party, where another collected wood donation for the bonfire at the beach after party, which she manned. Other neighbours dealt with all the recycling needed after the party. Another offered to be the DJ of the after party and many kept asking what they could do to help during this time. I had never experienced such neighbourliness. Their gesture, generosity and kindness touched me deeply. This experience made me realise whether I felt I belong or not belong in Scotrad or Kenya, I definitely belong in my neighbourhood. This sense of belonging, helping building resilience, reduces loneliness and isolation for those coming from elsewhere and making Scotrad their home and also for those born in Scotrad. I urge you all to promote and support activities that help to build community capacity and cohesion that enhances wellbeing, sense of belonging and supportive neighbourhoods in Scotrad to improve people's quality of life and connectivity. Thank you very much.