 Diolch yn fawr. Mae ystod y digwydd iawn yn nodiadol. Diolch yn fawr i'r defnyddio o'r Lord Amnoly Gweithreth ynglyn nhw. Yr ysdynnu hon mewn cyntemi o esllou rheslwyddoedd y ddigwydd siaradau Raddeol arteecol yr Alun Cychllwynt ynglyn nhw. Fel rhydd yn gweithio,Jack Tamsen yn unig yn ei ffarladau. A hynny ynglyn sittingwynt yn cymdeimlu i'r unig yn ystod, yn ôl i'r buddau i discussiona oedd yn y Llywodraeth i Llywodraeth. In a world where divisions often lead to violence and death, we all seek ways of building bridges between us, no matter how large the perceived gulfs. It may have been this very Scottish tradition to bridge to the unknown that led me to the USA six years ago. Having just completed my PhD at Glasgow University, I was ready for a challenge and crossed the pond. The experience made me realise a lot more. Building bridges is a difficult business. Critical enquiry, such as we do in the academy, may lead to stronger bridges, but it can also make obvious the option of leaving a bridge well enough alone. It took me six years to realise that America was not the place I wanted to grow old as an academic. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy living there, but there came a point where I just could not bear being too far from Scotland. For the last six years, I have watched First Minister's questions. Being an academic, I've thought about these things a little too much. Reflecting on this room's structure, I see a semi-circle of unity. A bridge, you might say, that brings together all the MSPs of this chamber, yet they are far from united. Each party contributes to the glorious colours of the Scottish Parliament, but at the end of the day each holds its own convictions. As an ethnically Pakistani Muslim, I hold the conviction that Islam is the correct path to God for me, but I understand that this particular bridge, a religious bridge, is not for everyone. I've come to rejoice in this predicament of our colours. The impulse must always be for constructing peaceful bridges between people, but surely that cannot mean losing sight of our own convictions. That is indeed the Scottish and the Pakistani way for me. The path of critical inquiry, those difficult questions that trouble even the existence of God, are the very foundations of the way we think and connect as Scots. A way of thinking that builds upon our Scottish Enlightenment giants who taught us to build bridges but to hold strong to our convictions, even if they mark certain bridges as clearly outside our own individual paths. What's common to us all is that we have no use for flimsy connections. When superficial bridges are built on platitudes and politically correct statements, they are of no use to humans or God. God bless Scotland.