Celebrities star in Homecoming ad

An advert has been released as part of the on-going campaign to promote Scotland's 2009 Homecoming events.

The one-minute film features the Scottish ballad "Caledonia" sung by a variety of singers, actors and sports stars.

It will be screened on television from Friday, 28 November.

Homecoming Scotland, being backed by VisitScotland, is a programme of events which will celebrate the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth.

There are 10 celebrities in the advert, including Sean Connery and Chris Hoy.

CALEDONIA I don't know if you can see The changes that have come over me In these last few days I've been afraid That I might drift away So I've been telling old stories, singing songs That make me think about where I came from And that's the reason why I seem So far away today Oh, but let me tell you that I love you That I think about you all the time Caledonia you're calling me And now I'm going home The lyrics - from Caledonia by Dougie MacLean - which are used in the advert

They have each performed a line from the well-known anthem, written by Dougie MacLean, as part of an initiative designed to encourage thousands of people to "come home" to Scotland next year.

The advert was unveiled by First Minister Alex Salmond at the Filmhouse in Edinburgh on Friday.

He said at the launch it was important to "do justice" to the 250th anniversary of Burns' birth and that the Caledonia song used in the advert "touches something pretty deep".

He added: "I thought the advert was great - it showed Sam Torrance could sing. The contrast was fantastic and every one of these great stars gave their time for free."

The festival kicks off on Burns night, 25 January, and runs until St Andrew's Day on 30 November 2009.

The programme of events has been organised around five main themes - Robert Burns, whisky, golf, great Scottish minds and innovations and Scotland's culture and heritage.

Among the events will be a show at the Clyde Auditorium to celebrate the songs of Burns and a whole whisky month in May, with distillers across the country opening up their doors.

There will also be the biggest clan gathering for 200 years in Edinburgh in July, and a flotilla of boats will travel the length of the Caledonian Canal, from Fort William to Inverness.

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