The manuscript is usually held in Glasgow's Mitchell Library

The paper is written in Robert Burns' own hand and dates from about 1788. It is one of only six in existence.

The manuscript is normally on display at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow but will cross the Atlantic for the events previously known as Tartan Week.

From 31 March until 4 April it will be displayed at the city's Grolier Club.

On 6 April it will go on show for the day at the New York Public Library.

Auld Lang Syne literally means "old long since" and the song's five stanzas invite the rekindling of friendships long since past.

It is known across the world and is the unofficial anthem of New Year celebrations.

'Fantastic platform'

Tourist bosses hope seeing the manuscript will encourage visitors to come to Scotland in 2009, which has been designated the country's "Homecoming" year to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and VisitScotland worked together to arrange the manuscript's journey to New York.

Tom McWilliam, VisitScotland's area director for Glasgow, said: "Scotland Week gives us a fantastic platform to showcase Glasgow and the rest of Scotland to our biggest international tourism market.

"Our programme of consumer and business events will focus on Homecoming Scotland, showing US consumers exactly why they should come to Scotland in 2009 to join us in our year-long celebrations.

"The Burns manuscript will be an important element of this promotion."

The manuscript is usually held in the Robert Burns Collection at the Mitchell Library, which has 4,000 exhibits, the largest collection of its kind in the world.