Estonians in Glasgow helped with new world record for Auld Lang Syne

01.12.2009

Estonian students at the University of Glasgow Maarja Lall and Sabina Sägi and the lecturer in Estonian Language, Society and Culture Lea Kreinin celebrated St Andrews night and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national poet Robert Burns by helping to create a new world record for the number of different languages singing the same song simultaneously.

A total of 41 different languages performed Auld Lang Syne, one of Scotland’s best-loved and most international compositions, together in the historic Bute Hall at the University on 30 November. In addition to Estonian, among the other languages sung at the event were: Latin, Persian, Arabic, Malay, Vietnamese, Frisian, Hindi, Urdu, Irish Gaelic, Scots Gaelic, Romanian, Scots, Czech, Welsh, Ukrainian, Yoruba, Swahili, Catalan, Bangla, Maori, Chichewa, Georgian, Esperanto, Thai and Igbo.

Written by Robert Burns in 1788 and later set to the tune of a Scottish folk song, Auld Lang Syne, which is traditionally sung at Hogmanay, has become one of the most recognisable songs in the world.