The Leslie Global Diaspora Foundation (LeslieGDF) recognizes that there are thousands of descendants of Leslies from Scotland dispersed throughout the world. These descendants of Leslies are the result of the diaspora where Leslies and the related families departed Scotland due to economic, military, religious, political, or social reasons.
As generations pass there is a danger of losing Leslie historical information and the connection of the descendants of the diaspora who have connections to the Scot-Irish heritage. The Foundation has “answered the call” to meet the challenge of collecting, preserving, and sharing information and preserving sites related to the Family Leslie.
The Foundation is not a society and consequently does not have members who pay annual dues. Instead, the LeslieGDF relies on donations, grants, and subscriptions to our resources. We view our responsibility not to members, but to all Leslies. The Foundation staff and volunteers actively pursue connections and relationships with:
- universities who have Scottish studies,
- libraries with archives,
- government record offices,
- other Leslie foundations and trusts, and
- individuals with Leslie knowledge, documents and stories to tell that should not be forgotten.
The LeslieGDF embraces cooperation with other Leslie organizations and groups. It is essential that the Foundation worldwide outreach and business-like approach enhances the likelihood of preserving the Leslie history and heritage.
The LeslieGDF is a forward thinking proactive organization that has a sense of urgency in working towards its objectives. It is not for the next generation of Leslies to act, it is for this generation to preserve the past for our future generations.