Two language activists who cycled over 70 miles to draw attention to the fate of Welsh language communities arrived at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham today (Tuesday 2nd August).
The members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society), Robin Crag and Kali Stuart, cycled from their homes in Nebo, Gwynedd over to the Eisteddfod Maes for a meeting to discuss the future of Welsh as a community language. On their journey from the outskirts of Caernarfon over to the festival’s main field they visited a number of communities including Y Parc near Bala while carrying a charter entitled “Tynged yr Iaith: Cymunedau Cymraeg Cynaliadwy” (Fate of the Language: Sustainable Welsh Communities).
Addressing the meeting on the Eisteddfod Maes were a number of community representatives, such as Nia Lloyd from the Deffro’r Ddraig campaign in Wrecsam and Gwenno Puw from the Ysgol y Parc school campaign, along with AM for north Wales Llyr Huws Gruffydd.
Speaking after arriving at the Maes, Robin Crag said:
“The future of the Welsh language as a community language is under threat, and more attention needs paying to protecting and creating sustainable Welsh communities. A number of factors militate against the language on a community level, such as the threats to schools, and the Westminster Government encouraging people to move away from their communities to get work. I’ve cycled to the Eisteddfod through a number of different communities, because I believe that every community in the country can be sustainable both environmentally and linguistically.”
Hywel Griffiths, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg’s communities spokesperson said:
“Earlier this year we published ‘Tynged yr Iaith 2’ (Fate of the Language 2) which outlines the new challenge for the Welsh language in the decades to come. Almost half a century ago the original Tynged yr Iaith (Fate of the Language) lecture inspired direct action which has secured a future for the language. Despite that, it’s likely that this year’s census figures will show a major drop in the numbers of Welsh speakers in our communities. We will be launching the ‘Tynged yr Iaith: Cymunedau Cymraeg Cynaliadwy’ charter and we hope that it’ll lay the groundwork for getting to grips with the problem.”
“The charter emphasises that every community in Wales has the potential to be a Welsh language community. We in Cymdeithas, have a vision for sustainable communities in every meaning of the word – economically, environmentally and linguistically.”
The two cyclists will also go over to the Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg gig to present the charter to Bryn Fôn and band, Al Lewis and Daniel Lloyd who are performing Central Station, in the centre of Wrexham tonight.
