Commissioner for Sustainable Futures, Peter Davies, will today launch his interim report on behalf of future generations in which he will pay tribute to people from all walks of life, right across the country, who got involved in the National Conversation on The Wales We Want. Four months into this year-long pilot initiative, the National Conversation has ‘informed and shaped’ the long-term goals included in the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill, which today begins its legislative passage in the National Assembly for Wales.
As part of this work, the Commissioner for Sustainable Futures was tasked with holding a national conversation with the people of Wales, which will trial approaches on how best to involve communities, businesses and the public sector on the sort of ‘Wales We Want’ by 2050 and beyond. The Conversation is now entering the next phase, where the Commissioner will be focusing on the ‘measures that matter’ to help achieve the long term goals for Wales.
The subsequent National Conversation, which was launched in February 2014, with the support of acclaimed actor and UNICEF ambassador, Michael Sheen, has seen ideas and suggestions flooding in from thousands of people across Wales, through online surveys, twitter and facebook and a radio competition, right through to good old-fashioned pen-and-paper and village-hall events. Critical to the success of the national conversation has been the role of Futures Champions, who represent their networks and communities and have been engaging them to discuss the long term goals for Wales. Over 100 Futures Champions from across a diverse range of sectors have signed up since the launch and will be a key network for the new Future Generations Commissioner for Wales to engage with.
The Commissioner for Sustainable Futures, Peter Davies, said: “Our daily lives are increasingly driven by short term pressures, and we tend to forget that decisions made today will shape the world for future generations. In a very short space of time, the National Conversation struck a chord with people across the country who grasped this opportunity to focus on their aspirations for ‘The Wales We Want’ for the benefit of our children and grandchildren.
“We have been asking people to look beyond the immediate short-term pressures and challenges, and to consider the long-term, looking ahead to 2050 and beyond, and emphasising that we all have a responsibility in making our country a better place. The Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill will be a better piece of legislation as a result of this work. We now move to the next phase of the Conversation, where we are inviting people to share their views on the measures that matter to them that will help us with meeting the goals for Wales.”
Fresh from launching the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill at the National Assembly, the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Jeff Cuthbert AM, will also address the audience which includes youth groups and National Conversation Futures Champions, who have been instrumental in promoting dialogue within their organisations and communities about The Wales We Want.
Ahead of the launch, the Minister said: “The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill will set ambitious, long-term economic, social and environmental goals to reflect the Wales we want to see, both now and in the future. This unique Bill is all about our generation taking responsibility for improving the well-being of Wales and providing a sustainable Wales now and for decades to come.
We are setting goals for the long-term well-being of Wales. This includes people and communities, our economy and the environment in which live.”
The Interim report from the Pilot National Conversation on The Wales We Want is available to download from thewaleswant.co.uk.
