WELSH language supporters have called for policy changes following the Census results in newspaper adverts today, as Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg meets with the First Minister.
Stating that people ‘want to live in Welsh’, the adverts, which appear in the Western Mail, the Daily Post and Golwg 360, ask the Welsh Government to act on the policies in Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg’s ‘Maniffesto Byw’ (Living Manifesto). Today’s advertisement comes after thousands of people from all parts of Wales took part in recent rallies organised by Cymdeithas in response to the census results.
According to the campaigners’ advertisement, Carwyn Jones needs to draw up new policies and implement them by the end of the year. In its ‘Maniffesto Byw’, the group outlines 26 recommendations to strengthen the language such as transforming the planning system in order to tackle the challenge of out-migration and in-migration; an education system where every child leaves school completely fluent in Welsh; quadruple the investment in the language; and measuring the language impact of all Government spending.
Robin Farrar, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, who is part of a delegation from the group which will meet Carwyn Jones today:
“We very much hope the First Minister will respond positively to our recommendations to increase the number of Welsh speakers and Welsh language communities. We will be calling on him to acknowledge the crisis which faces the language and implement the recommendations in our ‘Maniffesto Byw’. There’s no point sitting back and accepting the Census results: with positive campaigning and political will, we can change our fate and that of our Welsh language communities. The language and its communities cannot afford more of the same from the Welsh Government.
“In our living manifesto, we outline several completely practical steps that the Government and others could - and should - take this year to strengthen the language. Our vision is a country where we can all live our lives in Welsh; and securing strong Welsh language communities is the only way to realise that vision. What’s needed is the political will to realise the ambition of people around the country.”
In a letter to Cymdeithas yr Iaith about the Census, the First Minister wrote: “What’s clear from looking at the Census results is that the future of the Welsh language is in the hands of Wales’ children and young people.”
To date, there has been no statement from the Welsh Government to the Assembly about its response to the Census results.