A full page advertisement promoting a Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg rally, which will be held outside the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay on Saturday May 16th, will appear in the Welsh press tomorrow (Thursday 7th). The advertisement includes the names of numerous prominent Welshmen as well as language activists, all of whom contributed towards the cost of the advertisement. The advertisement supports a demand from Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg that FULL legislative powers for the Welsh language should be transferred from Westminster to Wales.Catrin Dafydd, speaking on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said:"We greatly appreciate all the contributions that has made this advert possible. All the contributors have expressed their support for our demands which is that the LCO on the Welsh language in its present form is inadequate and that ALL legislative powers for the Welsh language should be transferred from Westminster to Wales."
Prominent politicians are amongst the contributors and they include, Lord Gwilym Prys Davies (Labour), Hywel Williams MP (Plaid Cymru), Adam Price MP (Plaid Cymru), Peter Black AM (Liberal Democrat), Nerys Evans AM (Plaid Cymru), Leanne Wood Am (Plaid Cymru), Contributions were also received from Tom Ellis the former Labour MP for Wrecsam, former Judge Dewi Watkin Powell and former chair of the Welsh Language Board John Elfed Jones.From the field of entertainment and broadcasting the contributors included Gruff Rhys, Caryl Parry Jones, Gwyn Elfyn, Maureen Rhys, Dr Meredydd Evans and Dr R Alun Evans, former head of the BBC in Bangor. A great number of academics and literary figures have also contributed.Paul Davies AM, Conservative spokesman on education and heritage said yesterday that Welsh Conservatives favoured extending the scope of the LCO and that all powers concerning Welsh language legislation should be transferred from London to Cardiff.The rally which is to be held at 2pm on Saturday 16th May outside the Senedd building will be addressed by Hywel Teifi Edwards, Adam Price, Angharad Mair and Catrin Dafydd. Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg hopes that a great number of people will attend in order to show their support for the full transfer of legislative powers for the Welsh language to the National Assembly in Wales.