Minister to attend first-ever ‘Wales Week Dublin’ to celebrate ‘extremely important’ relationship between countries
Y Gweinidog yn mynychu ‘Wythnos Cymru Dulyn’ i dathlu’r berthynas ‘hynod bwysig’ rhwng y gwledydd
The Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan will travel to Ireland today (Wednesday, March 11) to attend the first Wales Week in Dublin.
Designed to bridge St David’s Day and St Patrick’s Day and to promote Wales in Ireland, Wales Week Dublin runs until Friday, March 13 with the focal point of the programme hosted at Tŷ Cymru Digital Dome housed in the Custom House Quay building, also home to Dublin’s EPIC (Irish Emigration) Museum.
During her visit, the Minister will participate in the launch of an exciting partnership between Ireland’s world leading minority language digital platform TG Lurgan and Wales’ national voluntary youth organisation Urdd Gobaith Cymru which provides opportunities through the medium of Welsh for its 55,000 members.
The Minister will also launch a project that will explore the cultures between the ports in Ireland and Wales.
The Ports Past and Present Project is an Ireland Wales Programme funded project and will explore the cultures of the port areas of Dublin, Rosslare, Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock.
Speaking ahead of her visit, the Minister said: “The relationship with Ireland is extremely important to us in Wales.
“The Republic is our closest European neighbour and one of our most important economic partners and, as a Welsh Government, we are determined to forge far greater ties with Ireland in the months and years ahead.”
The Welsh Government has had an office in Dublin since 2012, and in May 2019 the Irish Government reopened its Consulate in Cardiff, reaffirming the strong relations between Wales and Ireland.
Wales Week Dublin events focus on key areas of cooperation including business; cultural relations; academia; future generations; global responsibility; tourism, heritage, creativity and language in alignment with Welsh Government’s new International Strategy.
Notes to editors
Notes to Editors
Wales and Ireland in figures:
- The value of Welsh exports to Ireland was just over £1.5 billion in 2018; around 50% higher than in 2017, while Ireland is currently Wales’s fourth largest export market,
- There are an estimated 80 Irish companies with a presence in Wales, employing just under 5,000 people,
- Ireland is consistently Wales’ No.1 non-UK market in terms of the volume of visits to Wales, the top destination for Welsh food & drink exports - In 2018 it generated £109m and contributed 20% of total Welsh food & drink exports,
- There were 365 Irish students studying at Welsh universities in 2018/19, according to the most recent HESA figures. There were 225 Irish staff members at Welsh universities that year.