Wales at the FIFA World Cup: Economy Minister unveils Welsh Government projects to take Wales to the World

That’s the message from Economy Minister Vaughan Gething, who has today unveiled a range of Welsh Government-funded initiatives that will promote and celebrate Wales at the tournament in Qatar.

The Welsh Government’s World Cup Partner Support Fund will see a total of £1.8 million shared among 19 projects.

These will help project our nation’s values and work to secure a positive and lasting legacy for Wales and Welsh football.

This will include sharing our culture, arts, and heritage to become an integral part of the global celebration, supporting initiatives that will help grow the economy, raising the profile of Wales and the Welsh language, and promoting a globally responsible Wales.

The successful projects which will receive funding include:

• A festival of creativity and culture which will unite communities, led by the Football Association of Wales.
• A concert in North America highlighting Welsh culture across genres, from music, to poetry and performance. It will be broadcast on the eve of Wales’ match with the USA.
• The new Football Museum for Wales in Wrexham, which will run a series of events and activities to document the experiences of a diverse range of fans and players.
• An ‘Inspiring a Generation’ initiative delivering a bilingual range of events for the Boys and Girls clubs across Wales.
• The Barry Horns band engagement in Qatar.
• Promotion of the Welsh language through community singing sessions.
• Mentrau Iaith will also commission murals from Welsh artists, run a bucket hat design competitions and produce giant retro shirts for fans to sign and send to Qatar for display at the Cymru training camp in Doha.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said:

“The Welsh Government has established an ambitious and exciting range of activities to make the most of the unique opportunity offered by the Cymru men’s football team’s participation in the FIFA World Cup.

“This is the most significant marketing and sports diplomacy opportunity ever presented to the Welsh Government given the profile of the event.

“We will promote Wales, project our values of inclusivity and diversity, ensure the safety of Welsh people at the tournament, and secure a positive and lasting legacy from our participation at the tournament.

“It is vital we build a legacy from the World Cup that inspires the next generation of our boys and girls and highlights how sporting participation can drive the health and wellbeing of our nation.

“We are determined to capitalise on this historic achievement and deliver real benefits for people here in Wales.”