The Welsh Government plans to open a "football museum for Wales" and fund a concert in North America to highlight Welsh culture. Ahead of the upcoming football World Cup, the Welsh Government has said it will fund initiatives which will promote and celebrate Wales at the tournament in Qatar.
The Welsh Government’s World Cup partner support fund will see a total of £1.8million shared among 19 projects. It claims that these projects 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 what the Welsh Government describes as an integral part of the global celebration, supporting initiatives which will help grow the economy, raise the profile of Wales and the Welsh language, and promote a globally responsible Wales.
It comes as the FAW also announced plans for a Gŵyl Cymru Festival on Tuesday, a 10-day minimum festival that will be held in November to unite the Red Wall during Wales' FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign. With a focus on independent grassroots venues and community organisations, football clubs, and venues are invited to curate their own programme of events, workshops and performances to become part of the celebrations.
The open call is for any venue or organisation, in Wales and around the world, who are showing the Wales fixtures to submit their event details to join Gŵyl Cymru, and any activity within the arts world is applicable - from music gigs, comedy nights or film screenings to children’s activities, literary sessions and art workshops.
Read more: Children grow up in poverty in the shadow of Wales' greatest wealth
The other successful projects which will receive Welsh Government funding include:
- 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 competition and produce giant retro shirts for fans to sign and send to Qatar for display at the Cymru training camp in Doha.
Get the latest Wales football news sent straight to you with our Don't Take Me Home newsletter:
Economy minister Vaughan Gething said: “With a global audience of five billion people, the FIFA World Cup offers a platform to take Wales to the world. 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.”
READ NEXT:
The actual World Cup trophy is coming to Cardiff but hardly anyone will be able to see it
When do Wales play next and why are there no friendlies before the World Cup?
Children grow up in poverty in the shadow of Wales' greatest wealth
Governance in Wales is a convoluted mess that needs to be fixed
