Project to translate children’s books by Black, Asian or minority ethnic writers into Welsh to be celebrated at Eisteddfod

A project to translate works by Black, Asian or minority ethnic writers to the Welsh language will be celebrated at next week’s Eisteddfod in Ceredigion.

Lily Translates has translated six books for children through the Mudiad Meithrin ‘AwDUron’ scheme.

The ‘AwDUron’ scheme is intended to begin to fill the gap in children’s literature with stories by Black, Asian or minority ethnic writers by translating the works into Welsh.

One of the volumes Mae Mari’n Caru Mangos (Mari Loves Mangoes) will be launched on the National Eisteddfod field in Tregaron on Thursday, August 4 at 2 pm in the Mudiad Meithrin unit in the company of the author, Marva Carty, Jessica Dunrod of Lily Translates and Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin.

The author Marva Carty said: “It is truly an honour that one of my books has been translated into Welsh thus reaching a new audience of children through Mudiad Meithrin’s ‘AwDUron’ and Lily Translates scheme.

“I’m looking forward to the launch at the Eisteddfod in the hope that the book will inspire a new generation of writers from diverse backgrounds”.

‘Vibrant’

The original ‘AwDUron’ scheme has also inspired a new scheme called ‘AwDUra’ which aims to gives Black, Asian and minority ethnic Welsh authors a voice and platform to write, create and publish stories for children in Welsh, Mudiad Meithrin said.

10 prospective writers are taking part in the ‘AwDUra’ scheme – and are supported by Manon Steffan Ros and Jessica Dunrod.

“As an organisation passionate about giving the Welsh language to the young children of Wales, we hope to unify a nation and build a vibrant, open and multicultural Welsh-speaking community,” the Mudiad Meithrin said.

“This is so that children see themselves and the diversity of our country reflected in books.”

Mudiad Meithrin supports more than 1,000 early years settings throughout Wales. They employ over 220 staff nationally and over 1,500 members of staff work at the cylchoedd meithrin.