Minister to spend £1.8m promoting Wales at the Qatar World Cup

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething, has unveiled a range of Welsh Government-funded initiatives that will promote and celebrate Wales at the FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar which kicks off in November.

The Government’s World Cup Partner Support Fund will see a total of £1.8 million shared among 19 projects which it says will help “project our nation’s values and work to secure a positive and lasting legacy for Wales and Welsh football”.

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.

Ambitious

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.”