Welsh language campaigners to stage summer rally to pressure new government

Language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith has announced it will hold a rally this summer in order to put pressure on the new government to act in support of Welsh-speaking communities.

The movement is also encouraging people in Wales to register to vote in next month’s Senedd election, with less than a week remaining until the deadline (Monday, 20 April).

Cymdeithas yr Iaith is a group of people who campaign positively in a non-violent way for the rights of the people of Wales to use the language in every aspect of their life

Cymdeithas will hold the Troi’r Llanw dros y Gymraeg (Turning the Tide for the Welsh Language) rally in Porthmadog on Saturday, 4 July, to urge the new government to address the impact of the housing crisis on Welsh-speaking communities by introducing a Property Act.

Owain Meirion, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, said:”The recent Census in 2021 showed a further fall in the number of Welsh speakers, to 17.8% – the lowest percentage ever recorded. This decline is particularly severe in the traditional heartlands of the language.

“The next term of the Senedd must be a historic turning point for Welsh if it is to continue as a living, community language. Decisive action is needed to save and restore our Welsh-speaking communities – specifically through the introduction of a Property Act to regulate the housing market and secure homes for local people.

“Indeed, the decline is so rapid that we cannot face another Senedd term without radical action.

“It is of course essential that people register to vote and express their views in the upcoming crucial election, but democracy is not limited to ticking a box.

“We are calling on the people of Wales to raise their voices for our Welsh-speaking communities by registering to vote for the Senedd election by 20 April, and to go one step further by attending the Troi’r Llanw dros y Gymraeg rally this summer, in order to put pressure on the new government to act.”

The rally will take place at Y Traeth Stadium, Porthmadog Football Club, at 2pm on Saturday 4 July.