From national confidence to global impact

Ruth Cocks, Director, British Council Wales

Like many people across Wales, I spent Friday 8 May glued to the Senedd election results. As they rolled in, it unfolded largely as polls had predicted: a victory for Rhun ap Iorwerth and Plaid Cymru, alongside the rise of Reform UK in Wales. It was clear that Wales was witnessing a seismic moment in its political history.

The run-up sparked fascinating conversations, both here and overseas, about what the outcome could mean for Wales and, more fundamentally, about how Wales sees itself in the world.

What struck me most about Wales entering this new chapter was a growing sense of national optimism and confidence – confidence in who we are, our value, and our place in the world.

And this confidence really matters. Wales is often described as a humble nation, and that humility is one of our strengths. But there is a difference between humility and self-limitation. For too long, Wales has been more comfortable talking about its challenges than its achievements. Greater confidence means believing in ourselves, recognising the value of what Wales has to offer, and being willing to share our ideas and expertise more widely. It also means engaging openly with the world – learning from others while making our own contribution in return. Wales may be a small nation, but small should never be confused with insignificant.

Refreshingly, the new Welsh Government has placed international engagement firmly on the agenda. Its support for the Erasmus+ programme, delivered by the British Council on behalf of the UK Government, sends a clear signal about the importance it attaches to international and European engagement. I am particularly pleased to see Erasmus+ launching in November, creating new opportunities for people across Wales and the rest of the UK to study, train and work abroad while building lasting relationships with partners across Europe.

Just as importantly, it has recognised the value of learning from international best practice. Wales is not a nation that acts in isolation; nor should it be. Our strengths are often greatest when we connect and collaborate with others, whether through education, science and research, or arts and culture.

Through our work at British Council Wales, we see first-hand the growing international interest in what Wales has to offer. The world is already looking to Wales. International partners regularly draw on Welsh examples for inspiration – from our innovative approaches to arts, culture and wellbeing, to the revival of the Welsh language and protection of linguistic rights, to pioneering legislation such as the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Recently, we have welcomed delegations from countries including India, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Pakistan and Kenya, all keen to learn from Wales’s experience and expertise.

For us, international engagement is about mutual benefit. The evidence is clear: nations that engage internationally are better able to innovate, adapt and respond to the challenges they face. We have seen this first-hand through overseas policy visits and collaborations for Welsh partners, most recently to Japan, Estonia and the USA, helping bring fresh ideas, new perspectives and international best practice back to Wales.

International engagement

I have long argued that international engagement is not a “nice to have” or a luxury. It is essential to good domestic policy development and progress. It widens horizons, improves social mobility, strengthens policymaking through shared learning and innovation, and drives economic growth through new opportunities, partnerships and markets.

Wales does best when it looks outwards, and our new First Minister has said this government will be “the most outward-looking government Wales has ever had.”

This presents a unique opportunity, and at British Council Wales we are fully behind Wales’s international ambitions.

The question now is how Wales builds on this pivotal moment. It is an opportunity to strengthen Wales’s international connections and create new pathways for Welsh talent, education, culture and expertise to engage with the wider world.

Openess

This spirit of openness and possibility was reflected in Rhun ap Iorwerth’s words following the election:

“Something has stirred in the soul of Wales. A new confidence, a new hope. A new broader horizon, never to be narrowed again.”

These words resonate because they capture a sense of optimism and ambition that Wales is ready for – and deserves.

The opportunity now is to turn that optimism into action – sharing Welsh expertise with the world and being open, and contributing to, global debate. True confidence is not simply about how Wales sees itself. It is about having the ambition to take our place on the international stage, and the belief that what Wales has to offer can make a real difference.

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