Aberystwyth Town Council joins Welsh-language network

The Cynghrair Cymunedau Cymraeg (loosely translates as League of Welsh-speaking Communities)

Quoting Saunders Lewis yet again, the recent census results were shocking and disappointing to those of us who consider that Wales would not be Wales without the Welsh language. (Tynged yr Iaith, 1962, BBC.) I've pointed in my previous post at the results in Wales, Ceredigion and Aberystwyth. One of the most surprising things was the fact that the fall occurred under the new devolved oreder. It shows clearly therefore that action is needed for the language at a local level as well as nationally.

This is one of the ideas that has been normal for a while in the Basque Country. There's an organisation there called UEMA which is a collection of groups, institutions and local councils, which work with each other to share experiences, lobby other bodies and improve the linguistic situation in their areas. The network was established in 1991, and it's grown since then to encompass many councils and local movements throughout the Basque Country. It's great to see that the Basque speakers statistics have grown from 22.3% in 1991 to 27% in 2011!

Therefore a great idea was to set up a network of this kind in Wales to further the Welsh language. The CCC is trying to do this, and a variety of institutions and movements from across Wales have joined so far.

The first meeting of the Cynghrair was held in Aberystwyth in January, where a variety of subjects were discussed, from challenging the planning regime to how to welcome and integrate learners better to how to grow local economies in Welsh-speaking areas to how to strengthen connections between different Welsh-speaking areas.

The principles of the CCC are the following:

1. Through the CCC we can work together to create national realisation of the reality that there is no future for the Welsh language without the areas where it is still a living language.
2. Through the CCC we can work together to teach those moving to the area and integrate them such that they can enrich our communities
3. We can urge joint action for society, economy and culture between the communities that are members of the CCC
4. We can work together to ensure that the planning regime serves our communities
5. We ensure that every community in Wales can fulfil it's potential and we will see a growth in the percentages who speak Welsh
6. We can campaign together to ensure that everyone in our communities has the right to communicate in Welsh
7. We can ensure that the educational needs of our communities are fulfilled
8. We aim to make Welsh a natural everyday language
9. It's necessary to ensure that our councils and other institutions act through the medium of Welsh
10. We'll work together to challenge the strength of the free market that undermines our lives and demand that the economy strengthens our communities

After I put the idea in front of Aberystwyth & Penparcau Town Council, I'm proud to say, after the council voted in favour of joining the CCC, the Town Council is now a member of the CCC, and joins community councils like 'Sgubo'r Coed (near Borth) and Carmarthen Town.

I hope to see more councils joining so that a movement can be built that takes action from the grassroots to promote the Welsh language in every community in Wales. This movement is a great chance for everyone to work together to ensure more visibility for the Welsh language and more rights for her speakers (and, hopefully, more speakers also!)

For more information, see: www.cymunedau.org