Newport plan bid for 2027 Eisteddfod yr Urdd
The Eisteddfod yr Urdd is one of - if not the - largest youth festival anywhere in Europe. Newport Council’s cabinet has backed plans to bid for 2027, hoping to bring the event to Newport for the first time, with councillors saying it would be good to get the Welsh language back to the city.
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00:00The Eisteddfod yr Urdd is arguably the largest youth festival anywhere in Europe. Every year
00:07thousands of young people descend on its chosen hosts, with thousands competing in singing,
00:12dancing and performance competitions. The Urdd, as it's often called, is a celebration
00:17of the Welsh language, and encourages people from across Wales to get involved, with hundreds
00:22of schools across the country sending a delegation to compete. Hosting bids are currently underway
00:27for 2027, and Newport are hoping to be chosen for the very first time ever, as the council
00:33back plans to submit their bid. Newport has one of the lower rates of Welsh speakers in
00:38Wales, but councillors say that the language has played a massive role in Newport's history,
00:43with John Frost, one of the Chartist leaders, being a Welsh speaker. There is a hope from
00:47councillors that bringing the Welsh language back into the city will encourage people to
00:51get involved, and hopefully increase the number of Welsh speakers. It is as of yet unclear
00:57when the bid will be submitted.