00:00A few weeks ago we found out that Newport was submitting plans to host the EIRF in 2027.
00:08Now it's been officially confirmed that the Welsh Language Youth Festival will be hosted
00:13here for the first time ever in its history.
00:17Newport previously hosted the full Eisteddfod back more than two decades ago, but now the
00:22youth Eisteddfod is coming to town and there is plenty of hope from councillors that it
00:26will get more and more people speaking Welsh in the build-up to the event.
00:32Councillor Emma Stowell-Corton, Newport City Council's Cabinet Member for Culture and Communications,
00:37said that they're thrilled that the EIRF has confirmed Newport as the host of the Eisteddfod
00:42at EIRF in 2027, and they're excited to be bringing one of the country's biggest annual
00:47events and one of Europe's biggest youth events to the city for the first time.
00:53She also said that it was a great chance to encourage more and more people to speak
00:58Welsh in the city, and will hopefully be the lasting legacy of the festival for Newport
01:03and the surrounding areas.
01:06Newport is not known as a hotbed for the Welsh language, and ranks among the bottom of local
01:11authorities for the amount of people that speak the language across the country.
01:15But the plan is that bringing so many Welsh speakers to the city, and getting local children
01:20involved with the festival wherever possible over the next few years, will get more and
01:25more people speaking Welsh, and help towards the Welsh Government's targets, as well as
01:29local targets, to improve how much Welsh is spoken.
01:34The festival itself plays host to hundreds of competitions throughout the week, with
01:38thousands of competitors in poetry, arts and music awards, as well as other performances,
01:43shop stalls, games and activities for children.
01:46And of course, the iconic Mr Irth will be there to get everyone involved.
01:52So maybe in just a few years' time, you'll be hearing an awful lot more Welsh spoken
01:57around Newport.
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