Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Wales is an outward looking nation, and the Welsh Government is committed to national and international engagement that improves outcomes for people in Wales and overseas. This means working together with others on shared opportunities and challenges. Our relationship with the Celtic nations and regions is rooted in many centuries of shared history, culture and trade. On 1st and 2nd of February, I attended the Celtic Forum in Glasgow, hosted by the Scottish Government. I was joined by colleagues from Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Galicia.
This was the second Celtic Forum which followed the inaugural Forum held in Rennes, Brittany in 2023. The Rennes Declaration committed to deepening cooperation across a number of areas. The Forum in Glasgow provided an opportunity for senior leaders across the Celtic nations and regions to discuss collective challenges and opportunities and consider where there could be the potential for collaboration.
On 1 February, I attended a welcome reception at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. This included a concert at the Celtic Connections Festival, the Transatlantic Sessions, which works to connect Celtic and North American artists through collaboration.
I was very pleased to hear about the important and developing contribution of Wales to the Celtic Connections Festival led by our Team Cymru partner, Wales Arts International.
On 2 February, I visited the National Institute of Manufacturing in Scotland with the other Celtic leaders to explore innovation and collaboration.
Ahead of the Leaders Roundtable, we were joined by the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney MSP, which provided an important opportunity to discuss the importance of Celtic collaboration.
The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson MSP, chaired the Leaders Roundtable.
This focussed on three themes:
- Celtic Co-operation
- Cultural Exchange
- Renewables and Innovation
After the formal proceedings had closed, I took the opportunity for a bilateral meeting with the President of the Regional Council of Brittany, Loïg Chesnais-Girard and Stephane Perrin-Sarzier, the Vice-President of the Regional Council.
We discussed ongoing collaboration between Brittany and Wales, as well as the current iteration of the Memorandum of Understanding between our two governments that underpins this work.