Supporters Of The City Of Democracy Initiative

Pat Drewett, Chair of Our Chartist Heritage ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Newport – City of Democracy proclaims the unique identity of Newport, by emphasising its involvement with the Welsh Chartist and Suffragette movements, asserting that this identity is just as important to the city’s future as to its past. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This marque will allow Newport to develop sustainable assets that reinforce its heritage, raise its profile and market the city for tourism, education and investment purposes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By providing a better appreciation of the city’s central role in the ultimate achievement of Votes for All, many opportunities will be created for all residents to come together in celebration of Newport – City of Democracy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This strapline will empower the city to become recognised as a major catalyst for improved understanding of the Vote, and a beacon for democracy, locally, nationally and internationally.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Karyn Keane, head teacher of Newport High School. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At Newport High, we believe that our students should develop an appreciation of their culture and a strong sense of their identity as citizens of Newport, of Wales, the United Kingdom, Europe and the wider world. To achieve this, our students need to develop a secure understanding of democracy as this is integral to helping inform their personal views and values. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new Successful Futures curriculum for Wales specifically aims to develop students who are ‘informed citizens who understand and exercise their human and democratic responsibilities and rights; understand and consider the impact of their actions when making choices; and are knowledgeable about their culture, community, society and the world, now and in the past’. In short, they are ready to be citizens of Newport, Wales and the world. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ian Edwards, Chief Executive, Celtic Manor Resort ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In an increasingly crowded marketplace, it is important that Newport finds its own unique selling point which can be used to galvanise the spirit of the people here and to publicise what makes the city so special to outsiders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Newport’s role in the establishment of Democracy through the Chartist uprising is well-documented and recent expressions of disaffection with the current political system remind us that people still want to be heard. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Democracy is not just about politics – it’s about freedom of choice in our daily lives and giving a voice to the innovation and ambition of all our people in order to create the new technology and build the new businesses which are essential to Newport’s future. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​