Major City Event To Bring Swansea Together

A major city centre event is being planned to help bring Swansea’s diverse communities together. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event – called ‘Our Abertawe: Celebrating Swansea Together’ – will take place in Castle Square on Saturday March 4. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Organised by Swansea Council, it’s hoped the event will create positive connections and forge stronger relationships between Swansea’s growing, diverse, multi-cultural population. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Castle Square event will include music, food, dance and workshops from Swansea, Wales and around the world. A staged area will set up, as well as stalls, activities for children and an exhibition celebrating the history of Swansea’s cultural and ethnic diversity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Local Welsh bands and choirs will be taking to the stage on the day, with Welsh busking performances also being arranged for city centre streets. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “We’re keen to bring the city together and promote the values of tolerance and understanding that Swansea is so proud to stand for. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Swansea, home to students and residents from all over the world, was the UK’s first ever City of Sanctuary. It’s a city where people should feel safe, welcome and listened to, regardless of their religion, ethnicity or culture, so we hope the event at Castle Square will help further celebrate Swansea’s multi-cultural make-up and break down any negative perceptions some residents may have about particular groups or communities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other activities on the day will include apprentice entrepreneurial competitions for sixth form students and primary school children. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David are helping create a ‘My Swansea’ video to be played at the event on Castle Square’s big screen, featuring students and residents sharing their own thoughts of Swansea and what the city means to them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A number of activities will take place in the build-up to the Castle Square event at locations including Communities First cluster areas and the National Waterfront Museum. Lantern-making, diversity workshops, Twmpath workshops and demonstrations promoting Welsh culture are among them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Will Evans, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Anti-Poverty and Communities, said: “A huge number of organisations are involved in the planning of the Castle Square event, including our staff in special events, Communities First, Menter Iaith Abertawe, our universities and other partners in the public and third sectors. As well as celebrating Swansea’s international population, the event will also champion Swansea and Wales as whole, helping lead to more cohesive communities in our city where commonalities are shared and differences are embraced.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Castle Square event will end with a lantern parade to the National Waterfront Museum for a Twmpath and the Welsh national anthem. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​