Last week, Cardiff played host to a cohort of young global leaders from 12 countries as part of the British Council's "90 Youth Voices for the Future" programme. From July 3-5, 90 young people travelled across the UK, with 20 international youth leaders exploring the Welsh capital, engaging with local initiatives and policymakers, building connections, and finding out how Wales is addressing pressing global challenges.
The programme, taking part in an exciting week for civic engagement - is part of the British Council's 90th Anniversary celebrations and has been designed to build connections and inspire young leaders to drive positive change in their communities worldwide.
The young leaders engaged with the rich cultural heritage of Cardiff and Wales, and even had a performance from Mari Mathias a young Welsh musician and poet. Mari delivered a specially commissioned bilingual poem for the group, called “90 Youth Voices for the Future / 90 Llais Ieuenctid ar gyfer y Dyfodol. The poem, rooted in the Welsh tradition of poetry, celebrates the strength of community, the importance of building global connections and preserving cultural identity through language.
The young people had a packed schedule including:
- A visit to Black Mountains College in the Brecon Beacons National Park, exploring innovative approaches to education for sustainability.
- An interactive session at Grange Pavilion, focusing on grassroots community development.
- A meeting with the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Future Generations Young Leaders Alumni, discussing the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
- A tour of the Senedd and conversations with Youth Parliament Alumni.
Ruth Cocks, Director, British Council Wales said about hosting the group in Cardiff, “This has been a wonderful opportunity to work with partners across the city to showcase our heritage, creativity, and global outlook. I’ve no doubt we’ll see continuing impact from the connections made in the future, here in the UK and beyond”.
Mazin Mohamed Abdelrahman from Sudan was one of the 20 strong cohort visiting Cardiff: “A highlight was visiting the Grange Pavilion who are doing a great job in building community in the middle of Cardiff, the social impact is making waves. Cardiff has always been on my list to visit, and it was great to hear the Welsh language and to interact with the local community”.
The timing of the programme coincided with the UK general election, providing a unique opportunity for the international delegates to observe and discuss British democracy in action.
Mai Chi Nguyen Tran, from Vietnam gave us her view during an important week for the UK: “It was a great time to come to the UK and Wales during the election to observe locals’ viewpoints of it. It gave me a different way of thinking about the core meaning of elections. She added “It’s representation that matters and for people’s voices to be heard. That’s the true value of democracy, in my opinion”.
The group also met up with the Future Generations Commissioner team at Cardiff Bay to discuss the development of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Mai Chi Nguyen Tran added about the meeting: “From my personal perspective, The Act is a role model for other countries to learn from and implement in the near future, as it values long-term, future-proof growth of society and community. While my country is also working toward sustainable development, I think the approach Wales is applying should be recommended to policymakers to challenge the status quo and think further for our future”.
Sarani Ranaweera from Sri Lanka said about her visit to Black Mountains college where they learned about Wales’s approach to sustainability in education. “So far in the whole programme, interacting with environmental issues and going on a nature trail has been the best thing. I’ve been desperate to go into a forest and see nature here in the UK, and we’ve seen some beautiful villages, which are interesting to compare to villages in Sri Lanka. This has been a good learning practice, which I will take home with me”.
The programme concluded with participants visiting the Senedd, where they were invited to propose action plans for global youth initiatives, drawing inspiration from their experiences in Wales.
Evelīna Stikāne from Latvia gave us her view on policy-making in Wales and collaborations with the Future Generations Commissioner and Alumni from the Welsh Youth Parliament. “We’ve seen today how Wales engages young people in governance, fostering leadership and amplifying their voices in policy decisions. It’s great to see that education reforms emphasise holistic learning, equipping youth with essential future skills. All these initiatives highlight Wales's approach to sustainability, youth empowerment, and education, I think it sets a global example”.
The participants described Cardiff as an inspired backdrop to discuss urban development, sustainability, and the role of the culture in building global connections. Helping to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the British Council, the programme continues the British Council's commitment to fostering international understanding and empowering young people to become agents of positive change in their communities and beyond.
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