Llangollen International Eisteddfod is a unique festival which is very important to the town which hosts it, but also to the economy of North Wales as a whole. That was the message from the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens MP, when she visited the Eisteddfod.
Ms Stevens visited as Day President at the invitation of the Chair of the Eisteddfod, John Gambles. They last saw each other 40 years ago when Ms Stevens collected her A Level results from John who taught her. Another connection to the Eisteddfod was that her mum successfully competed in 1973 in the mixed choir competition with the Hawarden Singers.
The Secretary of State, who has been a Labour Member of Parliament in Cardiff since 2015, was given a guided tour of the site, meeting competitors, visitors and the many volunteers who make the festival possible each year.
She said: “I was really interested to see how the whole set-up works because it relies so heavily on its amazing volunteers, many of whom I met today. The Eisteddfod is so impressive and has such a reputation for the wide range of performers from all over the world.”
She added: “I think the festival is unique. It’s got such a history because of the way in which it began, coming out of the Second World War, with its message of peace. Its culture and music bring people together from all over the world and that makes it a unique festival. Obviously it’s really important to Llangollen but also to the economy of North Wales as a whole.
