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Cross-Party Group Annual Report. 15 October 2019 Cross Party Group on International

1. Group membership and office holders.

Rhun ap Iorwerth AM - Chair

Suzy Davies AM

John Griffiths AM

Darren Millar AM

Huw Irranca-Davies AM

Jenny Scott - British Council Wales – Secretariat

2. Previous Group Meetings since the last AGM.

Meeting 1.

Meeting date: 16 October 2018

Attendees: (Chair) AM AM AM AM Ruth Cayford, Arts Manager, Council Sarah Jones, Programme Manager, FOCUS Wales Neal Thompson, Co-Founder, FOCUS Wales Betsan Moses, Chief Executive, Zelie Flack, European Officer, Wales Arts International Eluned Haf, Head of Wales Arts International Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Wales Peter Owen, Head of Arts Policy Branch, Paul Kaynes, Chief Executive, National Dance Company Wales Kate Williams, General Manager, Theatr Na Nog Peter Wong, Councillor, Cardiff Council Danny Kilbride, Director, TRAC Susie Ventris-Field, Chief Executive, Welsh Centre for International Affairs

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Richard Davies, Publisher, Parthian Elena Schmitz, Head of Programmes, Literature Wales Yvette Vaughan Jones, Director, Visiting Arts Penny Thomas, Publisher, Firefly Press Lleucu Siencyn, Chief Executive, Literature Wales Ceri Jones, Director, Fieldwork Robin Wilkinson, Researcher, NATW Ruth Till, Chair, Ballet Cymru Chris Brown, Director, G39 Bethan Elfyn, Horizons Project Manager, BBC Geoff Cripps, Chair, Allan Yn Y Fan Jenny Scott, Director, British Council Wales Alison Cummins, Communications and External Relations Manager, British Council Wales Rebecca Gould, Head of Arts, British Council Wales Rosa Bickerton, Arts Officer, British Council Wales

Summary of issues discussed: The group discussed how culture can be used to further Wales reputation internationally. Rebecca Gould, Head of Arts, British Council Wales gave a presentation along with Yvette Vaughan Jones who presented the findings of the British Councils Showcasing strategy for the Arts of Wales research report

Meeting 2.

Meeting date: 2 April 2019

Attendees: Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Chair) Eluned Morgan AM - Minister for International Relations and the Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Chair) - National Assembly for Wales Huw Irranca-Davies AM - National Assembly for Wales Bethan Sayed AM - National Assembly for Wales Danielle Garcia - AM Francess Taylor – Rhun ap Iorwerth AM Dr Dafydd Trystan - Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Dr Gwennan Higham - Prifysgol Abertawe (COMBI project) Dr Ioan Matthew - Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Dr Walter Ariel Brooks - Education Manager, British Council Wales Jenny Scott - Director, British Council Wales Lyndsey Halliday - Project Support Officer, British Council Wales Mari Stevens - Welsh Government, Visit Wales Meirion Prys Jones - LinguaNi Pia Fernanda Villanueva Guzman – Intern, British Council Wales Rhiannon Hughes - Wicked Wales International Youth Film Festival Sian Holleran - Colegau Cymru Victor Pizarro Intern Colegau Cymru Eluned Haf - WAI

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Summary of issues discussed: Walter Ariel Brooks of British Council Wales gave an overview of the way we use the Welsh language to further Wales’ international engagement and the group discussed questions around how to use the language to differentiate itself from the rest of the UK and should Wales position itself as a champion of endangered languages.

Meeting 3.

Meeting date: 10 July 2019

Attendees:

Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Chair) AM AM Angharad Thomas – office of David Rees AM Ibrahim Ali - Suzy Davies AM representative Bethan Shillings – Neil McEvoy AM representative Hope Filby – James Allan – Sports and Recreation Alliance Karl Napieralla – Consultant Kate Evans – Dorian Evans – Ospreys in the community Gareth Hall - Aber University Robin Kellan – CEO Snowsport Selina Wells – International Links Gareth Evans – Welsh decathlon Gavin Price – independent researcher Jenny Scott – British Council Rosa Bickerton – British Council Lyndsey Halliday – British Council

Summary of issues discussed: Presentations were given by Gavin Price, researcher for British Council Wales’ research report of Wales and the Soft Power of Sport and the group discussed how Wales sporting footprint can be leveraged to increase its international engagement in a way which engages, appeals to and works for the sports sector as-well as Government.

Meeting 4.

Meeting date: 15 October 2019

Attendees:

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Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Chair) Eluned Morgan AM, Minister for International Relations and Welsh Language (speaker) Huw Irranca-Davies AM David Rees AM, Chair of the External Relations Committee AM Ioan Bellin, Helen Mary Jones AM office Heledd Roberts, Rhun ap Iorwerth AM office Curtis Shea, AM office Enfys Roberts, Private Office Manager (International Relations and Communications), Rhys Davies, Research officer Jenny Scott, Director - British Council Wales Rebecca Gould, Head of Arts - British Council Wales Rosa Bickerton, Communications and External Relations Manager – British Council Wales Eluned Haf, Director – Wales Arts International Sian Lewis, Chief Exec - Urdd Mali Thomas, International partnerships - Urdd Martin Pollard, Chief Exec, Learned Society of Wales Sara Stevens, Universities Wales Tracey Marenghi, Universities Wales Mary Kent, Vice Principal Commercial Business Development- Cardiff and Vale College Catherine Paskell, Artistic Director- Dirty Protest Theatre Denise Hanrahan, Consul General, Consulate General of Ireland Claire O’Shea, Head of Partnership, Hub Cymru Africa Susie Ventris-Field, Chief Executive, WCIA Emily Daly, Education consultant – Cardiff Council Alison Woods, Chief Executive, NoFit State

Summary of issues discussed: The Minister for International Relations and Welsh Language gave an overview of the draft International Strategy, discussing the objectives. The Minister then took questions and feedback from the group. It was also an AGM meeting. Rhun ap Iorwerth was re-elected as Chair and British Council re-elected as Secretariat.

3. Professional lobbyists, voluntary organisations and charities with whom the Group has met during the preceding year.

None, though there have been attendees from these sectors at the meetings as detailed above.

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Annual Financial Statement. 15 October 2019 Cross Party Group on Wales International

Chair – Rhun ap Iorwerth AM

Secretary – Jenny Scott, British Council

Group’s Expenses. None. £0.00

Costs of all goods. No goods purchased. £0.00

Benefits received by the No benefits received. £0.00 group or individual Members from outside bodies.

Any secretariat or other No financial support £0.00 support. received.

Services provided to the Group such as hospitality.

All paid for by British Council Wales.

Date Description and name of Cost provider

16/10/2018 Refreshments – British £178.80 Council Wales

02/04/2019 Refreshments – British £171.75 Council Wales

10/07/2019 Translation of minutes – £46.41 British Council Wales

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10/07/2019 Refreshments – British £130.65 Council Wales

15/10/201 Refreshments – British £163.26 Council Wales

Total cost £690.87

Annual Report Cross Party Group on Wales International 20 November 2019