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Cymru/Wales: CeltFest Cancellation Due To Insensitive Border Agency

A Welsh festival that was being planned to celebrate an international rugby match between Wales and Argentina next month has been cancelled amid fears that artists travelling from Argentina to

Par Cathal Ó Luain pour Celtic League le 26/10/09 15:15

A Welsh festival that was being planned to celebrate an international rugby match between Wales and Argentina next month has been cancelled amid fears that artists travelling from Argentina to Wales for the event will be turned away by the UK Border Agency.

The decision to cancel the CeltFest event follows the turning away of two Welsh speaking Patagonian students earlier this year by the UK Border Agency, who were travelling to Wales to continue their studies with the Welsh language. The organisers of the CeltFest say that the cancellation of the event will cost the Welsh economy a six figure sum and was planned to emulate the success of the CeltFest in Cardiff International Arena held on the same day as the Ireland v's Wales Six Nations rugby international earlier this year.

The organisers of CeltFest now say that they will be focusing their efforts on another CeltFest event to coincide the New Zealand and Wales rugby international on 7th November, where one of the women, Shirley Edwards, who was initially stopped from travelling to Wales by the UK Border Agency, will be guest of honour. CeltFest chairman, Clayton Jones, has also invited Welsh Secretary Peter Hain to the CeltFest on the 7th November so that he can explain to guests why the UK Government has been turning away people from the Welsh diaspora living in Patagonia from visiting Wales. However Mr Hain has yet to respond. Mr Jones said:

"I am thoroughly disgusted at the insensitivity of the UK Border Agency when dealing with people of Welsh ancestry. That is why I am inviting Peter Hain to explain the actions of his government in person on November 7."

The lawyer for Evelyn Calcabrini - who was also refused permission to travel to Wales by the UK Border Agency - said that the UK government was insisting on taking the case to a tribunal, which will be held next month in Birmingham in the Welsh language.

Meanwhile, a group of young Welsh language speakers will travel to Patagonia this month to voluntarily teach Welsh language classes and to assist local people in getting ready for the Trelew Eisteddfod, which is being held in the province. The visit is arranged by Urdd Gobaith Cymru with the support of Menter Iaith Welsh language initiatives in Anglesey, Conwy and Denbigh and Windpower Wales. The environmental pollution caused by the 19 strong group with their 20 hour flight to Patagonia, will be offset by planting trees in Wales. The League's general secretary (gs) has written to the UK Minister of State for borders and immigration to ask him to draw his immediate attention to the detrimental impact that the UK Border Agency is having on the Welsh economy, language and culture, by not valuing the strong links that exist between Wales and Patagonia. The full text of the letter can be found below.

"Minister of State for Borders and Immigration

Dear Minister Phil Woolas

Links between Wales and Patagonia

Earlier this year two young Argentine students of the Welsh language, Shirley Edwards and Evelyn Calcabrini, who were on their way to Wales to continue their studies, were refused entry into the UK by the UK Border Agency. The students were immediately returned home on the next available flight after being poorly treated by staff from the UK Border Agency. I was among many Welsh people who felt deeply unhappy with the treatment of the two ladies and felt that the UK Border Agency had acted in an insensitive way that highlighted their own ignorance of the close cultural and linguistic links that exist between Wales and Patagonia and how supportive the Welsh people are of maintaining and developing these close ties.

The close cultural and linguistic links between Wales and Patagonia have existed for generations and exchanges and visits of people and organisations between the two areas have been increasing over the last decade. The UK Border Agency and UK government's treatment and attitude towards Patagonian visitors heading to Wales is therefore disappointing and I believe highlights a lack of training and awareness among civil servants and politicians of some of the issues that concern Wales and its people. The insistence by the UK government in taking Evelyn Calcabrini case to a tribunal next month in an attempt to continue to refuse her entry to Wales is clear evidence of this.

The negative implications that the UK Border Agency's actions have on Wales is evident as was seen last week with the cancellation of the CeltFest festival, which was planned to coincide with the Argentina and Wales international rugby match this year. The organisers of the festival said that the event had to be cancelled because they were worried that the Argentine guests to the event would not be allowed entry into Wales by the UK Border Agency, after the experience of Ms Edwards and Ms Calcabrini. It has been estimated that the cancellation of the CeltFest has cost the Welsh economy a six figure sum and unfortunately also comes at a time of recession in Wales, when it is clear that every penny needs to count.

The UK government may indeed have set out to discriminate against Argentinians (and Patagonian in particular), but the fact of the matter is its policy is in reality having a detrimental effect on the development of the Welsh language, culture and economy. I would therefore like to ask you to draw your attention to this matter with some urgency.

The Celtic League has recently formed a Patagonian branch of the League and members of the organisation are planning to fly to Patagonia in the near future to meet with members of the new branch. We only hope that the Argentine authorities have a more lenient policy towards visitors from these islands than the UK Border Agency has towards Argentinians.

Yours sincerely

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot General Secretary Celtic League"

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