9. 9. Short Debate: Wales in the World — Developing Wales's International Links

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:25 pm on 14 June 2017.

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Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 5:25, 14 June 2017

Can I thank the Member for Neath for this debate this evening and for offering me a minute of his time? He has talked about Patagonia and our moves across in the 1850s, but can I also remind him of where our values of fairness and social justice have also been expressed? It is with the many Welsh citizens that joined the international brigade in the Spanish civil war, to fight fascism, to fight the extreme right wing, and to ensure that social justice was available to all across the world. I think that what we are trying to say this evening is that that outward-looking aspect of Wales needs to come to the fore now as well. Post Brexit there is an opportunity for us to do that. We are seeing the changes in the European Union relationship. We are seeing the opportunities for Wales to take itself out to the world once more, to sell itself out to the world once more, and to ensure that what we have—the values that we have and the values that we share—is suitable to all the trading agreements that will be in place and will serve our communities well.