4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the promotion of the heritage of mid Wales? OQ56034

The Welsh Government, through Visit Wales and Cadw, promotes the unique character and value of our heritage to the people of Wales and the world, and that includes, of course, the rich heritage of mid Wales.

Thank you, First Minister. There is indeed a rich heritage in mid Wales. We are here in the Senedd this afternoon, but of course the first Senedd in Wales was believed to have been in Machynlleth, in my own constituency. I'm keen that we have an exciting and meaningful future for the Senedd-dy in Machynlleth. I would certainly like to see the Owain Glyndŵr Centre used by this Senedd and the Welsh Government, perhaps to a greater extent than it has been since devolution. So, can I ask you, First Minister, to commit to liaising with your officials to explore how the Senedd-dy in Machynlleth can be used by the Welsh Government, particularly when it's hosting events and promoting Wales around the world to emphasise the heritage and culture that we have here in Wales, and in doing so, reach out to the trustees of the centre to support them in their ambitions for the Senedd-dy?

I thank Russell George for that. Of course, Machynlleth has a very particular place in Welsh history and the Llywydd will have heard what Russell George said about the Senedd itself making use of that historic location. When the Welsh Government is in a position to welcome visitors to Wales, we often try and make sure that we hold those meetings in parts of Wales that showcase everything that Wales has to offer, and that certainly includes mid Wales, Llywydd. When I saw this question at the weekend, I was reminded that it is a year ago almost exactly—it will be a year to next week—when I was making a journey to north Wales, just personally, and took the opportunity to call in at two of the great mid Wales heritage sites of Abbeycwmhir, which I was visiting, I'm ashamed to say, for the very first time, and Gregynog, which I've been to many times, and those are just two examples of what we have in mid Wales.

I know that Russell George will be interested to know, because he's been a strong supporter of the Montgomery canal, that the Welsh Government has just awarded £250,000 to the Canal and River Trust to allow that fantastic work that's going on in restoring the canal to be taken forward. And, Llywydd, a week ago, I participated in a rare event these days outside the Senedd and Government buildings at the St Fagans museum in Cardiff, together with the Japanese ambassador, planting cherry trees there to mark the friendship between Japan and Wales. Mid Wales is to have a very significant share of the 1,000 cherry trees that will be planted this year to mark that friendship. So, just as we celebrate and mark the long history that we have, so we make history ourselves every day. Those cherry trees, which will be planted in mid Wales and in all other parts of Wales this year, will be there long after probably many of us will be there to see them and they will become part of the rich heritage of Wales for the future.