Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm proud to be standing here again to address you at what is the third annual debate in this Welsh Parliament, with a motion on race and race equality fully supported across this Chamber. And it is to all our credit that we've built on each year's work to seek equal outcomes for our black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. In doing so, we recognise that racism exists and that we need to tackle it at a systemic and institutional level.

So, let me start with some illustrations of real progress: last month, a monument to honour Betty Campbell MBE, Wales's first black headteacher and black history campaigner, was unveiled. Scribed on the panel within the monument are Betty Campbell's words:

'We were a good example to the rest of the world, how you can live together regardless of where you come from or the colour of your skin.'

It was a groundbreaking day for Cardiff and for Wales, and a very proud moment for myself to stand with her family, the monumental Welsh women, sponsors, funders, civic and community leaders, and we honoured the trailblazing teacher and community activist who worked tirelessly for race equality and multicultural education. Betty Campbell put the study of black history on the curriculum at Mount Stuart Primary School in Butetown, Cardiff, and taught her pupils there about the impact of enslavement and the contributions of black people to the history of Wales. She led the campaign to replicate this in all our schools.

So, let me share a second example of real and tangible progress: last year, Professor Charlotte Williams OBE chaired the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities' contributions and Cynefin in the new curriculum working group, and this was an independent review requested by the Minister of education to advise on and improve the teaching of black history across all parts of the school curriculum, and we are the first nation in the UK to make the teaching of black history mandatory, and we do this in the belief that all future generations will learn the true history of how this nation was built. Our education system has broadened our children's understanding of the many cultures that have built Wales's past and present, inspiring them to become ethical and informed Welsh citizens of the future.

My final example of real progress recognises that we can't rewrite our past, but we can recognise and learn from it. Following the killing of George Floyd in the US, the rise of Black Lives Matter and an increased awareness of race disparities, the First Minister asked Gaynor Legall to lead an independent task and finish group to carry out an audit of Wales's historic monuments, buildings and street names that have associations with the slave trade and British empire. And we're now considering how we move forward as we seek to honour and celebrate diverse communities.

But today, sadly, racism remains constantly around us; it's on our streets, in our services provision, in our workplaces, and 2020 was the year we all confronted racism like never before. As a nation, we all started to have challenging conversations about the impact of racism. COVID-19 highlighted the impact of uneven outcomes on our black, Asian and minority ethnic communities as never before. It was a call to action for moving from the approach of race equality to something more active and assertive, to have a vision for an anti-racist Wales. And since December 2019, I've been discussing with the Wales race forum the development of a race equality action plan. In March this year, we launched the draft plan for an anti-racist Wales for consultation; it was one of the last statements I made before the election in May, and it was well received. The plan is ambitious; it sets out a series of goals and actions across all ministerial responsibilities for all committees, and all Ministers have a role and a responsibility. It reflects our ambitious and radical vision for Wales in which there is zero tolerance for racism in all its forms, with the single purpose of seeing measurable and significant changes to the lives of ethnic minority people. We need to do this in all spheres of life, and I'm clear that this is what this work is all about—making a measurable difference in a consistent and determined way, so that our promises don't fall through what is always and often called the 'implementation gap'.

The plan is different also in that at its heart are the lived experiences of ethnic minority people. We've developed this work in a different way—we've co-designed it with the people it impacts on, and this will continue through to implementation. It is imperative that the trust and goodwill gained by developing this work is maintained, and that it moves the burden of racism from the victims to everyone in society. Those of us in different sectors, elected representatives, need to lead, as we have the power and authority to make the systemic and institutional changes that an anti-racist approach needs. As a Government, we have responsibility to drive this change.

And I'm particularly proud that the plan is grounded in that lived experience of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Wales. Around 2,000 people across Wales have shared their views and lived experience, which has been powerful and at times painful for those involved. It is our duty not to ask ethnic minority people to keep repeating their painful experiences, but to act on what we hear, and this plan would not have been possible without their contributions. But I'm also grateful to the co-chairs of the steering group, Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna from Cardiff University and the Permanent Secretary, Dame Shan Morgan, who provided challenging, thoughtful and supportive leadership. I would also like to thank the 17 black, Asian and minority ethnic community mentors who worked alongside Welsh Government officials, bringing what I called the lived experience into the Welsh Government corridors in an imaginative and collegiate way.

We often say that doing the same will result in the same. We've tried to do things differently, and it has paid dividends. Our deep-dive session on each policy area brought both academic and lived experiences together to inform our future actions. In one deep-dive session, it was shocking to hear one member of Diverse Cymru tell us, and I quote,

'Sometimes a car will pass you. They call out "terrorist", or "go back home" and all that stuff. So you get used to it. For the rest of your life you're living here, you get used to racism.'

The race equality action plan closed for consultation on 15 July. We had a substantial number of responses, with over 330 individuals and organisations submitting their views in a variety of formats. We're working at pace to respond to that consultation process, and it's clear that we need to focus on the key areas of change described, and call for a focus on clear and measurable outcomes.

Deputy Llywydd, in August we were all gravely concerned as we saw the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, as thousands of people were fleeing the Taliban, and I'm proud of the steps in Wales evidencing that Wales is indeed a nation of sanctuary, the steps that we took to welcome more than 50 families. I'm grateful that every Welsh local authority has pledged their support to the Afghan relocation and assistance policy, an Afghan citizen resettlement scheme. We in Wales have shown what collaboration and joint effort can do to provide a compassionate response to people seeking sanctuary.

Migrants have long formed an integral part of our nation, and I was particularly proud to be present at the launch of Black History Cymru 365, organised by Race Council Cymru, which featured the opening of the 'Windrush Cymru—Our Voices, Our Stories, Our History' exhibition at St Fagans National Museum of History. And of course, we have an exhibition here in our Oriel. It's important for Welsh Government to recognise and value the contributions of the Windrush generation and their descendants to our country over the last 73 years, and also all other migrant communities who came before and after. I also presented at the ethnic minority Welsh women's awards ceremony last month, and was inspired by so many ethnic minority women's skills and talents. We have a formidable group of emerging and present leaders from all sectors.

Finally, I would say that fighting racism calls for action, not words, and today I call on all leaders to take an active role in ending all race inequality and driving racism out of countries, societies, structures and systems. We must take direct practical actions to invoke change. Join us in the vision that we can be an anti-racist nation. The time to act is now, so that we can make a measurable difference to the lives of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Wales—our people in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.