So, the return of the Royal Welsh Show is, of course, very welcome, and I'm pleased that the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd has recently approved funding to the value of £110,000 to the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society for the 2022-23 financial year. The Royal Welsh has played a leading role in the development of agriculture and the rural economy in Wales for well over a century. Its work includes providing support to business, social welfare and education in rural communities as well as delivering its charitable objectives. The Royal Welsh estimates it contributes in excess of £40 million per annum to the economy of Wales. The three main events in 2019—the Royal Welsh Show, the Smallholding and Countryside Festival and the winter fair—attracted around 300,000 attendees, including over 1,000 overseas visitors from 22 countries worldwide. The Royal Welsh Show is the largest event of its kind in the UK and beyond, and it is seen as the pinnacle of showcasing Welsh agriculture, and it also promotes the culture of Wales and the Welsh language.

And when the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol opens its gates in Tregaron at the end of the month it will offer 15,000 free tickets to local families who don't usually attend the Eisteddfod. It will do this by working closely with partners, such as the county council and charities like the Red Cross and sponsors such as the housing association Barcud. This is being made possible with an additional £100,000 in Welsh Government funding through the Summer of Fun grant. In particular, families will be encouraged to visit the Pentref Plant, where all activities will be welcoming and inclusive, encouraging people to use the Welsh that they have and showing that Welsh is a language of play, fun and socialising, as well as a language of school and education. Whilst being a key partner in delivering the aims of our Welsh-language strategy, 'Cymraeg 2050: A million Welsh speakers', the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol also brings a substantial economic benefit to the areas that it visits each year. Again, to support the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol through the pandemic, the Welsh Government allocated an additional £800,000 in 2021 to the Eisteddfod, and their annual core grant funding has been increased by £300,000 in 2022 to support the future of the festival in what remains an uncertain time. So, as Heledd Fychan mentioned, we enjoyed the Eisteddfod Amgen on various digital platforms over the past two years. It will be lovely for people to be back on the maes this year to socialise, listen to live performances and to enjoy our unique culture at its best.

It was also wonderful to welcome Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Denbigh in May this year, and for people to be able to celebrate the festival's 100th year in person. In recognition of this momentous occasion, the Welsh Government allocated additional funding of £527,000 to support free entry, allowing everyone to enjoy the biggest youth festival in Europe. Early reports from the Urdd suggest that this has been an amazing success, with many families visiting the festival for the first time. And I certainly hope that this is something that we can see more of as we seek to widen access to such experiences. And I'm very pleased that, in addition to their annual core grant funding of £852,184, the Urdd will receive an extra £1.2 million this year, which will provide support to enable the Urdd to rebuild its services following COVID-19. The additional funding will employ a network of development officers to support children and young people in communities throughout Wales, as well as providing an apprenticeship programme through the medium of Welsh for young people in our most underprivileged communities.

The Welsh Government also supports many other local festivals delivered through mentrau iaith, which also play a vital role in allowing people to come together and use the Welsh language in their local communities.

And just last week I was delighted to see the return of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for its 75th anniversary, which I was fortunate enough to be able to attend. Events like this, the National Eisteddfod and the Royal Welsh Show are the highlight of the summer season for many people across Wales and beyond. They enrich our lives and they bring a sense of place and pride.

Since the previous events strategy was launched in 2010, we’ve made strong progress working across the sector and across Wales to develop an impressive portfolio of cultural and sporting events, and more recently we’ve entered the business events market for the first time. We’ve worked with local and international owners, utilised our top class venues and natural landscapes, and worked with local authorities, communities and event agencies across Wales to develop and grow sustainable events that deliver economic benefits, showcase our nation, raise our profile, and help us to deliver Welsh Government priorities.