7. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Wales: A community of communities

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:22 pm on 28 February 2023.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 5:22, 28 February 2023

Diolch yn fawr, Mike Hedges, and, yes, can I say how proud we are of Swansea as a city of sanctuary? We have other cities of sanctuary across Wales, including Cardiff, of course, but also, Holywell, I think, is a town of sanctuary. We've got town, community and county councils as well. But also, when I came to Swansea to congratulate the university and Gower College, who are also colleges and universities of sanctuary, and that, of course, has an impact on every aspect of life. And to congratulate those who raised that funding at the Midland Hotel event, raising money for families and children.

I think this is just, again, an example of the kindness and commitment to volunteering that takes place in Wales, the community of communities. It is about the ways in which people have responded to the invasion of Ukraine by Putin, by showing that support. But also, I hope today as a nation of sanctuary, we can all agree that we send a message of hope, solidarity and respect to our Ukrainian community members.

It is true that we're a multilingual nation. Let's recognise this today. I can't give you the exact figures in terms of the numbers and the languages that are spoken. I spoke of the 200,000 migrants that we have who converse in at least their second, third or fourth language. But can I just say, finally, that one of the goals of the 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan' is to gain a better understanding of the lived experience of the 10,000 Welsh speakers from ethnic minority communities, to inform actions and interventions to eliminate racism in Wales? I think that is important, that we understand these connections today, and for me, as Minister for Social Justice, I'm very keen to, again, share with Members the 10,000 Welsh speakers from ethnic minority communities, as we celebrate those 10,000 people.