Minister for International Relations, Eluned Morgan, has backed today’s announcement that the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales has been put forward as a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Last week, Minister for International Relations Eluned Morgan made the case in Paris for the site to be recognised by UNESCO for its unique contribution to the cultural heritage of the world.
The Industrial Revolution was powered by coal from the South Wales Valleys, but the homes people lived in and the factories where they worked were covered with slate, which was quarried by hard-working and skilled men in the mountains of Northwest Wales.
Shipped from harbours in Gwynedd to ports across the globe, Welsh slate can still be found on the roofs of buildings around the world.
The remarkable scale of the quarries, which were connected by railways which snaked through the mountains to the sea ports, and the surrounding slate towns show how industry changed an agricultural community to an industrial society. The area is a living testimony to the ingenuity of the slate workers.
If successful, the landscape would become the fourth world heritage site in Wales, joining the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal.
In 2016, it was estimated that UNESCO-designated sites in the UK bring more than £100million into the economy each year.
Whilst at the Headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, the Minister met with Matthew Lodge, Minister and Ambassador of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to UNESCO; and Moez Chakchouk, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information, to discuss the bid further.
The Minister for International Relations said she hopes the status would help “revive and grow the economy” of the slate areas.
The Minister said:
“The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is rich in geological, social, economic and cultural heritage, and it’s said that this area of Gwynedd roofed the 19th century world, with huge amounts of slate mined in the area and exported internationally.
“This nomination is a celebration of the work of the generations of men and women who lived, worked and shaped our land, and we are connecting with their legacy through this nomination.
“This is a story that really resonates with local communities and with visitors - thousands come each year to experience these spectacular landscapes; to enjoy our National Slate Museum, ride the Blaenau Ffestiniog and Talyllyn railways and experience our unique culture, all of which boost employment and the local economy”.
“While the final decision lies with UNESCO, in my view the area absolutely merits World Heritage Site status.”
Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas said:
“We are delighted that the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales will be put forward as the next UK nomination for inscription as a World Heritage Site. Wales has a unique and varied industrial heritage that is rightly celebrated.
“This nomination provides further recognition of the this outstanding landscape - of something which is rooted in our own geology and culture, but has global significance.”
Beyond the bid, the Minister also discussed opportunities for future Welsh Government engagement with UNESCO, along with the International Strategy for Wales and the UN Year of Indigenous Languages.