University at heart of Urdd Eisteddfod

Cardiff University is highlighting how it supports young people in Wales as part of its presence at one of Europe’s largest touring youth festivals.

The University has teamed up with the Urdd National Eisteddfod, which takes place in Cardiff Bay from 27 May to 1 June, as part of its commitment to Welsh language and culture.

The University will host a series of talks, discussions and activities on the ‘Maes’, or Eisteddfod site, as well as supporting some of the most high-profile events.

Activities at the University tent include a talk on preventing homelessness among young people, a discussion about Welsh in the workplace, a question and answer session with new Welsh journalists, and an insight into life as a medical student.

There are also several hands-on activities for younger visitors such as puzzle and riddle solving, creating medicines and exploring artefacts from a Cardiff hillfort.

In addition, visitors to the tent can find out why honey bees are inspiring the next generation of Welsh scientists, guess how many bottles of blood are in a child’s body and explore how dentistry can help people smile, eat and talk and also find out how medicines are discovered in sea creatures.

As well as hosting events and activities, the University will support the prestigious Crowning ceremony - for the author of the best prose of over 4,000 words - and the end-of-event gig.

Among the University’s most significant events, Cardiff Business School’s Dr Andrew Connell, of Wales Centre for Public Policy, will discuss how homelessness can be prevented among young people.

His talk, which takes place at the Cardiff University tent from 11:00 on Saturday 1 June, is based on Wales Centre for Public Policy research into the issue that has influenced Welsh Government.

Other highlights include:

• Exciting opportunities to find out more about the award-winning CAER Heritage's new Hidden Hillfort project centred on Caerau Hillfort in Cardiff and to handle artefacts dating back 6,000 years (Cardiff University tent; Tuesday 28 May, 09:30)
• Find out more about life as a medical student training across Wales with current medical students from the School of Medicine (Cardiff University tent; Thursday 30 May, 14:30).
• Question and answer session with graduates from the School of Journalism, Media and Culture who are starting careers in journalism at BBC Cymru Wales, ITV Cymru Wales and Golwg (Cardiff University tent; Friday 31 May, 11:00).
• The School of Welsh hosts a discussion panel about Welsh in the workplace and the importance of producing graduates in the field. The panel will be chaired by School of Welsh alumni Rhun ap Iorwerth AM and will include Eryl Jones (Executive Chair, Equinox), Nia Dafydd (Executive Producer, Boom Cymru) and recent School of Welsh graduates (Cardiff University tent; Friday 31 May, 14:30).
• Hear the story of the Welsh language in Cardiff throughout the centuries with Dr Dylan Foster-Evans, Head of our School of Welsh (Pierhead Building; Friday 31 May, 15:30).
• Find out about living and studying at Cardiff University (Cardiff University tent; Thursday 30 May to Saturday 1 June, 09:00 to 17:00).

This year’s Urdd Eisteddfod is being held in Cardiff Bay, the same location as the hugely successful 2018 National Eisteddfod.

The event is expected to host more than 15,000 young people who will be taking part in competitions including song, dance and performance.

Around 90,000 visitors attend the Urdd Eisteddfod and it is held in a different location in Wales each year.

Entry to the Maes will be free and there will be an admission fee to enter the main pavilion and prelims.

The Urdd Eisteddfod was last held in Cardiff Bay in 2009.

Full Cardiff University programme available on this page.