New scholarship for Welsh learners from Patagonia

Aberystwyth University

Aberystwyth University has announced a new scholarship to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the settlement of a Welsh community in Patagonia this year.

The scholarship celebrates the relationship between Aberystwyth and Esquel in the Chubut region of Patagonia.

The scholarship is offered to one Welsh learner from Patagonia to attend the Welsh Summer Course held at Aberystwyth University from 3-28 August 2015. In 2014, there were 268 adults learning Welsh in Patagonia.

The flagship Welsh Summer Course is attended by some 80 learners each year. The course provides new skills for Welsh learners at all levels, from beginners to experienced learners, to improve their Welsh skills, and to take part in a wide range of social and cultural activities in Welsh. 

The scholarship is sponsored by Aberystwyth University’s International Office. Ruth Owen Lewis, International Office Director, said: “The International Office is very pleased to support the scholarship this year. As we celebrate 150 years since the founding of the Welsh community in Patagonia, we remember those individuals who ventured from Wales and survived harsh conditions to establish a Welsh settlement. We trust that we can support an individual to improve their Welsh skills, and we hope this will be beneficial to others in Patagonia.”

Ceris Gruffudd, Secretary of Cymdeithas Cymru-Ariannin (Wales-Argentina Society) said: “During the last decades, around 60 Welsh learners from Patagonia have taken the Welsh summer course at Cardiff University. This has made a great difference to Welsh classes in the Chubut region. We are grateful to Aberystwyth University for giving an opportunity to another learner to come to Wales this year at a time when the number of Welsh learners is at its highest since the beginning of the Welsh Learning Scheme established in 1996.”

The scholarship is offered to experienced learners at intermediate or advanced levels, and it will cover the cost of the course and accommodation at Aberystwyth University. The closing date for applications is 1 April 2015. Further details are available here, or by calling the Welsh for Adults Centre on 0800 876 6975.

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