Gold Star is managed by WCVA on behalf of the Wales MDGs Task Force and BUILD, and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government 'Wales for Africa' scheme.
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African communities celebrate 'world first' at National Eisteddfod - Photo Galleries
7 Aug 2008Wales - Africa Community partnerships honoured for 'making poverty history'
Two Welsh and two African communites have been the first in the world to be awarded a ‘United Nations Gold Star’ for their efforts in building peace, prosperity and understanding through developing longstanding friendships between Wales and Africa.
Eight further links were also commended for their achievements, in a ceremony fronted by First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM at Wales’ premier cultural event on Monday August 4th.
The Gold Star Community Awards ceremony in WCVA's 'Sbardun' pavilion brought together Maasai tribesmen, UN global poverty champions, inspiring visitors from many African nations, and Welsh communities, to highlight how they are making a difference.
The ‘world’s first’ Gold Star Awards went to the links between Pontypridd (Rhondda Cynon Taff) and Mbale in Uganda and Amlwch (Anglesey) and Sankwia in The Gambia.
Eight other community links commended for their contributions towards building strong Wales – Africa links included:
• Brecon (Powys) – Molo (Kenya)
• Brynycwm (Monmouthshire) – Yirga Cheffe (Ethiopia)
• Dyffryn Ardudwy (Gwynedd) – Butembo (Tanzania)
• Hay-on-Wye (Powys) – Timbuktu (Mali)
• Llanfyllin (Montgomeryshire) – Kumi / Kamuli (Uganda)
• Llangollen (Denbighshire) – Marafa (Kenya)
• Pontrhydyfen (Neath) – Samburu (Kenya)
• Penygraig (Rhondda) – Langa (South Africa)
From the women of Pontypridd who donated wedding dresses towards forming a ‘bridal cooperative’ in Uganda, to the families of Anglesey whose sponsorship enterprise has enabled 350 children in The Gambia to access education, community links between Wales and Africa are changing lives and ‘making poverty history’.
However, the benefits to communities are not only felt in Africa. Presenting the awards, First Minister Rhodri Morgan said, "The Welsh Assembly Government's support for this is not about propagating charity or aid - it is about building friendships, equal partnerships, and solidarity with other continents and cultures. Our communities have a great deal to learn from Africa."
Further information on the work of individual Wales - Africa Community links can be accessed via the network page on the new Gold Sar Communities website - www.goldstarcommunities.org.uk.
UN Anti Poverty Champion Edith Wakumire from Uganda, who co-presented the Awards, said "as individuals, we can do a little. As communities, we can do a lot. As communities who are linked, we can change people’s lives. As community links all working together, we can change the world."
The Gold Star Awards have been developed by the Wales civil society MDGs Task Force as a ‘pilot’ for BUILD UK and the UN. Managed by WCVA and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘Wales for Africa’ scheme, the awards and commendations celebrate excellence in community linking that improves community development in the fields of health, children, livelihoods, environment and social harmony.
Information...
You can access here the awards information pack and media release prepared for the Gold Star Awards ceremony.
In Photos...
Photos from the whole 'Gold Star Awards' events at the National Eisteddfod are available for download, sharing and public use from the new Gold Star Communities Flickr site (from which there are also links to previous albums from the Gold Star project launch in the Senedd in October 2007, and Hay 2 Timbuktu's 2007 Tuareg exchange to Wales). Keep a look out over coming weeks for albums from other community link exchanges!
On Radio...
Listen in to BBC Wales' 10-minute special feature on the Gold Star Awards, broadcast live from the Roy Noble Show on the Eisteddfod Maes. To play, select 'Monday' and forward to Sian Parry-Hughes' Eisteddfod review.
In Film...
A documentary film, 'Going for Gold,' will be available for viewing and sharing by 25th August, from the new Gold Star Communities 'youtube' video sharing site. The film, made by Glamorgan based-Plastic Buddha Productions and funded by WAG's Wales for Africa Scheme, follows the experience of the PONT - Uganda community link and those involved in project exchanges between the two communities. The film culminates with footage from this week's National Eisteddfod Awards ceremony, and also features the Amlwch and Hay-on-Wye Links.
For further information, contact Gold Star COmmunities Project Manager Craig Owen on cowen@wcva.org.uk.
