Assembly Birthday!

The Festivals Company has been awarded a contract to offer event management support for the National Assembly for Wales. The contract will see the company supporting the Assembly’s 10 year of devolution programme.

"We are delighted to be working with the National Assembly for Wales in this important year. The Festivals Company has an impressive track record of developing new and exciting ideas and we look forward to working with the talented team at the Assembly to reinvigorate interest and understanding between the Assembly and the people of Wales," said Berwyn Rowlands, Managing Director.

The first event as part of the contract was a very unique children’s birthday party. 7 children born on May 12, 1999 were offered the opportunity to celebrate their birthday in style at the Senedd. The children accompanied by their parents were joined by 200 guests to commemorate the inaugural meeting on the 12 May 1999. The party was filmed extensively by the media with live coverage from the event on BBC Wales Today, ITV Wales Tonight and Newyddion on S4C.

"Whilst it’s right that we look back at our achievements during this first decade of devolution, it’s more important than ever that we look to the future," said the Presiding Officer, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas.

"And that future is of course our young people, which is why we wanted to make them a central part of our programme of activities in the Senedd on Tuesday May 12."

"The central theme for us this year is increasing participation in the democratic process in Wales – after all that’s what devolution was intended to achieve."

"And as we mark ten years of devolution, what better way to do that than by putting children at centre stage?"

Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas is pictured above with Helen Rosa Bruce (Carmarthen), Alisha Rose McGeown (Neyland), Jaizee Williams (Wrexham), Matthew Aneurin Edwards (Swansea), Heidi Welton (Cardiff), Siobhan Collacott (Newport) and Rebecca Wyn Vaughan (Tywyn).