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Slate Industry of north Wales bids for World Heritage Status

The slate industry of north Wales is hoping to be granted highly-prized World Heritage status.

 World Heritage Sites are chosen for their outstanding universal value to culture, history or science and supporters believe the north Wales slate industry has shaped the social, political, economic and cultural landscape of Wales.

 Dr Dafydd Roberts, keeper of the National Slate Museum, in Llanberis, said the heritage of the slate industry could be seen in the quarries, the towns, the buildings, the language and the culture of the people across Gwynedd and north Wales.

 "The slate industry has shaped communities - they had and still do have their own very special and unique culture. These areas were and still are bastions of the Welsh language and culture and towns like Bethesda, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llanberis have developed a unique character that remains to this day. It will be a challenge to make the case for heritage status for an industry that is, in some areas still operating, with quarries that are still being worked. However, many parts of working quarries are abandoned and derelict and many are now important tourism spots like ourselves.”

 Archeologist and historian Dr David Gwyn said:

“The slate industry has outstanding and universal value. Wherever you go across the world you will see pieces of Welsh slate on roofs. It doesn't matter whether you are in Melbourne or New York.”

 Supporters of the bid believe heritage status would be a huge economic boost to the region through tourism.

Councillor Dewi Lewis, who leads on Economy and Community on Gwynedd Council said a successful bid would mean “an exciting opportunitiy to promote the area’s heritage, culture and language on a global stage for the benefit of local communities. We can show the world how rich the heritage of the slate industry is in Gwynedd."

 Wales currently has three World Heritage Sites: the castles and town walls of King Edward, in Gwynedd, the Blaenavon industrial landscape, in Blaenau Gwent, and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, in Wrexham.

 The bid has been submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport ( DCMS). It is the first step of a long decision making process which can take between five and 10 years. If approved by the DCMS it will be entered onto what is called a "tentative list" and from there to a nomination list where it will be assessed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).  If successful, the application is then judged by the World Heritage Committee, which meets once a year to decide which sites will be inscribed on the World Heritage List.

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For more press information and photographs please contact Julie Williams on 01286 873707 e-mail: julie.williams@amgueddfacymru.ac.uk