Llangollen Eisteddfod motto to be changed over racist translation fears

Part of the motto means "blessed world", but some software translates "byd gwyn" as "white world"

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is to change its 75-year-old motto because of fears online translations could be deemed racist.

Part of the Welsh phrase means "blessed world", but some software translates "byd gwyn" as "white world".

The festival said the motto should change to "reflect the world we live in now".

The move followed advice that the event should be aware of potential misinterpretation.

A spokesperson for the Llangollen Eisteddfod said they had consulted on the matter with Welsh and non-Welsh speakers, experts and the Arts Council of Wales.

The spokesman said: "Their unanimous advice was that the motto is beautiful when read with an understanding of the nuances of the Welsh language, but that for non-Welsh speakers and new generations of audiences and indeed Welsh speakers, the intended meaning is not clear enough."

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For more than 75 years the festival's full motto has been: "Byd gwyn fydd byd a gano. Gwaraidd fydd ei gerddi fo."

The line, from a verse by poet T Gwynn Jones, translates as: "Blessed is a world that sings. Gentle are its songs".

But the literal translation of "byd gwyn" into English is "white world".

The festival's Camilla King has said potential for misinterpretation was "too great to be ignored"

The spokesman continued: "At a meeting on 15 March 2023, the board voted unanimously to work with a bard to develop a new motto which reflects the organisation's vision for the future."

They said the current motto would remain in 2023.

"The board will spend the next five months in consultation with our stakeholders on the best way to commission our new motto, which will be unveiled for 2024," the spokesman said.

They added that most Welsh speakers do not read "byd gwyn" to read "white world".

"This is a matter of translation by the method most likely to be used by non-Welsh speaking audiences around the world."