Saying ‘us' is exclusionary, says Welsh Labour
Welsh Labour has dropped the word 'us' from the national culture policy because it could be 'exclusionary'.
The devolved Labour administration devised a series of principles to steer future culture sector policy, including the idea that 'culture brings us together'.
However, in a consultation for the plans, the government was told to 'consider how the use of the word 'us' in this statement could seem exclusionary' and urged to use terms such as 'everyone' instead.
Ministers subsequently replaced the word 'us' with 'people' in its final published policy strategy.
It is not clear which group among the hundreds of consultees took issue, or why.
The final version of priorities for culture policy, published this week, outlines how the culture sector in Wales will be managed up to 2030.
The first priority in the document, under the new heading 'culture brings people together', states that the sector must 'promote a modern and diverse Wales, reflecting the variety of people and cultures who call Wales their home'.
This goal is reflected in the foreword written by Jack Sargeant, the Welsh Labour minister for culture, skills and social partnership.
'True diversity'
He wrote: 'By working together to realise these shared ambitions, we can provide a platform from which our culture sector can thrive, innovate, and reflect the true diversity of our nation.'
Some of the newly stated principles related to what the government has dictated to be a suitable approach to national history.
The Welsh government previously set out its broad approach to history in an anti-racist action plan, which insisted that cultural institutions are expected to promote the 'right historic narrative'.
The document states: 'Culture should take an inclusive, thoughtful and balanced approach to interpreting, commemorating and presenting our past, to how we consider and respond to contemporary issues, and to how we look to the future.'
Historic sites, and collections in museums and galleries should also 'be relevant to a diverse and contemporary Wales'.
It added that there was 'tension between respecting the history and lived experiences of the majority population and supporting their understanding of minority cultures.'
Another priority was making the cultural sector more environmentally friendly.
The document warns that hotter summers, rising sea levels and an increasing number of pests put heritage assets at risk.
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