Cymru: Artifacts Campaign Update
CYMRU: ARTEFACTS CAMPAIGN UPDATE
The Director of CyMAL has written to the Celtic League, on behalf of the Minister of for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, to say that the Welsh Government is pleased to provide funding through the Sharing Treasures/Cyfoeth Cymru Gyfan scheme.
However in response to the letter the General Secretary (GS) points out that the Director of CyMAL, Linda Tomos, has failed to address the original question put to the Minister. The GS wrote to the Minister originally following the return of the Rhyadar artefacts to the town, to be displayed temporarily at the museum there. Some of the Rhayader artefacts - including a hoard of Roman and late
Celtic treasure - are kept permanently at the British Museum in London following their discovery in Rhayader in 1899.
In his original letter the GS asked if the Welsh Government would consider asking the British Museum for the permanent return of these treasures to Wales, as the Scottish Government has done with the Lewis Chessmen pieces, which are also kept by the British Museum.
The full text of the letter from the GS can be found below.
Linda Tomos
Director CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales
25/07/11
Dear Linda Tomos
Return of Rhayader Treasure
Many thanks for your letter dated 19/07/11 on behalf of the Minister of Housing, Regeneration and Heritage.
Unfortunately in your response you have failed to address the question that I posed in my original letter to the Minister. I have therefore set out the question again more clearly below and I have copied the Minister in on the letter in case you are not in authority to comment on these matters.
? Is it part of the current Welsh Government's agenda to campaign for the return of cultural and historical artefacts to Wales from Museums and galleries in England, such as the Rhayader artefacts?
Many thanks for your further consideration on this matter.
Yours sincerely
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot
General Secretary
Celtic League
CC
Huw Lewis AM
Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage
Link:
This article prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot General Secretary Celtic League. For follow-up comment or clarification contact:
Tel: 0044 (0)1209315884
M: 0044(0)7787318666
rhisiart.talebot@
gensec@
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
25/07/11
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