Swansea University is pleased to sponsor one of the main attractions at the Urdd National Eisteddfod, the GwyddonLe pavilion, again this year – offering a full week of entertaining educational activities for children and young people.
Attendees at the Eisteddfod in Maldwyn (Montgomeryshire) from May 27 to June 1 will have the opportunity to engage in a rich array of science activities led by Swansea University experts, all under this year’s captivating theme of Energy.
Visitors can learn life-saving CPR techniques at the Medical School stand, test their cognitive skills with the Psychology team's Stroop challenge, and explore the energy dynamics of pregnancy and birth with midwifery experts. Biology exhibits will highlight energy flow from cells to ecosystems, while the OPTIC section invites discussions on climate change through interactive games. The Digital Medicine display offers a nostalgic journey through Welsh computer history, featuring retro games like Donkey Kong. Virtual Reality experiences will delve into energy and climate change topics, and Technocamps activities will challenge attendees with Rubik's Cube-solving robots and robotic football matches. E-Sports Wales invites thrill-seekers to compete in car races, testing their driving prowess.
One of the main events of the GwyddonLe by now is the public debating competition, the Morgan Institute Challenge which has been attracting a large audience for a few years.
The competition is held on the GwyddonLe stage on Friday 31 May, giving school pupils from years 10 to 13 the opportunity to present arguments for and against a current hot topic. This year, Professor Trystan Watson, from Swansea University's School of Engineering, has set the debate topic, "A Carbon-Free Future for Wales: Dream or Reality?". Pupils from Bryn Tawe, Ystalyfera and Gwent Is Coed schools will go head-to-head to win the trophy, where the winning speaker will also gain work experience organised by Swansea University’s Academi Hywel Teifi.
Professor Gwenno Ffrancon, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Welsh Language, Heritage and Culture and Director Academi Hywel Teifi, said: "We are extremely proud of Swansea University's long-standing partnership with Urdd Gobaith Cymru, which has gone from strength to strength. The GwyddonLe is now one of the main attractions of the Eisteddfod, welcoming tens of thousands of young people every year. We are very much looking forward to welcoming even more to the GwyddonLe 2024 pavilion in Meifod!"