Civic and community leaders from across Dwyfor Meirionnydd have become the first constituency-based group in the UK to sign the Global Charter for Belonging.

It follows a roundtable convened by the Belonging Forum in partnership with Liz Saville Roberts MP.

The Global Charter for Belonging brings organisations and individuals together around a shared commitment to strengthen belonging in our communities. The signatories in Dwyfor Meirionnydd join a growing movement focused on practical action, collaboration and sharing what works to build belonging.

The roundtable in Blaenau Ffestiniog on 30 September saw 25 attendees from local schools, housing providers, social enterprises, community organisations, local government and Welsh-language groups gather to explore what sits behind Dwyfor Meirionnydd’s strong sense of belonging.

This came after Dwyfor Meirionnydd ranked the fifth highest constituency in the UK for overall belonging in the Belonging Forum’s 2025 Belonging Index.

The discussion focused particularly on the role of Welsh language, community life and shared local identity, as well as pressures that can make it harder for people to feel connected.

The discussion also highlighted the role local organisations play in keeping people connected. Attendees described regular collaboration between community groups, schools, social enterprises and public services, with some saying that it is this network of organisations that helps strengthen resilience across the area.

Pressures facing local communities and belonging are closely tied to people’s economic circumstances, the discussion found.

Youngsters in particular find it hard to stay in the area — or return after studying elsewhere — with access to affordable housing, secure jobs and real opportunities to build a future limited locally.

Participants included representatives from Adra, Advice Mid Wales, Blaenau Ffestiniog Rugby Club, CAB, Cwmni Bro, Cyngor Gwynedd, Cyngor Tref Ffestiniog, Eryri National Park, Galeri Caernarfon, Golwg, Grŵp Cynefin, Menter Iaith Gwynedd, Seren, Y Dref Werdd and Ysgol y Moelwyn.

Kim Samuel, Founder and Chief Architect of the Belonging Forum, said: “It was incredibly significant to see Dwyfor Meirionnydd become the first place in the UK where civic and community leaders signed the Global Charter for Belonging.

“The charter is rooted in connection to people, place, power and purpose, and our discussion showed how strongly those dimensions are reflected here — particularly in the role the Welsh language plays in connecting people to one another, to their culture and to the place they call home.

“What was especially powerful was the spirit of collaboration in the room. There is already extraordinary work happening across Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and I hope this roundtable — and the shared commitment represented by the charter — helps create a forum for those organisations to keep meeting, collaborating and building belonging together.

“Research can tell us where belonging is strong and where it is under pressure, but it is only by listening to communities themselves that we understand why. What we have learned in Dwyfor Meirionnydd will not only help strengthen the work happening locally, but offer important lessons for communities across the UK and beyond.”

Mrs Saville Roberts said: “Here in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, the Welsh language is not separate from community life – it is part of how we relate to one another and to the places we call home. Today’s discussion showed the strength of those connections, and the vital role played by our schools, businesses, voluntary organisations and community groups in sustaining them.

“But strong communities cannot be taken for granted. If we want young people to be able to stay, return and build their futures here, they need access to affordable homes, secure work and opportunities that allow both our communities and the Welsh language to thrive.

“It was encouraging to see so many organisations come together with a shared determination to build on what is already happening. Dwyfor Meirionnydd has much to be proud of, and much that other communities can learn from.”

The discussion in Dwyfor Meirionnydd provided an opportunity to show language, place and local relationships all shape people’s sense of belonging and demonstrated the value of bringing local organisations together to share what is already working, identify where the pressures remain and continue the conversation beyond the roundtable.

The Belonging Forum also visited the Ffestiniog Railway Station and community social enterprise Y Dref Werdd ahead of the roundtable, seeing first-hand how belonging is being built through local heritage, volunteering, practical support and shared community spaces. At the railway, the team heard about its history and the role volunteers play in sustaining a major part of the area’s identity and economy, while Y Dref Werdd demonstrated how everyday initiatives — from its community fridge to repair cafés and intergenerational activities — improve quality of life and build belonging.