UNESCO UK Local to Global summer workshop in Wales

The UNESCO UK Local to Global summer workshop in Wales took place on 23 July 2026, bringing together UNESCO Site Coordinators, partners, guest speakers and organisations from across the region for a day of learning, reflection and collaboration.

UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES representatives from the UK Hub and International Programme Office at UWTSD, Catrin Bradley and Sophie Spooner, shared how meaningful it was to connect with representatives from across Wales’s UNESCO network.

The gathering took place at the Dyfi Biosphere, specifically the Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve, home to the Dyfi Osprey Project, and brought together representatives from across the region, including the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site, Aberystwyth City of Literature, and the Geoparks in Fforest Fawr and Ynys Môn.

During the event, participants discussed research findings on Measuring the Value of Multi Stakeholder Partnerships in UK UNESCO Sites, and gained inspiration from guest speakers. It was an opportunity to discuss successes and challenges, to learn from each other, and to discuss practical strategies to deepen collaboration across the wider UNESCO UK Network.

The workshop underscored the vital importance of partnership, and the immense opportunities created when we collaborate across different places, organisations, and designations.

A sincere thank you to Keira Brown and Nushin Hussain of the UK National Commission for UNESCO, alongside our gracious Dyfi Biosphere hosts, Jane Powell and James Cass. We would also like to extend a special thanks to our guide, Emyr Evans, for leading us out into the beautiful reserve. His passion, expertise, and long-standing dedication truly made the tour memorable.

Connecting, sharing, learning. It was a beautiful and motivational day!

BRIDGES IPO and UK Hub at UWTSD were delighted to be invited, feel the warmest welcome, and be part of the wider UNESCO UK and Wales network. We left feeling inspired by the ideas shared, encouraged by the connections made, and excited about future collaboration opportunities.