[Account provided by Marcelo Andrés Roberts recounding 2016 end‑of‑year ceremony of Ysgol Gymraeg yr Andes, a Welsh‑language school in Esquel, Patagonia. It highlights the historical Welsh settlement in Chubut and its lasting cultural influence, especially through chapels and schools that helped preserve the Welsh language. Director Gladys Jones celebrated the school’s achievements, noting it is the only Welsh‑language institution in Patagonia teaching at all academic levels. Approaching its 20th anniversary, the school now has several local tutors and support from Wales. New initiatives include a Welsh course at the National University of Patagonia. Awards were given to outstanding students, and thanks were expressed to families and tutors. The Welsh Association announced that two new classrooms will open as part of efforts to strengthen Welsh culture in the region. The text ends with an invitation to learn Welsh and join the community.] 

Original text provided in Spanish, translation below:

"End of Course – Ysgol Gymraeg yr Andes – Esquel 2016

The Welsh immigrants who arrived in Chubut carried out an unprecedented, peaceful settlement—practically without assistance—of the inhospitable Patagonian territory toward the end of the 19th century. This forever shaped the spirit of the Patagonian Argentine–Welsh identity. The chapels they built as the basic establishments of their communities date from those years, and as is customary in Welsh culture, schools soon flourished around them. The schools were—and still are today—one of the pillars of the continuity of Welsh culture in the province.

This “Welsh substance” runs throughout the idiosyncrasy of Chubut and is already part of its essence and fundamental to the definition of its character. The great contribution of the Welsh to the cultural heritage of the province—even before its beginnings—is rich and diverse: from preserving one of the oldest languages on the planet here in this remote corner of Patagonia; through their choral and artistic culture; their distinctive cuisine; their historical deeds; their bravery and pioneering spirit; their culture of effort; and the strong imprint of values worthy of being promoted.

On the afternoon of December 2, 2016, the end-of-year ceremony of the Welsh Language School Ysgol Gymraeg yr Andes was held at the “Canolfan”, the multipurpose hall of the Welsh Association of Esquel. Its Director, Gladys Jones, said that the team running the School is very proud since it is the only Welsh-language school in Patagonia that teaches at all levels of the system—the same system used in universities in Wales.

Let us remember that the Welsh language is undergoing a process of recovery, given that even in Wales itself it had stopped being spoken as a result of a centuries-old system throughout the United Kingdom in which English is the official language. Schools where Welsh is taught have proliferated since the second half of the last century as part of a nationalist revival, including in Patagonia, since the very essence of the Welsh nation is what is being preserved so that it does not become extinct forever. Worldwide, no more than one million people speak Welsh—the language of the druids, of the poets of legendary Europe. It is undoubtedly a cultural and historical treasure of humanity, and we are fortunate to keep it alive even here in these distant corners of Patagonia.

Gladys also joyfully mentioned that next year the School will celebrate its first 20 years of uninterrupted activity. She fondly recalled that the person who planted the seed was Hazel Charles Evans (a teacher from Wales) in 1997, the year when the Welsh-language teaching program was implemented in Esquel and Trevelin, supported by the Wales–Argentina Association Cymdeithas Cymru–Ariannin, the Welsh government—the National Assembly for Wales Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru—and of course the Welsh Associations of Trevelin and Esquel. Today, after 20 years, the School already has several local tutors: Diana Jenkins, Liliana Melnik, Marina Cid Jones, Soraya Jara Williams, Noelia Sánchez Jenkins, and of course Clare Vaughan de Yáñez, a Welshwoman naturalized Argentine, and this year also the participation of Welsh teacher Nia Jones.

The Director also announced with great pride that next year the School will open an unprecedented Welsh-language course for students at the National University of Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel campus, led by tutor Liliana Melnik. Without a doubt, this is another major achievement for Ysgol Gymraeg yr Andes, surpassing all expectations. She also highlighted the work of Diana Jenkins, who leads successful Welsh-language workshops at a public school in Esquel.

She could not help becoming emotional when she presented the award for best student of the year to Jeremías Herrera, who at just 11 years old already manages the language, and the second prize to Nadia Ranquileo, 18, of whom the School is especially proud since she communicated fluently with a group of Welsh youths who visited Esquel a few months ago—thus fulfilling the School’s main objective. It is worth emphasizing that the school is open to anyone interested in learning Welsh and approaching Welsh culture, regardless of age.

She also thanked the parents, grandparents, and uncles and aunts who make the effort to bring students to and from the School, and she deeply acknowledged the dedication of the tutors by giving each of them a plant as a gift—symbolizing what it means to teach a minority language: a beautiful plant that grows and grows and must always be watered and cared for. As every year, the students received their diplomas, and pre-registration for the following year opened at that moment. In Esquel, the School operates on the premises of the Welsh Association at Rivadavia Street 1065.

Today, with 150 years of Welsh history in Patagonia, the community carries out projects aimed at strengthening and expanding everything that Welsh Culture means in Chubut and projecting it into the future. The construction of schools and physical spaces to develop their culture is one of their main objectives. And the big announcement came from the president of the Welsh Association of Esquel, Silvia Williams: next year, after much effort, the School will inaugurate two brand-new classrooms and a bathroom. What better way to celebrate the 20 years of Ysgol Gymraeg yr Andes!

We await you with open arms if you wish to learn a new language and discover a whole new world—join us!

Author: Architect Marcelo Andrés Roberts"