Promote the Welsh language: Draw together Welsh speakers, people who are learning Welsh and those who don’t speak the language.
Promote Welsh language movements: The Ras is an opportunity to strengthen Welsh-medium movements and clubs by raising their profile and income through events along the route.
Unite Wales and the Language: The Ras brings together people of different backgrounds; language profile; urban and rural, prosperous and disadvantaged and shows the variety of the Welsh language and of Bro Ddyfi and Ceredigion.
Raise the Profile of the Language: The Ras will raise the profile of the language in the press and media locally and across Wales and abroad. It will also help promote the use of the language online. It will be a positive expression that Welsh is a language with grass roots support.
Raise the Profile of our Communities: The Ras will help raise awareness and activity of clubs and societies across the towns and villages though which it will run.
Promote Physical Health: The Ras will help improve the health of its participants and will be an opportunity to enjoy speaking Welsh through improving their health!
Raising Income: Any profit from the holding of the Ras will be reinvested in the form of grants to clubs or societies which aim to promote the use of Welsh. The money is administered by Rhedadeg Ltd – a not-for-profit company which has been formed specifically for the run.
Below is a video made in Welsh to explain the Ras. In it two women, Soazig from Brittany and Begotxu from the Basque Country, explain in Welsh the merits of a language run. There is some English commentary by Tomaí from Ireland’s Rith at about 1′.45″. The video includes footage of the Basque 2011 Korrika running down hill through Gernika (site of the famous Spanish Civil War bombing) but mostly of the thousands who ran the last few kilometres of the Korrika in Donostia (San Sebastian). Ras yr Iaith was initially called ‘Rhedadeg’ – a Cambrocised version of the Breton ‘Redadeg’ (which itself is related to the Welsh ‘rhedeg’ – to run) and also as a new Welsh word to call this new event. However, it was later changed to the more direct ‘Ras yr Iaith’.
