People in Cornwall have long known that we are a proud Celtic nation, standing alongside Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. At the Celtic Forum in Glasgow this month, I saw first-hand how this Celtic connection extends internationally – linking Cornwall to Brittany, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Galicia and Asturias. We share bonds of language, kinship and culture. Relationships such as these, along with Cornwall's entrepreneurial spirit and our wealth of natural resources, will power our future prosperity.
Looking to the future
At the Forum, I spoke about Cornwall's journey: rooted in history, identity and culture, but firmly focused on the future. Cornwall has long been recognised for its distinctive language, heritage and traditions. That was formally acknowledged when the UK Government recognised the Cornish as a national minority in 2014 under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
But recognition on paper is only part of the story. Over the last year, we have taken renewed steps to ask that Cornwall's national status be fully acknowledged by Westminster. Cornwall Council has passed a democratic motion calling for Cornwall to be formally recognised as the fifth nation of the UK. A nation isn't just a border or a flag. It's a people, a voice, a shared history and a shared purpose. Cornwall has all of that and more.
This is not a slogan or a branding exercise. It is a statement of fact and a declaration of intent. We are ready to take our place. We are ready to be heard. And we are ready to shape our future. Taking our seat amongst our Celtic cousins at the Forum reaffirmed that Cornwall's distinct status is not optional or secondary – Cornwall is a proud, vibrant, internationally connected Celtic nation with a strong voice.
Celtic cooperation
Membership of the Celtic Forum gives Cornwall unique opportunities to work with the other Celtic nations to benefit our residents and businesses. And Cornwall's young people will be among the first beneficiaries. I welcome the UK rejoining the Erasmus+ scheme in 2027, but we want to do more to open up student exchange opportunities.
It is so valuable for young Cornish people to travel abroad, study new languages and make new friends. Learners and educators from across the Celtic nations coming to Cornwall enriches us: it boosts our economy, widens our horizons and enhances our world-leading universities.
I sat down with the President of the Regional Council of Brittany, Loïg Chesnais-Girard. We have agreed to explore the development of a Memorandum of Understanding, with opportunities for young people at its heart.
Celtic innovation and energy
Two of the Forum's key themes were innovation and renewable energy. The Celtic nations have a wealth of wind and wave energy, and if we can work together to unlock our full potential, the rewards could be enormous. These themes align directly with the Government's Industrial Strategy, net-zero commitments and supply-chain security.
Cornwall has Europe's most favourable wind climate, helping us emerge as the national powerhouse for clean energy innovation and production. The Celtic Sea is one of Europe's prime sites for floating offshore wind – the first 4GW of capacity is due to come onstream by 2035, and long-term potential exceeds 100GW.
Kernewek and other Celtic languages
After years of campaigning, Kernewek has been given extra protection through the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. This gives Kernewek the same level of protection as all the other Celtic languages recognised across the British Isles, including Welsh, Manx, and Scots Gaelic. The new status for our language is not simply symbolic: it will strengthen the foundations of our cultural revival, helping us sustainably embed Kernewek more deeply across public life — in education, public services, media, cultural activity and signage.
We want to move Kernewek from celebrated heritage to everyday normality. So it's incredibly timely that I was able to talk at the Forum with representatives from Celtic nations that are further ahead of Cornwall on their language journeys. We can learn from their work on language education, building youth-orientated language media systems and ordinary language usage. I will be bringing these lessons back to Cornwall, with a renewed feeling of optimism about Cornwall's place within the Celtic family of nations.
Cllr Leigh Frost is leader of Cornwall Council.
