British Citizenship Ceremonies: oath and pledge in Welsh
Citizenship ceremonies have been an integral part of the process of naturalising as a British Citizen since January 2004 when it was decided that private affirmations of allegiance to the British Crown (the Queen) were not celebratory enough to mark such a momentous occasion. It was felt that public ceremonies were a much more fitting way of marking a person’s welcome into British society. Until 1 June 2007, these ceremonies were conducted in English. Now, however, it is possible to make the oath or affirmation and pledge in Welsh if you naturalise or register in Wales. The wording of the affirmation or oath and pledge in Welsh are as follows:
lw teyrngarwch
Yr wyf i, (enw), yn tyngu i Dduw Hollalluog y byddaf i, ar ôl dod yn ddinesydd Prydeinig, yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i’w Mawrhydi y Frenhines Elisabeth yr Ail, ei Hetifeddion a’i Holynwyr, yn unol âr gyfraith.
Cadarnhau teyrngarwch
Yr wyf i, (enw), yn datgan ac yn cadarnhau yn ddifrifol, yn ddiffuant ac yn gywir y byddaf i, ar ôl dod yn ddinesydd Prydeinig, yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i’w Mawrhydi y Frenhines Elisabeth yr Ail, ei Hetifeddion a’i Holynwyr, yn Unol âr gyfraith
Adduned
Rhoddaf fy nheyrngarwch i’r Deyrnas Unedig ac fe barchaf ei hawliau a’i rhyddidau. Arddelaf ei gwerthoedd democrataidd. Glynaf yn ffyddlon wrth ei chyfreithiau a chyflawnaf fy nyletswyddau a’m rhwymedigaethau fel dinesydd Prydeinig.
(Oath of allegiance
I (name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.
Affirmation of allegiance
I (name) do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law.
Pledge
I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen.)
The provision to take the oath or affirmation and pledge in Welsh is clearly a way of welcoming the Welsh speakers into the United Kingdom and hopefully it will not be long until Scots Gaelic speakers will be able pledge their allegiance in their own language as well. Arrangements can be made to take the life in the UK test, which is one way of fulfilling the compulsory requirement to demonstrate a knowledge of life and language in the UK, in Welsh or Scots Gaelic.
