By South Wales Evening Post | Posted: March 14, 2016
SKINHEADS coming to Swansea for a "White Pride" march later this month are likely to be met by hundreds of people out celebrating the city's ethnic diversity.
People opposed to the rally on Easter Saturday are organising two weeks of events to showcase all the is good about Swansea, culminating in a festival in Castle Square on March 26.
Many have taken offence at posters promoting the "White Pride Day" that include language that is offensive and racist.
A group called Swansea Unites is organising the cultural festival and it says it will show those behind the "White Pride Day" they are not welcome here. It has the backing of Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart.
A spokesman for Swansea Unites said: "Don't be fooled, 'White Pride', the 'Welsh Defence League' or whatever other name they try to hide behind represent all that Swansea is not.
"Swansea is and always has been a place of welcome and sanctuary; where you came from, how (or what) you spoke, how you worshipped (or didn't), your colour, none of it mattered – you were welcome. And its that diversity, that enveloping warmth, that togetherness, that makes Swansea the wonderful, positive city it is and we want to show that to the world.
"So instead of the usual face-off, we've planned a multi-cultural celebration of our diverse but united city — 'Swansea Unites'. Over the next two weeks we are putting on a range of events, gigs, poetry, food debate and much much more, culminating in a celebration of the best of Swansea — with food, music and entertainment in Castle Square on Easter Saturday afternoon.
"We want to get at least 1,000 people to come along and celebrate Swansea and show these people we don't want them or their message of hate – we want Swansea and its vision of hope."
The festival starts on Wednesday with a poetry evening celebrating cultural diversity at 8pm at Gravity Station on The Strand. Following that at 7.30pm there will be a Stand-up to Racism Rally at the Volcano Theatre on High Street.
On March 18 there is a screening of Little White Lies and a Q&A session with actress Helen Griffiths at 7.30pm at Cinema & Co.
City centre nightclub Sin City will host a Love Music Hate Racism benefit gig on Saturday night. There will then be a live music acoustic night at Gravity Station on March 24.
The festival in Castle Square will start at midday on March 26.
Mr Stewart said: "'I am delighted to support Swansea Unites' celebration of all that makes Swansea the great city it is. Swansea was the first Welsh and the second UK City of Sanctuary.
"I know that I speak for the overwhelming majority of Swansea people when I say that White Pride/Welsh Defence League and its message of intolerance and hate is not welcome here.
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