Minecraft Education and Cadw collaborate to connect Welsh heritage with young learners

A groundbreaking initiative to bring Welsh history to life through Minecraft Education was launched yesterday at Conwy Castle. The partnership between Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, and Microsoft’s Minecraft Education has introduced the first-ever Welsh-language version of the globally popular platform.

The initiative aims to encourage both fluent Welsh speakers and learners to explore the nation’s rich cultural history. Wales, already one of the highest users of Minecraft Education globally, is now making history with this bilingual offering.

The inaugural site featured in the project is a digital replica of Conwy Castle, with plans to add 20 additional historic locations over the coming months. Each virtual site will be supported by educational resources hosted on the Hwb platform and the Cadw website, ensuring accessibility for teachers and students.

Speaking at the launch event, Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture and Skills, highlighted the programme’s significance:

“This is a huge and innovative programme, and I am delighted to help launch this fantastic new Welsh language version of Minecraft. Not only does it celebrate the heritage of Wales, but through accompanying resources and activities, it will inspire children to explore their own history and culture.”

Yesterday’s event saw students from Ysgol Pennant and Ysgol Minafon, part of Cadw’s ‘Young Custodian’ programme, take part in both real-life and digital tours of Conwy Castle. The pupils had previously tested the new Minecraft world, providing feedback to ensure its educational value.

Manon Jones, a teacher at Ysgol Pennant, praised the project:

“This is an incredible resource for both Welsh-speaking learners and those learning the language. Minecraft is a fantastic tool for engaging learners. Now, with the Welsh Language Resource Pack, it’s an even more powerful way to connect young people with their heritage and language.”

Justin Edwards, Director of Learning Experience at Minecraft, applauded the partnership:

“This project, which is particularly important to the topic of cultural heritage and science, shows that game-based learning can provide immersive and engaging curriculum experiences that are relevant to the National Curriculum of Wales.”

The virtual version of Conwy Castle is just the beginning, with each additional location expected to further enrich young learners’ connection to Welsh history. The monthly site launches will include virtual training sessions for educators, making it easy to integrate the resources into the classroom.

Cadw’s innovative partnership with Minecraft Education is not only a celebration of Wales’ cultural heritage but also a step forward in combining education and technology to inspire future generations.