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Another National Eisteddfod official has been forced to explain remarks he made during an official event in the main pavilion.

Eifion Lloyd Jones, president of the Eisteddfod Court, was said to have made racist remarks while introducing the President of Wales and the World to the audience during the Cymanfa Ganu (Congregational Singing) on Sunday morning.

Iori Roberts, originally from Amlwch , Anglesey now lives in Norway but during his life has spent lengthy periods living and working in Africa and the Caribbean. He also spent a year teaching at Abergele ’s Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan.

During the introduction Mr Jones referred to Mr Roberts’ spell in Uganda and Abergele, and said “I don’t know which is the most uncivilized”.

During a news conference yesterday Mr Lloyd Jones said his remarks were “light-hearted” and he would never be the person to “disparage minorities”.

Mr Jones added he did not believe the remarks were racist in tone.

“I don’t accept at all that there was any racist suggestions in what I said,” he said.

(Image: Arwyn Roberts)

An Eisteddfod spokeswoman said the remarks were personal to Mr Jones and would not be making any comment on the matter.

On Monday, the Archdruid, Geraint Llwyd Owen, apologised after remarks he made during the Crowning ceremony in the pavilion were regarded as sexist by some members of the audience.

Introducing Crown winner Catrin Dafydd, the Archdruid said: “You see she would not have been able to do anything without men in her life.”

Mr Owen is believed to have telephoned her personally since Monday’s ceremony.

The remarks by both men occurred during an Eisteddfod which has been described by its organisers as the most diverse ever held.

Eisteddfod executive committee chairman Ashok Ahir, speaking as the festival entered the second half of the week, said the Eisteddfod had embraced Cardiff’s multi-cultural society and large numbers of people who would not normally have visited Wales’ largest cultural event.

Mr Ahir said the success of the festival in doing so had proved the doubters wrong.

He said he has not had a single negative comment since the Eisteddfod began last weekend.

A year ago he was facing questions about how the event would work and trying to ease worries.

He said: “I was on Anglesey having to deal with questions about whether this was going to work.

“People were worried it wouldn’t work and wouldn’t have the same feeling of an Eisteddfod.

“I said it wouldn’t be the same but there will still be a traditional Eisteddfod at the heart of it.

“So many people have come up to me and said they were worried about the Eisteddfod and they were concerned but that they have changed their minds entirely.

“They said they have contacted friends who had decided not to come from the north or the west and they have told friends and family to come down.”

He said he hopes there will be more visitors as the Eisteddfod enters its last few days. I am thrilled and proud to be part of this celebration. We have pushed a lot of boundaries and we have been ambitious,” he said.

“There is not one Eisteddfod – this is an Eisteddfod in the city and this is the type of Eisteddfod that suits us here in Cardiff and could in other towns and cities, but the type we have tried to create here is the type I wanted to see.

“It’s an Eisteddfod for other people, not just for the loyal Eisteddfodwyr.

“Yes, we have been challenging and adventurous, but that’s the purpose of this Eisteddfod. This is easily the most diverse Eisteddfod in history.”

He insisted the event should have had more coverage in the English media, saying: “The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is comparable to the Eisteddfod, is all over the media. That’s my one disappointment.”