Organised by Visit Wales in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the event was to mark the 2015 tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled: 'Cathedrals, Castles and Gardens: England and Wales'.

Dr Canning joined Hannah Ellis, Dylan Thomas' granddaughter, Elizabeth Cleland, Associate Curator, Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Kevin Powell, Dylan Thomas International Ambassador in America.

Image: Kevin Powell, Hannah Ellis and Dr Elaine Canning. 

In celebration of the legacy of Dylan Thomas, Dr Canning discussed the global reach of the International Dylan Thomas Prize, the world's largest literary award for young writers.

Launched in 2006, and sponsored by Swansea University, the annual International Dylan Thomas Prize is one of the most prestigious awards for young writers, aimed at encouraging raw creative talent worldwide. The £30,000 Prize is awarded to the best published or produced literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under.

This year’s seven internationally-acclaimed shortlisted writers come from a rich mix of background influences: Wales, England, Ireland, Jamaica, the United States, Russia and New Zealand. The winner will be announced at a gala dinner on Friday, 6 November.

Following the event, Dr Canning, said: “It was an honour to take the stage with such distinguished guests as Hannah, Elizabeth and Kevin, and to contribute to New York's centennial celebrations by showcasing the significance and scope of a truly international prize which owes its name to Dylan”.