Senators in Pennsylvania have passed a resolution to designate 1 March as St David's Day in honour of the state's links with Wales.

The Welsh community settled around Philadelphia

The motion from Republican senator Charles Lemmond, claimed that Pennsylvania, population 12m, had the highest concentration of Welsh people outside the UK.

The state was settled by thousands of Welsh Quakers in the 17th Century - a community which centred on the Philadelphia area.

The state was almost called New Wales, before it was named Pennsylvania after founder William Penn's father.

The rich Welsh traditions and heritage have had a tremendous impact on Pennsylvania Pennsylvania senate resolution

Senator Lemmond's motion in the state capital Harrisburg said: "St David's feast day is celebrated by Welshmen throughout the world.

"Thousands of people moved from Wales to Pennsylvania seeking employment and since both include anthracite coal among their natural resources, many of the settlers in Wales settled in Pennsylvania's coal regions.

The motion added: "The rich Welsh traditions and heritage have had a tremendous impact on Pennsylvania, therefore be it resolved that the senate designate 1 March as St David's Day and honour the many Pennsylvanians of Welsh heritage."

The American state joins a list of far-flung places which mark the Welsh national day with official and unofficial celebrations including Patagonia in Argentina, California, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Last year, Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan celebrated the national day in New York with the city's St David's Society.

St David is the patron saint of Wales

Despite the widespread celebration of St David's Day across the globe, a campaign to make 1 March a national holiday in Wales failed last year.

In November 2002, the UK Government rejected the Welsh Assembly Government's appeal for 1 March to become a bank holiday in Wales, claiming it would bring extra costs and disruption for firms.

Mr Morgan said after the decision: "It's now up to the assembly to consider what other options we can all explore to give St David's Day even greater significance in promoting Welsh culture and Wales.

"I want St David's Day to be a flagship day for Wales just as St Patrick's Day is in Ireland.

"It can be a wonderful way of celebrating the creativity and language of Wales in the UK and all around the world."