The 1935 Peace Ballot in Wales

By Rob Laker, History Masters Researcher, Swansea University (student placement with WCIA’s ‘Peace Heritage’ programme).

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The 1935 Peace Ballot was a UK wide poll of Britain’s electorate designed to measure the public’s opinions regarding the key debates in international relations at the time. Despite lacking government sponsorship, the Ballot received extraordinary attention across the United Kingdom – nowhere was engagement higher, however, than in Wales, which quickly came to be recognised as a leading light in the cause of internationalism.

“1,025,040 people in Wales voted in the Peace Ballot of 1935… 62.3% of eligible registered voters”

Between the wars, a new form of outward-looking patriotism had become an important part of Welsh national identity, as ordinary people worked actively to create a Wales which existed at the centre of the international community. Local branches of the Welsh League of Nations Union were active in every corner of Wales, running cultural events such as ‘Daffodil Days’ – the since forgotten annual custom of selling daffodils in aid of the League – and coordinating networks of local activists. This pride in their nation’s role in the quest for international harmony manifested itself in Welsh responses to the Peace Ballot, producing an overwhelming endorsement for the cause of internationalism.

The UK Ballot

By the end of 1933 it seemed that the international order was unravelling: the World Disarmament Conference had failed to produce results, Germany had withdrawn from the League of Nations, and the organisation had proved itself unable to resolve the Manchuria Crisis.

Internationalists in Britain, however, were anxious that the government remain committed to the League, and so the League of Nations Union set about organising the Peace Ballot in order to demonstrate the British people’s unwavering commitment to internationalism. Between the end of 1934 and the middle of 1935, half a million volunteers canvassed door to door, collecting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses on five key questions:

1)    Should Great Britain remain a member of the League of Nations?

2)    Are you in favour of all-round reduction of armaments by international agreement?

3)    Are you in favour of an all-round abolition of national military and naval aircraft by international agreement?

4)    Should the manufacture and sale of armaments for private profit be prohibited by international agreement?

5)     Do you consider that, if a nation insists on attacking another, the other nations should combine to compel it to stop –

       a) by economic and non-military measures?

       b) if necessary, military measures?

Credit – Northern Friends’ Peace Board, c/o Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) 

Despite being independently conducted, the Ballot – which received 11.6 million responses nationwide – has been described as Britain’s first referendum, and was highly effective in stimulating engagement with the key issues dominating international politics. The poll did not disappoint its organisers, for the result was an emphatic endorsement of internationalist policies from the British public.

  • An astonishing ninety-seven percent of voters felt that Britain should remain in the League
  • while ninety-four percent believed that it should outlaw the arms trade
Read more

WLNU Postbox in the Temple of Peace today.

The Welsh Case

In Wales, the organisation of the Ballot fell solely on the shoulders of the Welsh League of Nations Union (WLNU), a challenge which it took up with great enthusiasm. Vast reserves of internationalist sentiment, which permeated every corner of Welsh society, were an important part of interwar society. To believe in Wales was, in this period of salient hope, to actively pursue the cause of peace, thereby locating the Welsh as a ‘force for good’ at the crux of global anxieties.

Google Map of Communities who organised Daffodil Days between 1925-39, collated by Rob Laker for his feature article on Daffodil Days of the WLNU . Zoom, or click on pins, to find individual communities. Further info on local activism can be gleaned from Welsh League of Nations Union reports (digitised by WCIA on People’s Collection Wales).

Lord David Davies of Llandinam  (painted by Sam Morse Brown:  National Museum of Wales collections)  

As a result, Lord David Davies (who co-founded the Welsh League of Nations Union with Rev Gwilym Davies) was determined that Wales should produce a spectacular result in the Ballot which he viewed as the very ‘essence of democracy’.

Drawing upon a committed network of volunteers across Wales, supplemented by an army of canvassers (paid at the personal expense of Lord Davies), WLNU representatives went door to door in nearly every Welsh town and village collecting responses.

The responses proved to be an affirmation of Wales’ internationalist credentials, as over one million adults voted in the Ballot – which at the time, represented 62.3 percent of the Welsh electorate (24 percent higher than the average across Britain as a whole).

As of 6th June 1935, the top twelve constituencies in Great Britain with the highest percentage turnout were all in Wales, in some of which over eighty percent of the total electorate responded to the ballot (RH).

In a few cases, turnout was particularly spectacular. In Llanerfyl (Montgomeryshire), for instance, all 304 of its adult inhabitants responded to the poll, likely a testament to the zeal of local activists.

Turnout was in fact much higher in villages than in large towns across the board, and despite hosting the headquarters of the Welsh League of Nations Union, Cardiff produced some of the lowest turnouts of the poll.

We can interpret this as evidence that the success of the Ballot in Wales rested not just in the League’s popularity, but in the strength of Welsh community activism. It is highly likely that organisers in villages such as Llanerfyl (Montgomery) and Nantlle (Gwynedd) were able to achieve a 100 percent response rate because they operated in a tight-knit community, allowing them to rally support face-to-face, one neighbour at a time, in a way which proved more difficult in larger cities.

It is worth noting, however, that despite the strategy of going door-to-door in their local communities, activists were still able to obtain phenomenal results from many larger towns. In Port Talbot, for example, 82.8 percent of the town’s 27,000 adults voted.

Viewed in this light, the results of the Ballot are a testament to the strength and scale of the local networks upon which the Welsh League of Nations relied upon for support.

The way in which Welsh people voted also reflects the strength of their commitment to internationalism. In fact, just 1.7 percent of voters in Wales wanted to leave the League – around half the national average – while Welsh voters were consistently more often in favour of disarmament.

Wales had proved itself a ‘special case’. As historians such as Helen McCarthy have noted, the League of Nations Union was the largest ‘League themed’ society of any in Europe and easily enjoyed the most popular support. It is not unreasonable then, in light of the disparity between Wales and the rest of Britain in Ballot responses, to conclude that…

“in 1935 the Welsh ‘were the most ardently internationalist nation in Europe’.”

Digitised Wales Peace Ballot Records

This collection draws together leaflets, voting forms, campaigner bulletins, articles and analysis by the Welsh League of Nations Union for the 1935 Peace Ballot - a national canvass of public opinion on Peace in the context of the then-escalating European Arms Race. Although the Peace Ballot was an initiative by the UK League of Nations Union, Wales set out explicitly to 'lead the way' and 'top the polls,' to demonstrate the strength of feeling in favour of peace, 16 years after the end of WW1.

The bulletins gave a detailed breakdown of progress on the Ballot, returns from each county of Wales (with comparisons to England), and analysis / encouragement from key figures in Wales' Peace movements. The bulletins carried motivational 'Opinion Pieces' from leaders of Wales Peace movements, such as Gwilym Davies and David Davies; and in depth analysis of the returns received from constituencies all over Wales

Later bulletins and introduction of 'YMLAEN / ONWARD' newsletter, explore implications of the results for Wales' peace building movements, and impact upon domestic and international political affairs - in particular, the meeting of the 1936 League of Nations in Geneva, which was regarded as a failure on the part of national governments. A poster graphic illustrates the UK-wide results, and Wales' leading place within the polls - with 5 of the top 10 constituency returns being Anglesey, Aberdare, Swansea East, Rhondda West and Merthyr Tydfil.
1935 Peace Ballot – Briefing for Households 1935 Peace Ballot – Canvassers’ Briefing ‘Peace Calls for Plain Answers to Simple Questions’ – 1935 Media Article Bulletin 2, Jan 22 1935 Bulletin 3, Feb 6 1935
Bulletin 4, Mar 9 1935 Bulletin 5, Apr 9 1935 Bulletin 6, June 7 1935 Bulletin 7, Oct 1935: ONWARD YMLAEN / ONWARD Bulletin, May 1936

Outcomes for Britain

The will of the people was unequivocal – Wales and Britain wanted to remain in international circles – what this meant, however, remained open to interpretation.

The organisers of the Ballot presented the result to the prime minister and his cabinet, but it quickly became clear that, due to the binary nature of responses, that the format of the Ballot was a poor vehicle for dictating policy.

‘Remain may have meant remain’, and ‘disarm may have meant disarm’… but the Ballot gave no sense of the scale or manner of which these aims should be pursued.

This left little room for nuance, and instead general opinion was measured without details of its practical implementation. The failure of Ballot organisers to frame the poll’s questions within the myriad complexities of Britain’s international position, made integration of the Ballot’s result into policy making both confusing and impractical – and so the consequences of the Ballot in Britain’s foreign policy are hard to identify.

The Ballot may have failed to significantly influence policy, but the strength of the poll lay in its ability to measure popular opinion. It demonstrated that an overwhelming majority of the population supported Britain’s active involvement in the League of Nations, even if there was no uniform vision of what that involvement should look like.

Across Britain, League of Nations Union branches enjoyed a surge in membership and enthusiasm for the League which, despite the Abyssinia Crisis and the aggression of Hitler, was maintained right up until the outbreak of the Second World War.

UK wide returns against the 5 questions posed by the Peace Ballot.

 

Outcomes for Wales

WLNU Organiser Rev Gwilym Davies

The Welsh League of Nations Union had a very clear idea of what the result should mean for Wales. For Gwilym Davies (Organiser of the WLNU) the result of the Ballot was ‘the vindication of the democratic right of a free people’ and a demonstration of the ‘notable achievements’ of Wales in the cause for world peace.

In a bulletin on the subject of ‘facing the future’, Davies called for the ‘Welsh million’ to be converted into one hundred thousand new members across Wales. While this roughly eight-fold increase failed to materialise itself,

the WLoNU organisation more than doubled in size, reaching 27,545 paid members by 1937 – the highest at any point in the interwar period.

For Wales, Gwilym Davies published a Constituency by Constituency Analysis of the 1935 Peace Ballot voting returns – which can be viewed on People’s Collection Wales at: www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1247091

Clearly then, far from being a fleeting spike of interest, the Peace Ballot was the source of revitalisation of Wales’ identity as an international nation.

Furthermore, the setbacks suffered by the League of Nations in the mid and late 1930s – instead of leading to disenchantment – only made people in Wales more determined that the principles they had committed to in the Peace Ballot should be upheld. This wave of enthusiasm for peace through internationalism was carried right through to the outbreak of war in 1939 and beyond, later providing the support structures and the much of the personnel for the creation of the United Nations.

One such example is Gwilym Davies himself, Director and co-founder of the WLNU, who not only became president of the Welsh National Council of the United Nations Association, but is considered to be a key architect in the creation of world education & scientific body UNESCO.

Temple of Peace: Headquarters befitting a ‘Booming’ Movement

One of the most striking and longstanding results of the Peace Ballot in Wales is the Temple of Peace and Health, which was opened in Cardiff in 1938.

Envisioned by Lord Davies as ‘a memorial to those gallant men from all nations who gave their lives in the war that was to end war’, construction of the building was started in 1937 at a time when the organisation was rapidly expanding.

'A New Mecca'

Account from the Opening Ceremony, ‘A New Mecca’, from the Temple of Peace Archives

It was felt that, in light of the precarious international situation, it was more important than ever for Welsh internationalism to have a headquarters which suitably reflected its growing influence. Thus rose the Temple – a bastion of peace, intended to make good the sacrifice of those who fell in the ‘war that was to end war’.

Today the Temple of Peace still stands – an enduring legacy of the Ballot’s success. The organisations it now houses continue to work in the spirit of the Ballot’s organisers, inheriting the desire that Wales should be at the centre of the international community.

The WCIA – Welsh Centre for International Affairs, founded in 1973, is the modern iteration (the ‘grand daughter’, via UNA Wales) of the Welsh League of Nations Union. WCIA continue the work and vision of WLNU, and the million Welsh people who voted in the 1935 Peace Ballot, to build a better, more peaceful world.

WCIA, like their predecessors, believe that Wales is a nation which can create real and lasting change in the wider world. It is for this proud tradition – driven by the dedication and commitment of local people across Wales – that the galvanising effects of the Peace Ballot should be remembered today.

Blog article and research by WCIA Research Intern Rob Laker, on placement with Wales for Peace from Swansea University History Dept over Summer 2019 with ongoing research through 2020. Drawing on materials from the National Library of Wales and Temple of Peace Archives; and Annual Reports of the Welsh League of Nations Union 1922-45 on People’s Collection Wales, digitised by WCIA (with support of Swansea doctoral student Stuart Booker) for open access research. Final edit by Craig Owen, Wales for Peace.

Rob Laker, WCIA Archives Intern



Global Perspectives on COVID Pandemic: Solidarity, Community and Cooperation

Published on 25th March, in a fast changing international situation.

As the COVID Pandemic of 2020 has reached ‘lockdown’ for the UK and many other nations, the need for our communities – and community of nations – to work together has never been greater. Wales and the World are inextricably linked through global health: pandemics know no borders – and information is international. In an age of social media we are intertwined, and interdependent; we are Humankind.
Kindness, compassion and clarity will help us to face this world crisis, and support the most vulnerable, through cooperation and humanity – from the local to the global. Over coming weeks, WCIA will be sharing (via WCIA’s website, Twitter and Facebook feeds) ‘stories of solidarity’, links to reliable information / updates, and examples of inspiring civil society, individuals and community leadership from around the world.

View WCIA’s ‘Global Perspectives’ Blogs

 

Wales amidst a Global Health Crisis

Wales and Welsh communities must do all we can within a crisis of global proportions – and requiring global solutions. Summarised below are quick links to key sources of information and updates from around the world; ways that people can take action in local to global solidarity; learning from our heritage; and stories of solidarity from individuals around the world.

Quick References and Information Sources

UK & Welsh Government, NHS and Voluntary Sector

Global Health Bodies & Cooperation

Reference Resources and Useful Articles

temple of peaceWCIA and the Temple of Peace & Health

As with all venues and workplaces, the Temple of Peace is closed throughout the shutdown period and WCIA staff have been working from home since Monday 16th March (though as with many in this challenging time, our capacity is limited).

  • Venue bookings, and all WCIA events, have been postponed until the COVID situation becomes safer.
  • WCIA are sharing Stories of Solidarity (see below) from around the world; and useful resources (such as home learning and means to take action) via WCIA’s Twitter and Facebook social media feeds.
  • WCIA are supporting international volunteers on placements through UNA Exchange to self-isolate if in UK, and to find passages to their home countries where possible / appropriate.
  • Hub Cymru Africa and the Wales Africa Health Links Network are offering guidance to local linking organisations and charities supporting or whose work is affected by COVID.

Internationalism in Action: Taking a Global Stand

How are internationally-minded individuals in Wales able to contribute to understanding and combating the COVID crisis in any way… on top of looking after themselves and their loved ones in a lockdown? WCIA will be gathering and sharing actions and ideas of people Wales and world-wide via our social media channels, and here:

Community Action

Gemma from Hong Kong shares her experiences of COVID in WCIA’s Global Perspectives blog.

Global Learning

Global Action

Global Partnerships

Global Perspectives: Stories of Solidarity

Campaigner Glenda Fryer with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, whose leadership has been praised worldwide, shared her feelings as Kiwis entered a month long lock-down.

At the WCIA, we understand that the outbreak of COVID-19 is difficult for so many people across the world. In uncertain times like these, it is heartwarming to see communities uniting in solidarity, and even song in some cases. We are reaching out to people worldwide to share global perspectives on COVID-19, recognising the global nature of the issue, and some of the similarities and differences of experiences in different countries. We want to identify and share the positive stories emerging from the situation as a source of inspiration for people in these challenging times.

Personal ‘Stories of Solidarity’ from across the world, mapped.

Learning from the Past: Heritage of Cooperation

Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire – Canadian War Graves from 1918-19 Spanish Flu Epidemic (Geograph)

Not since the ‘Spanish Flu’ pandemic of 1918-1920, has the world experienced something of the scale the world is facing today in COVID19. Affecting as many lives globally as World War 1 itself, “Spanish flu” (so called, ironically, as Spain was the only WW1 nation that allowed uncensored reporting on it to save lives), ended up infecting 500 million – of whom 17-100 million died, making it the world’s worst epidemic since the ‘Black Death’ Plague of 1331-1353. In Wales, between 8,700 and 11,400 people are thought to have died.

Alongside Tuberculosis, the combined impact of World War One and Spanish Flu inspired the creation of Wales’ Temple of Peace and Health – home to WCIA today, and opened in 1938 as a beacon for the nation’s efforts to end the scourge of tuberculosis, and secure sustainable peace through global cooperation – initally through the work of the WNMA (Wales National Memorial Association for Eradication of Tuberculosis) and WLNU (Welsh League of Nations Union).

After World War 2, these movements evolved to support creation of the NHS (National Health Service) and the United Nations – two of humanity’s greatest achievements in facilitating cooperation for the common good. In the words of the Temple’s founder, David Davies:

“A ‘Temple of Peace’ is not of bricks and mortar: It is the spirit of man. It is the compact between every man, woman and child, to build a better world.”  

Has a generation taken our grandparents’ inheritance for granted? Over recent decades, support for and resourcing of these ‘institutions of humankind’ has fallen, health services and social care have suffered strident Austerity cuts, and many nations – the UK and US in particular – have turned inwards and away from the very bodies that enable international cooperation in times of crisis.

The COVID Pandemic will seriously test – and potentially reverse – many of these policy approaches. Working in global cooperation and solidarity with others, we will owe it to a generation who lose their lives, to come through this crisis to build a better world.

 

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford addresses the nation on 23 March.  



2025 ‘Young Peacemakers’ Awarded at Llangollen International Eisteddfod

On 10 July, Wales’ 2025 Young Peacemakers Awards took to the main stage of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod – an opportunity to celebrate what children and young people from across Wales have done to create kinder, safer and more inclusive communities locally, nationally and internationally.

It is often said that peace starts with ourselves. This is certainly true for children and young people, who have a keen understanding of elements in society such as discrimination, inequality and injustice which undermine peaceful communities.  Many young people also feel led to address these ills and to work for positive change.   

The annual Young Peacemakers Awards, organised by the Peace Education team at the Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA), taps into this desire to create a more cohesive, peaceful society by celebrating achievements of children and young people from across Wales.  These can take the form of works of art, creative writing or projects which foster understanding, enhance wellbeing and address issues such as bullying and racism.   

This year we celebrated the 9th Young Peacemakers Awards at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod on Thursday, 10th July

WCIA’s Peace Schools Coordinator Jane Harries opens the 2025 Young Peacemakers Awards from the main stage at Llangollen International Eisteddfod – July 10th 2025. Credit: Sioned Cox / WCIA

“Today we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of these young individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to peace, justice, and understanding in our communities here in Wales and beyond. Their passion, creativity, and resilience serve as a spark of hope for a brighter future.​ Let us take this opportunity to recognise their outstanding contributions and to draw inspiration from their amazing dedication to building a more peaceful and equitable world for future generations.”

Jane Harries, WCIA Peace Schools Coordinator

2025 Young Peacemakers Awards at Llangollen International Eisteddfod
Flickr Album from Llangollen Young Peacemakers Awards (credit WCIA / Sioned Cox) – click LH / RH to view (credit Sioned Cox / WCIA)

Young Community Peacebuilder

Urdd Peace Message 2025 participants, who were awarded ‘Young Community Peacebuilders’ of the year (Credit: Urdd Gobaith Cymru)

1st – Urdd Gobaith Cymru

The Urdd’s Message of Peace and Goodwill was intended to unite children throughout the ​world and support them to call for a fairer, more equal and more peaceful world. ​This year, the theme ‘poverty’ was chosen for the message by students from Coleg ​y Cymoedd and other young people (members of the Urdd), responding to the poverty crisis ​by giving voice to current children who can be seen in Wales and across the world. The young people show ​courage and leadership by sharing their personal experiences, and gives young people a strong voice to call for justice and equality in their communities and globally. The group (which also included the Save the Children charity, the poet Katie Hall, the designer Steffan Dafydd, and the facilitator Elan Evans) has worked hard to spread the message widely – it has reached 25 countries, inspired hundreds of schools and organizations in Wales, the group has done television and radio interviews, and two of the young people have written a blog containing personal, powerful experiences.

2nd Prize: Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe

2 videos were prepared by Year 7-13 pupils to promote peace in their school community and more widely. The enthusiasm of the pupils is evident from the videos and their messages are powerful. They convey an understanding of the effects of a lack of social justice on young people in Wales, and advocate for young people who suffer from a lack of peace in other countries. They connect Wales’ peace heritage with the call to action for peace today. ​The pupils’ efforts to share the importance of peace for Wales and the world, in their local community and beyond, deserve this award.

Young Wellbeing Advocates

1st – Holly Abbott

Holly created a not-for-profit organisation ‘Cardsofcalm’ which focuses on creating cards with messages of support, wellbeing packages and links to local helplines. Holly has shown young leader entrepreneurial spirit to support others. Her kindness and thoughtfulness to remind hundreds of others that they are not alone qualifies her as a winner!

2nd – Nathan Robertshaw

Nathan found his own wellbeing hobby by taking part in his local park run. This improved his confidence and helped him feel less isolated away from home. He developed his volunteering skills, helped out training others, started learning Welsh and became first aid trained to help others through running in his community!​

Commendation – Freya Rees

Having spent periods in hospital herself, Freya has used her experiences and her skills to create works of art that bring brightness and nope to others. Her beautiful acrylic painting ‘Flourish’ is now on display at CAMHS and the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Rhyl. ​‘My aim’, she says, ‘was to reinforce the message that they are not alone and to bring some vibrancy and colour to mental health, helping to normalize it as a common experience shared by many people in my generation.’

Young Peacemaker

Award sponsored by Academi Heddwch Cymru

Joe Wright Roberts of Connah’s Quay High School

Joe has shown passion, leadership, commitment and innovation in his work to promote and develop anti-racism in his school. He has taken his message to school governors and encouraged Senior Management to sign anti-racist pledges and act as role models themselves. His ambition to develop the scheme by involving cluster primary schools is admirable, as is the desire to demonstrate inclusive behaviours in his own community by celebrating different languages and cultures. ​

​2nd – Mili Davies, Ysgol David Hughes

We received two pieces of art from Mili – both extremely impressive. The first is a jigsaw which delivers a clear anti-racist message – the pieces represent different skin colors and emphasize the fact that everyone is unique, different and deserves respect. ​
​The title of the second piece of work is ‘Album Heddwch’ featuring a series of quotes and photos after she meets a student protesting against the situation in Gaza, and realizes the further significance of the demonstration. The album is basically a personal journey, but created in a subtle and elaborate way. The album is effective because it takes us on a journey with the illustrator. ​

​2nd – School Council, Ysgol David Hughes, Menai Bridge Anglesey

An impressive application containing a description and evidence of the way the School Council at Ysgol David Hughes has tackled the problem of bullying in their school community. ​

The judges liked the way the Council has involved pupils and staff in their work, acted as a team and ensured that policies and activities were developed in a sensitive way which is based on the pupil’s voice and respects confidentiality where this is possible. The Council has tackled the problem on several levels – developing awareness and understanding of the nature of the problem, and developing a number of ways of responding, using technology (QR codes and the website) to ensure confidentiality. ​

It is good to see that the holistic campaign has created an atmosphere where pupils feel more confident to talk about bullying – also understand the importance of treating each other with respect.

Young Environmental Champion

Award aponsored by Environmental Platform Wales

Youth Climate Ambassadors

The ‘Youth Climate Ambassadors’ have presented their work on reducing the social and​ environmental impact of fast fashion. This has involved researching the negative impacts of​ Fast Fashion, publishing a blog article on ‘The True Cost of Fast Fashion: Why It’s Time to Break​ The Buy-and-Bin Cycle’ and organising a Sustainable Fashion Show And Clothes Swap in 2024 to spread the word, they will continue to raise awareness of peace, justice and sustainability.​

Future Generations Champions

Award sponsored by Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

Ysgol David Hughes, Menai Bridge, Anglesey

They have held a wide range of activities to promote Welsh language and culture, from music concerts, a Cymraeg themed Bake Off, Eisteddfodau etc. They show how Cymraeg is fun and the advantages of being bilingual. They bring Cymraeg to life and celebrate it in all its cultural forms.

Young Peacemakers Workshop

The awards ceremony was followed by a creative workshop on the Eisteddfod Maes, in which young people created crafts based on peace themes.

Welsh young people are joined by Eisteddfod performers visiting from Indonesia (Ruang Karya ID)

Case Study of Youth Peacemakers in Action: The Urdd’s Nomination

Since 1922, the Urdd has produced a message of Peace and Goodwill conveyed initially through Morse code, then by the BBC World Service, and more recently through digital media, with the aim of uniting children around the world, and supporting them to call for a fairer, more equal and more peaceful world. 2025’s Message theme is Poverty. With the current child poverty crisis visible in Wales and across the world, the Urdd and the young people of Wales have chosen to focus on this crucial issue. With 1 in every 3 children and young people in Wales living in poverty, the Peace Message 2025 clearly states the need for change.

The content and direction of this year’s message was decided by Coleg y Cymoedd students and Urdd Members. The workshop was held at YMa, Pontypridd at the end of January. Elusen Achub y Plant presented the message to the participants, working together with Elan Evans (Facilitator), Steffan Dafydd (Designer) and the poet Katie Hall. It was a successful workshop which encouraged the young people to share their experiences and feelings about the situation of child poverty in Wales. Following the workshop, Katie set about creating a powerful Message giving the young people a strong voice and identifying the main themes of the day:

• Giving young people a voice
• Breaking down stigma
• The importance of community
• No child should live in poverty.

The message is available on the Urdd website in over 50 languages, including BSL.

For creating the 2025 message, 14 young people who are Coleg y Cymoedd students and Urdd Members were chosen to be part of the project after an open call process asking people to join. They were very willing to share experiences and feelings about poverty, and gave the poet Katie a lot of inspiration with their words following the workshop in January. A short film was created from the young people’s words, and their voices are heard reading the words out. They were very willing to be part of the work of promoting the Message, speaking on radio and television giving the theme an important platform.

The Message reached over 25 countries around the world, with hundreds of schools and organizations throughout Wales celebrating and raising awareness of the important Message. 2 young members who were part of the project have written a small blog about why they feel it is important that they took part.

Edication Pack produced to accompany the 2025 Peace Message


Cymru Can be a Nation of Peace: Llangollen 2025 Peace Lecture

Written by and reposted (with thanks) from The Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. Event organised between Academi Heddwch and Llangollen International Eisteddfod. View ‘Cymru Can’ campaign here.

“”Wales has a role to champion true peace. But to fully embrace the role of a Nation of Peace, however, we must acknowledge and consider the role we still play in Cymru and in the UK, in global conflict”.

– Derek Walker, Future Generations Commisioner for Wales

Lecture by Derek Walker , Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Llangollen Eisteddfod – Main Stage, Wednesday 9th July 2025

“Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi am y croeso cynnes. Thank you so much for the warm welcome.

It’s a real privilege to be with you today at this Llangollen Eisteddfod – a festival that has become one of the world’s great celebrations of peace, culture, and international friendship. I’m especially pleased to join you on such a joyful and energetic day in the heart of the Eisteddfod.

Today and for the whole week we will enjoy some wonderful performances by young people, those voices and creativity are a powerful reminder of what this festival is about: hope, connection, and peace. And what a perfect way to begin a conversation about Wales as a Nation of Peace, with future generations in mind.

There’s something deeply symbolic about this. Because peace isn’t just something adults talk about at conferences. It’s something we live and that we pass on. And what we’ve seen and heard today—from children, communities, and choirs—is a big part of what peace looks like in action.

Llangollen and the Legacy of Peace

This is a festival that was born in the shadow of war.

Back in 1947, just two years after World War II ended, Llangollen made a radical choice. Instead of turning inward, it opened its doors to the world. It said: Let’s bring people together—not through politics or power, but through song and dance.

Let’s let music do the talking. Since then, this stage has welcomed people from around two hundred different cultures. And from the very beginning, the Eisteddfod has celebrated what unites us—not just what makes us different. I think that’s what makes this place so special. And it’s why I believe this festival has something important to say to the world right now.

Because in a world that feels more divided, more uncertain, and more unequal than ever, Wales has powerful stories to tell—stories of peace, compassion, and care for future generations. I believe therefore that Cymru, our country, has some strong foundations on which to build Wales as a nation of peace. And one of the cornerstones of those foundations is the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, which created my role.

Think about the youngest person you know

Some of you may be wondering what is that role, what on earth is the job of a Future Generations Commissioner?

Well, it wouldn’t be surprising if you were asking that question as there is no one in the world with a job quite like mine.

I’m fortunate to hold the responsibility of being the guardian of the interests of people who haven’t yet been born – the generations who will live in Wales after us.

When I’m speaking with public bodies across Wales – the organisations that run our hospitals, our councils, and our other public services – one of the ways I explain my role is to ask people to think of the youngest person they know.

And I invite you all to do that now.

It might be your daughter or grandson or the young person living next door. (For some o the youngsters in the hall, that person might not be much younger than you are now.)

I think of my youngest niece Erin. Erin is 11, soon to be 12, living in Cwmbran. She hates most vegetables and loves playing football. And she’s a talented player too.

I want Erin to have a good education and food on the table and a roof over her head tonight. Of course I do. But in 50 years’ time I also want her to have the chance of healthy and happy life, with clean air and rivers, a health system that is sustainable and access to arts and culture. We all want that for our children and grandchildren.

This is what the Well-being of Future Generations Act is here to do. It is here to guide our public bodies to improve the lives of people today and to improve the lives of generations to come.

And the people of Wales get that. Wherever I go in Wales, people support the need to avoid sticking plaster solutions, to act for the long term for the sake of their children and grandchildren. They want their leaders to be acting today for a better tomorrow.

Peace as More Than the Absence of War

We often think of peace as silence. As stillness. As the end of, or absence of, fighting.

But peace is also found in laughter. In fairness. In community. In protecting nature. In the confidence a child feels when they’re safe, healthy, and free to dream.

This is what we might call positive peace.

This idea is set out clearly in the excellent publication from Academi Heddwch Cymru called Wales as a Nation of Peace, published in August last year.

A positive peace is about creating the right conditions for people to thrive. It is about well-being.

And that’s exactly what Wales set out to do when we passed the Well-being of Future Generations Act ten years ago.

It’s one of the most ambitious laws in the world.

It puts down in law the collective, long-term vision we have for this country, as developed by the people of Wales through the Wales We Want national conversation and as set out in our seven national well-being goals.

Among them:

    • A more equal Wales
    • A Wales of cohesive communities
    • A prosperous Wales
    • A Wales of vibrant culture and a thriving Welsh language
    • A globally responsible Wales

It says that public bodies must think, not just about short-term results, but about long-term impact.

They must consider how their actions affect children, families, communities, and the natural world—not just today, but for years to come. Each of these goals echoes the core principles of positive peace.

Together, they form a guide—not just for sustainable development, but for how a small nation like ours can lead with values and vision. This law is about what matters to people.

When doing this job, people don’t talk to me about abstract terms like economic growth. They talk to me about wanting:

· rivers clean enough to swim in,

· air that is clear and fresh,

· a warm home without damp,

· a job that provides financial security and self-respect,

· healthy food,

· access to arts, literature, and culture as we can today here in Llangollen.

These are the conditions for well-being. Our well-being law is creating the conditions for that positive peace.

Our History of Peace

Wales has a history of promoting peace.

My strategy for my 7 years in this role is called Cymru Can, Wales Can. It is deliberately positive – recognising what Wales has already achieved, whilst urging us all to do more.

In relation to the subject of peace, I believe Cymru Can be a nation of peace.

We’re not starting from scratch. We can look back with pride at what previous generations achieved.

Last year Dr Rowan Williams talked about this history when he delivered this same lecture.

He spoke about ‘Yr Apel’ – the women’s peace petition of 1923 – and how this petition of 400,000 women helped shaped the debate and build support for America to join and lead the new League of Nations.

Let me read a small part of the women’s peace petition. I confess, I had not read it before drafting this speech. It gave me goose bumps because of its foresight and application to my work and the world today.

The petition says:

“The future is big with hope if we as the women of this generation do our part. To us has come an opportunity, as real as the responsibility is grave. We would therefore appeal to you, women of the United States of America, with malice towards none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us, to see the right to aid in the effort to hand down to the generations which come after us the proud heritage of a warless world”

That was a century ago. But it feels relevant, doesn’t it?

It clearly shows the strong desire to bring about lasting peace.

But it also shows a motivation to act in the interests of future generations in the way we do today through the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Those women were saying the same thing we’re saying today: we want a world that’s safe, fair, and full of opportunity for our children and their children.

Welsh connections to the institutions of peace are more than the remarkable women’s peace petition and its link to the League of Nations.

There are also significant connections between Wales and the successor of the League of Nations, the United Nations.

    • There was Welsh involvement in shaping the UN in the early years. The UN celebrates its 80th birthday this year. David Owen, a Welshman, was seen as one of the midwives in preparing a draft of the Charter in 1945. He later became the first Assistant Secretary-General responsible for Economic Affairs.
    • In the 1940s, he set courses that have proved to be of immense international significance such as the basis for the UN Development Programme, one of the most significant achievements in UN history.
    • And, the Secretary-General of the UN, Perez de Cuellar, visited Wales in 1986.

There are many more links. Wales and Welsh people have a history of helping to build the conditions for peace.

And I am pleased to say those connections to the UN continue today.

Our Well-being of Future Generations Act influenced last year’s UN Pact for the Future – which has a chapter on international peace and security – and, in particular, our experience influenced the Declaration on Future Generations, in which nations agreed to create a job just like mine, a special envoy for future generations, but for the world not just for Wales.

I continue to work with the UN team to promote action for future generations around the world.

When I started this role, I was knocked down by the level of global interest in our future generations law. My office regularly receives enquiries from politicians, civil servants, academics, NGOs and interested citizens from around the world who want to hear about our innovative approach.

Which tells me Cymru is a pioneer, but not an outlier.

The Well-being of Future Generations Act is a soft superpower for our country, helping Wales to punch above its weight.

But, whilst this interest is flattering, we must continue to be humble as we still have a long way to go in terms of implementation. We still have some way to go before we are truly a nation of peace.

Peace as a Practice

The absence of peace has felt much closer to home for me in the last couple of years. Since January 2023, my partner and I have been hosting a Ukranian refugee.

When watching the bombing of Kyiv on televison, we are watching a city where she had made her home and had to flee. She does not know her future and worries constantly for the safety of her friends and family.

War no longer seems distant to me.

This same week I am also remembering my university friend, Miriam Hyman, who died in the 7/7 London bombings twenty years ago. Miriam was kind and generous. She was talented and had a very bright future ahead of her. A callous terrorist attack took that away from her. Many of us here today will have similar tragic stories. The absence of peace affects us all.

Peace is something we all have to work on every day; in the day-to-day decisions we make. Peace isn’t just a policy. It’s a practice.

That’s why the Well-being Act talks about behaviors not just goals. We call these the ways of working: thinking long-term, working together, listening to people, and preventing problems before they happen.

We are aiming to make these behaviours part of the culture of how we do things in Wales. And if we can succeed, we have the opportunity of embedding a strong sense of well-being for all of our citizens and of establishing the conditions for a nation of peace, of positive peace.

And that is why events like this are so important. We need to spread these values and ways of working. Because peace isn’t only made in government buildings. It’s made in schools, in community halls, in choirs, in classrooms and in cultural festivals like this one.

It’s made right here.

Wales in the World

Some people ask, “Can Wales really make a difference? We’re a small country. We don’t control foreign policy. We don’t decide defence spending.”

But I think that’s missing the point.

We can make a difference— we already have, and we must do more.

The Senedd has spoken out on Ukraine and on Gaza.

I have joined those calls for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to secure the safe release of all hostages.

Wales has welcomed refugees through our Nation of Sanctuary programme – my Ukrainian guest Natalia is one of them.

We’ve taken bold steps with our Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan and the LGBTQ+ Action Plan, to be a more equal Wales.

We’re also teaching the next generation how to be citizens of the world—through our new curriculum, our Peace Schools initiative, and international exchange programmes like Taith.

On the international stage, Cymru is setting an example and, as I have said, countries are looking to develop their own similar legislation for future generations.

Our future generations law directs us to do what we can for peace around the world. Let me read you the text. The globally responsible Wales goal requires us to be:

“A nation which, when doing anything to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales, takes account of whether doing such a thing may make a positive contribution to global well-being.”

To me that is a call for action to promote global peace.

It is important that in Cymru we make the most of the opportunity we have, to lead by example, speaking out on the global stage and making a case for positive peace in these troubled times.

Wales has a role to champion true peace. But to fully embrace the role of a Nation of Peace, however, we must acknowledge and consider the role we still play in Cymru and in the UK, in global conflict.

The Work Ahead

So, we still have much work to do – both here in Cymru and abroad-, to fully realise the vision of positive peace set out in the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

One of the reasons I am delivering this lecture today, is that, as well as being the 80th year of the UN, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the tenth anniversary of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. It is a decade since Wales made this bold commitment to people not yet born – to the next generation and then next – to that young person who you all thought about back at the start.

Are we building the Cymru that every citizen deserves?

Yes, we are making progress, we’re investing more in healthy travel like cycling, walking, and wheeling and less on road building than we were.

We’re second in the world in recycling.

We’re growing our green energy industry.

But we still have big problems to solve.

    • We are not yet on track to restore nature.
    • We are not on track to eliminate poverty.
    • We are not on track to reverse worrying long term health trends.

That’s why my recent advice to the Welsh Government and our public bodies has recommended:

    • Stronger action for climate and nature
    • A Real Living Wage for all workers
    • And a much bigger focus on prevention – so we spend more time avoiding problems rather than dealing with the consequences.

Because when families are healthy, when communities are strong and nature is thriving, that’s peace in practice.

We also need to listen better. Real peace needs real dialogue. That means giving people- especially young people – more opportunities to shape the decisions that affect their lives.

Again, this was a theme that Dr Rowan Williams spoke about last year. He talked about needing to “build a culture of inclusive democratic optimism.”

I wholeheartedly agree. And it is something that I am paying more attention to in my work as well. The Well-being of Future Generations Act requires our public bodies to involve them in decisions that affect them. And to do this in a meaningful way.

This is not happening to the extent that the law requires, with the result that we are not hearing the concerns of many of our citizens. And we are not sufficiently harnessing their ideas and energy to implement the solutions for tomorrow.

Conclusion: Cymru Can

So let me end by saying thank you to the Academi Heddwch Cymru as I have learned something important for my work when preparing this talk.

I have learned that Wales’s future generations law, and therefore my role in promoting it, is a law that is significantly about peace.

I’ve come to understand more clearly than ever: peace isn’t just about avoiding conflict. Peace is about how we live. It’s about fairness, kindness, and making sure the decisions we take today don’t harm the world that tomorrow’s children will grow up in.

Here in Llangollen, a town that chose music as its language of peace. In a nation that gave the world a petition for peace written by mothers and daughters. In a country that enshrined the rights of future generations into law.

We have a choice.

In a world that seems to be drifting from peace, Wales can be an example.

We can show what it means to lead with culture, compassion, and courage. We can be a Nation of Sanctuary, of solidarity, of sustainability—and yes, Cymru Can be a Nation of Peace.

Diolch yn fawr.”

– Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales



WCIA Branding & Identity Survey: Help shape our Future!

WCIA are in the middle of a rebrand, and we’d love your input.

Over the last few months, we’ve been working hard to make it easier for people to understand what we do and why it matters. That’s meant refining how we talk about ourselves by sharpening our messages and aiming for something that’s clearer, more inclusive, and more emotionally engaging. We want to build stronger connections and reach more people, and that starts with a narrative, name and brand design that truly reflect who we are.

Through research and stakeholder feedback, we’ve learned that our current name which is now 50 years old, no longer fully captures what we do. We heard that the name sounds like we’re part of government, is similar to other organisations in our sector, and isn’t easy to remember. As a bilingual organisation with a focus on global citizenship and unity, we want a brand that is more open, more accessible, and more inviting – to everyone.

As you can imagine finding a new name isn’t easy but we’re pleased to say that we have two potential names. We also have two supporting strapline options (short, memorable phrases that sit alongside and help contexualise our name) and a new brand design direction.

In this short survey, we’re asking for your thoughts. This isn’t a vote to decide the final result, but your feedback will directly inform the next stage of the process and ultimately our decisions.

We’re asking for your views on:
– Two new name options
– Two strapline options
– Our brand design direction

Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey.

Please watch this short video (above) first, then…

Take the Survey

This survey will close on 31 July 2025.

New Branding Samples:

View WCIA E-Newsletter Survey on Mailchimp.



WCIA attains Bronze ‘Youth Quality Mark’ in recognition of excellence

We are delighted to announce that WCIA has been awarded The Bronze Youth Quality Mark for 2025. The process involved a rigorous assessment as well as collaborating with external assessors and partners through interviews and reports. WCIA’s work was described “as an organisation, (who) excel in young people leading” and we are proud to continue supporting them to do so.

The Quality Mark for Youth Work (the Quality Mark) is a national award available to youth work organisations across Wales. A unique tool for self-assessment, it supports and recognises improving standards in the provision, practice, and performance of organisations, demonstrating and celebrating the excellence of their work with young people.

The Education Workforce Council (EWC) administers the Quality Mark in partnership with Education Training Standards (ETS) Cymru, the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services (CWVYS), Principal Youth Officers Group (PYOG) Wales, and Training Agencies Group (TAG), on behalf of Welsh Government.

The Quality Mark consists of two distinct elements:

  • a set of Quality Standards that youth work organisations can use as a tool for self-assessment and improvement
  • an externally assessed Quality Mark that is a national award demonstrating an organisation’s excellence

WCIA’s assessment report spotlighted:

“WCIA is developing peace education in line with the requirements of the Welsh Curriculum. Regular newsletters to peace schools… flag up opportunities for young people to develop skills and get involved in wider opportunities such as Taith projects, Young Peace Ambassadors and the Young Peacemakers Awards.

Throughout Wales, WCIA’s programme of work gives opportunities for young people to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding through a variety of national and international experiences. WCIA create safe environments to encourage the development of excellent relationships between young people, leaders and volunteers, which has been apparent during observational assessments. 

Mobility opportunities (such as international exchange) have a dramatic effect on confidence, emotional capabilities, autonomy and resilience.  Young people develop skills in tolerance, cross cultural communication, and an understanding of diversity, helping them to thrive whilst developing a sense of Wales in the World and their own sense of identity.”

40 youth work organisations in Wales have achieved the Quality Mark: 23 bronze, 6 silver and 11 gold.

WCIA Youth Ambassadors


Archive of the Month: ‘Wales Tops the Polls’ in the 1935 Peace Ballot

Updated from research feature originally compiled in 2019 by Swansea student and WCIA Volunteer Placement Rob Laker.

Published on 7 June 1935, 90 years ago this June, this Peace Bulletin from the Welsh League of Nations Union Archives illustrated initial results from the 1935 Peace Ballot campaign – in which over 1 million people Wales-wide participated.

Download Printable PDF Booklet

The 1935 Peace Ballot was a UK wide poll of Britain’s electorate designed to measure the public’s opinions regarding the key debates in international relations at the time. Despite lacking government sponsorship, the Ballot received extraordinary attention across the United Kingdom – nowhere was engagement higher, however, than in Wales, which quickly came to be recognised as a leading light in the cause of internationalism.

“1,025,040 people in Wales voted in the Peace Ballot of 1935… 62.3% of eligible registered voters”

Between the wars, a new form of outward-looking patriotism had become an important part of Welsh national identity, as ordinary people worked actively to create a Wales which existed at the centre of the international community. Local branches of the Welsh League of Nations Union were active in every corner of Wales, running cultural events such as ‘Daffodil Days’ – the since forgotten annual custom of selling daffodils in aid of the League – and coordinating networks of local activists. This pride in their nation’s role in the quest for international harmony manifested itself in Welsh responses to the Peace Ballot, producing an overwhelming endorsement for the cause of internationalism.

About the UK Ballot

By the end of 1933 it seemed that the international order was unravelling: the World Disarmament Conference had failed to produce results, Germany had withdrawn from the League of Nations, and the organisation had proved itself unable to resolve the Manchuria Crisis.

Internationalists in Britain, however, were anxious that the government remain committed to the League, and so the League of Nations Union set about organising the Peace Ballot in order to demonstrate the British people’s unwavering commitment to internationalism. Between the end of 1934 and the middle of 1935, half a million volunteers canvassed door to door, collecting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses on five key questions:

1)    Should Great Britain remain a member of the League of Nations?

2)    Are you in favour of all-round reduction of armaments by international agreement?

3)    Are you in favour of an all-round abolition of national military and naval aircraft by international agreement?

4)    Should the manufacture and sale of armaments for private profit be prohibited by international agreement?

5)     Do you consider that, if a nation insists on attacking another, the other nations should combine to compel it to stop –

       a) by economic and non-military measures?

       b) if necessary, military measures?
Credit – Northern Friends’ Peace Board, c/o Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) 

Despite being independently conducted, the Ballot – which received 11.6 million responses nationwide – has been described as Britain’s first referendum, and was highly effective in stimulating engagement with the key issues dominating international politics. The poll did not disappoint its organisers, for the result was an emphatic endorsement of internationalist policies from the British public.

  • An astonishing ninety-seven percent of voters felt that Britain should remain in the League
  • while ninety-four percent believed that it should outlaw the arms trade

Read more
WLNU Postbox @ Wales’ Temple of Peace today.

The Welsh Case

In Wales, the organisation of the Ballot fell solely on the shoulders of the Welsh League of Nations Union (WLNU), a challenge which it took up with great enthusiasm. Vast reserves of internationalist sentiment, which permeated every corner of Welsh society, were an important part of interwar society. To believe in Wales was, in this period of salient hope, to actively pursue the cause of peace, thereby locating the Welsh as a ‘force for good’ at the crux of global anxieties.

>

Google Map of Communities who organised Daffodil Days between 1925-39, collated by Rob Laker for his feature article on Daffodil Days of the WLNU . Zoom, or click on pins, to find individual communities. Further info on local activism can be gleaned from Welsh League of Nations Union reports (digitised by WCIA on People’s Collection Wales).

Lord David Davies of Llandinam  (painted by Sam Morse Brown:  National Museum of Wales collections)  

As a result, Lord David Davies (who co-founded the Welsh League of Nations Union with Rev Gwilym Davies) was determined that Wales should produce a spectacular result in the Ballot which he viewed as the very ‘essence of democracy’.

Drawing upon a committed network of volunteers across Wales, supplemented by an army of canvassers (paid at the personal expense of Lord Davies), WLNU representatives went door to door in nearly every Welsh town and village collecting responses.

The responses proved to be an affirmation of Wales’ internationalist credentials, as over one million adults voted in the Ballot – which at the time, represented 62.3 percent of the Welsh electorate (24 percent higher than the average across Britain as a whole).

As of 6th June 1935, the top twelve constituencies in Great Britain with the highest percentage turnout were all in Wales, in some of which over eighty percent of the total electorate responded to the ballot (RH).

In a few cases, turnout was particularly spectacular. In Llanerfyl (Montgomeryshire), for instance, all 304 of its adult inhabitants responded to the poll, likely a testament to the zeal of local activists.

Turnout was in fact much higher in villages than in large towns across the board, and despite hosting the headquarters of the Welsh League of Nations Union, Cardiff produced some of the lowest turnouts of the poll.

We can interpret this as evidence that the success of the Ballot in Wales rested not just in the League’s popularity, but in the strength of Welsh community activism. It is highly likely that organisers in villages such as Llanerfyl (Montgomery) and Nantlle (Gwynedd) were able to achieve a 100 percent response rate because they operated in a tight-knit community, allowing them to rally support face-to-face, one neighbour at a time, in a way which proved more difficult in larger cities.

It is worth noting, however, that despite the strategy of going door-to-door in their local communities, activists were still able to obtain phenomenal results from many larger towns. In Port Talbot, for example, 82.8 percent of the town’s 27,000 adults voted.

Viewed in this light, the results of the Ballot are a testament to the strength and scale of the local networks upon which the Welsh League of Nations relied upon for support.

The way in which Welsh people voted also reflects the strength of their commitment to internationalism. In fact, just 1.7 percent of voters in Wales wanted to leave the League – around half the national average – while Welsh voters were consistently more often in favour of disarmament.

Wales had proved itself a ‘special case’. As historians such as Helen McCarthy have noted, the League of Nations Union was the largest ‘League themed’ society of any in Europe and easily enjoyed the most popular support. It is not unreasonable then, in light of the disparity between Wales and the rest of Britain in Ballot responses, to conclude that…

“in 1935 the Welsh ‘were the most ardently internationalist nation in Europe’.”

Digitised Wales Peace Ballot Records

This collection draws together leaflets, voting forms, campaigner bulletins, articles and analysis by the Welsh League of Nations Union for the 1935 Peace Ballot - a national canvass of public opinion on Peace in the context of the then-escalating European Arms Race. Although the Peace Ballot was an initiative by the UK League of Nations Union, Wales set out explicitly to 'lead the way' and 'top the polls,' to demonstrate the strength of feeling in favour of peace, 16 years after the end of WW1.

The bulletins gave a detailed breakdown of progress on the Ballot, returns from each county of Wales (with comparisons to England), and analysis / encouragement from key figures in Wales' Peace movements. The bulletins carried motivational 'Opinion Pieces' from leaders of Wales Peace movements, such as Gwilym Davies and David Davies; and in depth analysis of the returns received from constituencies all over Wales

Later bulletins and introduction of 'YMLAEN / ONWARD' newsletter, explore implications of the results for Wales' peace building movements, and impact upon domestic and international political affairs - in particular, the meeting of the 1936 League of Nations in Geneva, which was regarded as a failure on the part of national governments. A poster graphic illustrates the UK-wide results, and Wales' leading place within the polls - with 5 of the top 10 constituency returns being Anglesey, Aberdare, Swansea East, Rhondda West and Merthyr Tydfil.
         
1935 Peace Ballot – Briefing for Households 1935 Peace Ballot – Canvassers’ Briefing ‘Peace Calls for Plain Answers to Simple Questions’ – 1935 Media Article Bulletin 2, Jan 22 1935 Bulletin 3, Feb 6 1935
         
Bulletin 4, Mar 9 1935 Bulletin 5, Apr 9 1935 Bulletin 6, June 7 1935 Bulletin 7, Oct 1935: ONWARD YMLAEN / ONWARD Bulletin, May 1936

Outcomes for Britain

The will of the people was unequivocal – Wales and Britain wanted to remain in international circles – what this meant, however, remained open to interpretation.

The organisers of the Ballot presented the result to the prime minister and his cabinet, but it quickly became clear that, due to the binary nature of responses, that the format of the Ballot was a poor vehicle for dictating policy.

‘Remain may have meant remain’, and ‘disarm may have meant disarm’… but the Ballot gave no sense of the scale or manner of which these aims should be pursued.

This left little room for nuance, and instead general opinion was measured without details of its practical implementation. The failure of Ballot organisers to frame the poll’s questions within the myriad complexities of Britain’s international position, made integration of the Ballot’s result into policy making both confusing and impractical – and so the consequences of the Ballot in Britain’s foreign policy are hard to identify.

The Ballot may have failed to significantly influence policy, but the strength of the poll lay in its ability to measure popular opinion. It demonstrated that an overwhelming majority of the population supported Britain’s active involvement in the League of Nations, even if there was no uniform vision of what that involvement should look like.

Across Britain, League of Nations Union branches enjoyed a surge in membership and enthusiasm for the League which, despite the Abyssinia Crisis and the aggression of Hitler, was maintained right up until the outbreak of the Second World War.

UK wide returns against the 5 questions posed by the Peace Ballot.

Outcomes for Wales

WLNU Organiser Rev Gwilym Davies

The Welsh League of Nations Union had a very clear idea of what the result should mean for Wales. For Gwilym Davies (Organiser of the WLNU) the result of the Ballot was ‘the vindication of the democratic right of a free people’ and a demonstration of the ‘notable achievements’ of Wales in the cause for world peace.

In a bulletin on the subject of ‘facing the future’, Davies called for the ‘Welsh million’ to be converted into one hundred thousand new members across Wales. While this roughly eight-fold increase failed to materialise itself,

the WLoNU organisation more than doubled in size, reaching 27,545 paid members by 1937 – the highest at any point in the interwar period.

For Wales, Gwilym Davies published a Constituency by Constituency Analysis of the 1935 Peace Ballot voting returns – which can be viewed on People’s Collection Wales at: www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1247091

Clearly then, far from being a fleeting spike of interest, the Peace Ballot was the source of revitalisation of Wales’ identity as an international nation.

Furthermore, the setbacks suffered by the League of Nations in the mid and late 1930s – instead of leading to disenchantment – only made people in Wales more determined that the principles they had committed to in the Peace Ballot should be upheld. This wave of enthusiasm for peace through internationalism was carried right through to the outbreak of war in 1939 and beyond, later providing the support structures and the much of the personnel for the creation of the United Nations.

One such example is Gwilym Davies himself, Director and co-founder of the WLNU, who not only became president of the Welsh National Council of the United Nations Association, but is considered to be a key architect in the creation of world education & scientific body UNESCO.

Temple of Peace: Headquarters befitting a ‘Booming’ Movement

One of the most striking and longstanding results of the Peace Ballot in Wales is the Temple of Peace and Health, which was opened in Cardiff in 1938.

Envisioned by Lord Davies as ‘a memorial to those gallant men from all nations who gave their lives in the war that was to end war’, construction of the building was started in 1937 at a time when the organisation was rapidly expanding.

'A New Mecca'
Account from the Opening Ceremony, ‘A New Mecca’, from the Temple of Peace Archives

It was felt that, in light of the precarious international situation, it was more important than ever for Welsh internationalism to have a headquarters which suitably reflected its growing influence. Thus rose the Temple – a bastion of peace, intended to make good the sacrifice of those who fell in the ‘war that was to end war’.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/wk5on7Kc1Rs

Today the Temple of Peace still stands – an enduring legacy of the Ballot’s success. The organisations it now houses continue to work in the spirit of the Ballot’s organisers, inheriting the desire that Wales should be at the centre of the international community.

The WCIA – Welsh Centre for International Affairs, founded in 1973, is the modern iteration (the ‘grand daughter’, via UNA Wales) of the Welsh League of Nations Union. WCIA continue the work and vision of WLNU, and the million Welsh people who voted in the 1935 Peace Ballot, to build a better, more peaceful world.

WCIA, like their predecessors, believe that Wales is a nation which can create real and lasting change in the wider world. It is for this proud tradition – driven by the dedication and commitment of local people across Wales – that the galvanising effects of the Peace Ballot should be remembered today.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BDh1E0eoHqg

Blog article and research originally compiled by WCIA Research Intern Rob Laker, on placement with Wales for Peace from Swansea University History Dept over Summer 2019 with ongoing research through 2020. Drawing on materials from the National Library of Wales and Temple of Peace Archives; and Annual Reports of the Welsh League of Nations Union 1922-45 on People’s Collection Wales, digitised by WCIA (with support of Swansea doctoral student Stuart Booker) for open access research. Final edit by Craig Owen, WCIA



AMOCA Artistic Museum of Contemporary Art launch ‘Pop-Up Exhibition’ at Cardiff’s historic Temple of Peace

Join us for a celebration of contemporary Black art featuring 34 artists from Africa and its diaspora. This pop-up exhibition offers a preview of AMOCA’s curatorial vision ahead of the museum’s permanent opening in 2026.

AMOCA, the Artistic Museum of Contemporary Art, proudly announces its prelaunch on June 4, 2025 with a pop-up exhibition at the historic Marble Hall, built in 1938 as the heart of Wales’ Temple of Peace. AMOCA’s permanent home is set to open in central Cardiff in 2026.

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Inaugural Exhibition – AMOCA Dialogues: Black Voices from the Museum Collection

The exhibition features 34 contemporary artists who are reshaping the global art discourse and challenging conventional narratives. This curated selection celebrates the richness and diversity of Black artistic expression from Africa and its diaspora.

Spanning various media and expressions, the works collectively offer a panoramic view of Black contemporary art — reclaiming narratives, expanding visibility, and reflecting on identity, history, and shared experience. The exhibition centers voices that have long been underrepresented in Western art institutions.

A Vision for Wales and Beyond

AMOCA is envisioned as a cultural hub for Cardiff, Wales, and the wider world. The museum seeks to foster dialogue through contemporary art, sparking conversations around society and culture.

As a privately funded, non-profit institution, AMOCA is committed to public engagement through artist residencies, youth workshops, talks, and outreach to underserved communities. Its founding team is a collective of art lovers, curators, and professionals passionate about broadening access to contemporary art.

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“AMOCA will offer a meeting place for innovative, contemporary art. Based in Cardiff, Wales, AMOCA will through unprecedented collaborations with international curators and artists at the forefront of their practices further enhance the public’s appreciation of art.”

Mr Anders Hedlund: From Learning Advocacy to Contemporary Art

AMOCA’s co-founder, Cardiff-based philanthropist and Swedish-born entrepreneur Anders Hedlund, brings a lifelong commitment to social impact.

He is best known for founding the global company IG Design Group and for his dedication to supporting individuals with learning difficulties. Having personally experienced dyslexia — Hedlund established the Tomorrow’s Generation Trust in 1999 in Cardiff, and its after-school and learning programs TG Learning Centre in Lisvane in 2014.

His passion for empowerment through learning is mirrored in AMOCA’s mission to enrich lives through inclusive cultural experiences. Part of his private art collection—developed over three decades—forms the cornerstone of AMOCA’s opening exhibitions.

“Our vision is to enrich the cultural landscape by showcasing art and perspectives that have often been overlooked. We hope to spark new enthusiasm, curiosity, and dialogue around art in all its forms,” says Hedlund.

Exhibition and Opening Celebrations

AMOCA Dialogues: Black Voices from the Museum Collection runs from June 4–14, 2025. Several artists will attend the opening alongside Rakeb Sile, co-founder of Addis Fine Art, a leading gallery championing contemporary African artists.

Featured artists include:

For press inquiries, interviews, and further information, please contact: Roland-Philippe Kretzschmar – rpk@amoca.wales



Wales for Peace in Gaza

View October 2023 Feature ‘Wales for Peace in Israel & Palestine’

In May 2025, First Minister for Wales Eluned Morgan spoke out against the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with Welsh Government releasing an official statement on the humanitarian blockade in Gaza. Oxfam Cymru have critiqued the statement as “well-meaning, but… In the face of imminent famine and where humanitarian protections are systematically violated… devastatingly short of what is needed: polite appeal where moral outrage is called for.”

The First Minister stated:

“I continue to watch in horror at the situation unfolding in Gaza, and I know many of you feel the same way. The devastating images we see – families sleeping in rubble, children starving and crying out for food and water, hospitals on the verge of collapse – aren’t just snapshots of a distant crisis, they’re the daily, brutal reality for people living through unthinkable suffering, with no end in sight.

Let’s be straightforward – what’s happening is an atrocity, and it needs to end. I encourage leaders across the world to put real pressure on the Israeli government to stop the suffering of innocent Palestinians. This isn’t about politics – it’s about basic humanity.”

Responding to the First Minister’s statement, Oxfam Cymru said:

“If we do not speak, the silence will bury the truth. The people of Gaza are not dying because of crop failure, or logistics. They are being starved – deliberately – through a military blockade that contravenes international humanitarian law. Water sources have been bombed. Food convoys have been denied entry. Humanitarian workers have been killed in record numbers. This is an overt attack on the basic human rights of Palestinians in Gaza. It is not a tragedy it is a crime.”

WCIA support Oxfam and civil society organisations Wales-wide in calling for tougher action for Welsh Government to:

  • Publicly demand the immediate, unconditional reinstatement of humanitarian aid access to Gaza.
  • Advocate to UK counterparts for the suspension of arms sales and export licences to Israel, in line with the UK’s legal obligations under international humanitarian law.
  • Ensure Welsh public resources and government operations are not complicit in this crisis.

“You must do everything in your power to push for a permanent ceasefire, to allow humanitarian aid for people facing intolerable suffering. The siege of Gaza must be stopped, and water, food and fuel allowed in. We ask you to work to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza” Oxfam Ceasefire Petition

The Welsh Government have contributed £100,000 towards the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) Middle East Humanitarian Appeal in October 2024, and a further £100,000 in January 2025.

Welsh Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and community groups have been very active in pressing Senedd Members for action on Israel and Gaza through the Senedd over 2023-25, bolstered by firm advocacy from Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner calling for Peace in Palestine.

“[Wales’] voice on the global stage should not only celebrate achievements but also confront injustices. I urge the Welsh Government to reaffirm its leadership in global responsibility and peacebuilding, advocating for immediate and impactful actions to address this pressing issue.“

Quakers have become the first British church to state their belief that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza, following their annual gathering over 27 May. “Radical peacemaking requires us to engage with and to acknowledge truth in all its discomfort, complexity and cruelty. Quakers historically have spoken truth to power. We believe that genocide and mass displacement are underway in the actions of the Israeli government and its military towards the population of Gaza.”  

In a formal statement, the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) has characterised the situation in Gaza as a “genocide in real time”. The organisation cites mass starvation, targeted bombings of civilian areas, and the forced displacement of over 1.5 million people as evidence of a “systematic, targeted destruction of a people”.

A joint statement on Palestine was issued on 16 May by the governments of Ireland, Iceland, Malta and Luxembourg; and on 19 May, the UK Government alongside France and Canada issued a joint statement on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank:

“We call on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.”

On 20 May the UK Government FCDO issued a release stating that sanctions are hitting West Bank Violence Networks.

On 31st May, Israeli authorities arrested Irish citizen D. Murphy aged 70, currently living in Swansea, from Khalet Al-Daba’a, in Masafer Yatta, located in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. D had been volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement at the time of her arrest, as a witness to events taking place in the West Bank.

On 10 June, the UK Government joined Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Norway to formally sanction far-right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, for “incitement of violence” against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Both will be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen.

United Nations Responses

The United Nations Relief Chief has called on the UN Security Council to act decisively to prevent genocide in Gaza:

“Every single one of the 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip face the risk of famine. One in five face starvation – despite the fact that UN donors have funded the food that could save them. The few hospitals that have somehow survived bombardment are overwhelmed. The medics who have somehow survived drone and sniper attacks cannot keep up with the trauma and the spread of disease.”

The UN publishes daily updated Situation Reports @ The UN and the crisis in the Middle East: What you need to know

UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Turk, condemned Israeli strikes that continue to kill civilians and the ongoing blockade of essential aid, which has now entered its 10th week. “Any use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war constitutes a war crime, and so do all forms of collective punishment.”

University of Bristol has published on the international legal implications of supporting Israel, in light of the ICJ’s (International Court of Justice) provisional measures and advisory opinion (view ICJ Convention on Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).

Taking Action – What can I do?



Archive of the Month: 1926 Women’s Peacemakers Pilgrimage Report, 99 years ago this May

99 years ago this month, over May-June 1926 the “Women’s Peacemakers Pilgrimage” marched from N & S Wales and each corner of the UK, uniting tens of thousands under the banner of ‘HEDD NID CLEDD’ / ‘LAW NOT WAR’.

View full Report on People’s Collection Wales

This report from the Temple of Peace and Health Archives of the Welsh League of Nations Union (WLNU), digitised via People’s Collection Wales, records this remarkable campaign UK-wide, with particular profile given to the North Wales Peace Pilgrimage which set off from Penygroes, Caernarfonshire on 27 May 1926:

“For the number, size and enthusiasm of its meetings, the palm must be awarded to #NorthWales. Started by a small group in Bangor, with a few shillings, the North Wales ‘tributary’ speedily swelled to the proportions of a river, and embraced over fifty towns and villages. To the first meeting at Penygroes in South Carnarvonshire, five streams of pilgrims came winding down the hillsides with blue and white pennons. Over two thousand people gathered in the market square from villages near and far.

A wonderful meeting took place in the beautiful historic ruins of Conway Castle, and the audiences at Holywell and Colwyn Bay numbered from three to four thousand. As befits a nation of singers, hymns, Welsh and English, were sung along the route to Chester, where the North Wales and Carlisle routes converged.”

A number of peace activists and historians have explored the story of the North Wales Peace Pilgrimage – see blog links below. However, little is yet known about the South Wales Pilgrimage, which marched through Swansea and Cardiff; this could make a lovely ‘hidden history’ for a student or budding community historian to uncover ahead of next year’s 2026 centenary (please contact craigowen@wcia.org.uk if you would be interested in researching and writing a short feature on the South Wales Peace March).

The Peace Pilgrimage on Film

Pathe Film Footage of the Women’s Peace Pilgrimage, includes clip from 0.47 to 1.07 of the march processing past Caernarfon Castle along Cae Llechi (the Slate Quay), where in 2016 a memorial stone was laid to commemorate the event.

2016 90th Anniversary Re-enactment

In May 2016, Gwynedd women’s groups and peace activists organised a 90th Anniversary ‘Re-enactment March’ (supported by WCIA’s ‘Wales for Peace’ project), following the original route around the walls of Caernarfon Castle. A commemorative slate was laid to mark the occasion in Cae Llechi, the old Slate Quay, to keep the story alive for future generations. This was widely reported on by the BBC and other local media.

The 90th Anniversary March of May 2016 passes Caernarfon Castle, retracing the steps of the 1926 women (above)
The memorial stone laid in Cae Llechi, Caernarfon in May 2016, alongside the 1923-24 Welsh Women’s Peace Petition (following that items display in Storiel, Bangor during Summer 2019). View on People’s Collection Wales

Explore More…

‘At the Front of the March’ blog feature by Jane Tooby, 2014:
https://armingallsides.org.uk/case_studies/at-the-front-of-the-march/

WCIA Voices volunteer blog feature, 2016:
https://wciavoices.wordpress.com/2016/06/01/north-wales-womens-peace-march-1926/



Tribute to Claire O’Shea, Head of Hub Cymru Africa

We’re heartbroken to share that our friend and colleague, and Head of Hub Cymru Africa, Claire O’Shea died peacefully this morning surrounded by her family.

A passionate civil society leader and campaigner for social justice, Claire’s impact has been profound. She dedicated her life to making the world a better place in education and health, loneliness, inclusion and global justice.

Since joining Hub Cymru Africa in 2019, Claire became a leader in global solidarity and international development. An articulate advocate for the importance of helping those in need, regardless of borders, her passion for global solidarity never diminished, even as her own health deteriorated.

Everyone at Hub Cymru Africa, the wider sector and beyond are heartbroken by the loss, but Claire’s legacy in global solidarity will continue to be felt for years to come. We owe it to her to continue her work, advocating for change, demanding justice and creating a more equal world.

We credit and thank our HCA colleagues for sharing this statement. In due course, WCIA hope to put together a more detailed tribute to Claire’s work and contribution to the international sector in Wales and beyond, to join the Temple’s ‘hidden histories’ archives for future generations.



Temple of Peace ‘Stars’ in Richard Burton Biopic

Wales’ Temple of Peace has projected onto the ‘silver screen’ in recent weeks, with release of the film “Mr Burton” starring Toby Jones (of ‘Mr Bates & the Post Office’), Lesley Manville and with Harry Lawtey playing the teenage Richard Jenkins of gritty, working class 1930s Port Talbot – before his meteoric rise to international stardom as Richard Burton, one of Wales and indeed the world’s most famous historic actors.

Harry Lawtey as the young Richard Burton, with the vestibule of Wales’ Temple of Peace recreating the art deco heyday of Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Image – Icon Film Distribution

Whilst the film is a worthy biopic in itself for the centenary of the actor’s birth, Temple Friends could be forgiven for feeling that many of the scenes in the latter half of the film look a little familiar. Reviewers and commentators have commended how well the production recreated the unique ‘art deco’ character of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford upon Avon, where Burton first performed ‘Henry V’ in 1951 – extensively reconstructed in recent years. But this attention to detail came not from CGI reconstruction, but from using Wales’ beautiful Temple of Peace as the ‘film set’ for many of the internal scenes, totalling about 5-10 minutes in the latter half of the film’s story.

From Film Cymru Wales:

“In the Welsh town of Port Talbot, 1942, Richard Jenkins lives as a wayward schoolboy, caught between the pressures of his struggling family, a devastating war, and his own ambitions. However, a new opportunity arises when Richard’s natural talent for drama catches the attention of his teacher, Philip Burton. Taking Richard under his wing, the young man thrives under Philip’s strict tutelage and the guidance of kindly landlady, Ma Smith. However, as the acting world comes within Richard’s reach, the burden of his past risks holding him back forever.

Starring Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Lesley Manville, Aneurin Barnard and Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Mr Burton was directed by Marc Evans, written by Tom Bullough and Josh Hyams, and produced by Ed Talfan and Hannah Thomas for Severn Screen, alongside Promise Pictures’ Josh Hyams and Brookstreet Pictures’ Trevor Matthews. The film was financed by BBC Wales, Principal Film Finance, Moo Studios and Ffilm Cymru Wales awarding National Lottery funding and by the Welsh Government via Creative Wales.”

Stills from Wales’ Temple of Peace:

Richard Burton’s dressing room, one of WCIA’s Temple of Peace offices (screenshot from official trailer)
Actor Harry Lawtey in the Royal Shakespeare’s hall, aka Temple of Peace Entrance Vestibule (screenshot from official trailer)

‘Shooting’ at the Temple was undertaken over a week in July 2024, during which the Hall of Nations and Vestibule were ‘dressed’ to represent different areas of Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1951: a box office, rehearsal rooms, auditorium. One of the Temple’s upstairs offices even masqueraded as Richaerd Burton’s dressing rooms / ‘green room’ for tense scenes as the actor prepared for his debut as Henry V.

One of the joys of working in the Temple is the occasional chance to see ‘behind the scenes’ of productions in progress. We rarely know what is being filmed, given commercial secrecy that surrounds productions prior to public release (otherwise everyone would know the stories before they came out). Part of the fun can be guessing what a film might end up being… But also, seeing the talents in action of dress and props departments, who produce everything from 1950s theatrical poster reproductions to fake marble walls with light fittings that exactly match the Temple’s existing materials!

Wales’ ‘Hall of Nations’ becomes the Royal Shakespeare Theatre of 1951
WCIA Education Manager Amber admires a wood prop created to represent a marble wall
… the same marble wall prop from behind!
WCIA’s entrance vestibule dressed with 1950s posters for Shakespeare productions
WCIA’s entrance vestibule as art deco Box OIffice
WCIA’s entrance vestibule as art deco Box OIffice
WCIA’s entrance vestibule dressed with 1950s posters for Shakespeare productions

‘Mr Burton’ is showing in cinemas across Wales over April and May 2025.

Why not come and see where it was filmed – and indeed, many other productions from Doctor Who to ‘His Dark Materials’? WCIA offer monthly ‘Temple Tours’ exploring the rich story behind Wales’ Temple of Peace – book via Eventbrite.



Conscientious Objectors Day, 15 May: Supporting those who say ‘No to War’

Peace Pledge Union – Conscientious Objectors Day
The Conscientious Objectors Memorial Stone in Wales’ National Garden of Peace

“If the right to life is the first of all human rights

Being the one on which all other rights depend

The right to refuse to kill must be the second.” 

Inscription on COs Memorial Stone, Wales’ National Garden of Peace

#OTD ‘On this Day’, 15 May has been recognised worldwide since 1982 as International Conscientious Objectors Day. Halfway point between most nations’ Remembrance Days in November – which traditionally focus on military loss – COs Day provides a dedicated opportunity to reflect and learn about those who have taken a conscious stand against war: objectors of conscience, founded in political or religious beliefs, human rights and protest against state policies that they fundamentally disagree with.

Objecting to War – Recognising the Refuseniks of Russia and Israel

Historically associated in the UK primarily with World War One and (to a slightly lesser extent) World War Two, Conscience has become a far more present issue in the last couple of years as conflicts have erupted between Israel and Palestine, and Russia and Ukraine. In 2024, civilians who oppose state aggression were again being imprisoned for their beliefs, dependent for their freedom on public support through campaigns by civil society networks like Amnesty International and War Resisters International.

This interactive map by Peace Pledge Union gives examples and case studies of Objectors from around the world.

Wales’ History of Objection from World War One to Today

Opposing Conflict – Home
Wales’ Heritage of Protest, WW1 to today
Peace Schools Resources

The ‘Right to Protest’ enjoyed by most democratic societies today, from peace activism to foxhunting, owes much of its origins to the stand taken by objectors to the First World War.

A detailed history by Aled Eirug of ‘Welsh Opposition to the First World War’ – reviewed by WCIA’s team on publication in 2019 – offers an unprecedented insight into the motivations and stories of over 900 Conscientious Objectors from Wales, many of whom were imprisoned for their beliefs. In a mark of how far public opinion can swing, some of those ostracised by society during the patriotic ‘war fervour’ of WW1, were elected to parliament in the 1920s by the very same constituents by then recognising the urgency of peace after the loss of a generation. WCIA worked with Leeds University Research Fellow Cyril Pearce to make publicly accessible his ‘Pearce Register of Conscientious Objectors’, searchable through WCIA’s Peace Map.

WCIA created a touring exhibition over 2016-19, ‘Belief and Action’, which remains available for loan to community groups and venues. In Autumn 2018, Cyfarthfa Castle Museum ran a film project with young people from Merthyr Tydfil, exploring archives from Conscientious Objectors Tribunals over 1916-18 – where those who had applied for exemption from Military Service were ‘tried’. Their film ‘Without the Scales’ can be viewed below, or on Youtube.

Film by Coleg y Cymoedd students about Merthyr Tydfil’s WW1 Military Tribunals

Objection in Russia and Ukraine

Source: War Resisters International

Russia’s war in Ukraine over the last year has brought conscientious objection to a fore again, as many Russians have refused to attack their neighbours. Al Jazeera reported on widespread resistance to Russian conscription, whilst ‘The Conversation’ spotlighted Ukraine’s Human Rights contraventions from their ‘enforced conscription’ policy of banning men from leaving the country.

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation, IFOR amplify voices from COs and peace networks worldwide, including from Russia and Ukraine themselves. Elena Popova of the Russian movement of Conscientious Objectors in February 2023 said “since the start of this war people are very afraid in all sorts of ways; afraid they’ll all be grabbed and thrown into the meat-grinder. They feel their freedom is under immense pressure.”

War Resisters International have a ‘Ukraine’ homepage drawing together voices across it global network of pacifist groups, and have been monitoring and reporting on prosecutions against Ukrainian and Russian objectors.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

The tradition of protest against war has been continued in Wales, particularly through the CND movement. Over 2021-22, WCIA worked with CND Cymru to digitise and curate their campaigns and magazines from 1982 to today – explore CND’s history of activism in Wales.

CND Cymru Archives



Marking #FutureGens10 – a Decade of Welsh Action for Future Generations

Ten years after Wales’ Future Generations Act launched in 2015, it has increased prominence but is not yet driving the system-wide change that was intended, according to recent assessment by Audit Wales.

#FutureGens10 Report
Audit Wales Report

This report is about how Welsh public bodies are thinking and acting for the long term. Specifically, it is about how public bodies are doing what the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requires them to do at a time when the long-term sustainability and affordability of services and government policy commitments are being tested.

Over the 10 years since the Act has been in place the pressures on public services have grown. If the Act is Wales’ answer to meeting the big challenges, it needs to be implemented well. The Act should touch all aspects of public bodies’ work. It is about driving a change in what public bodies do and how they do it.

We found variation in practice within organisations, and within and between sectors. The health system in particular has some way to go in applying future generations thinking across its planning and delivery.

Accelerating progress under the Act starts with prioritising prevention. Without a more systematic shift towards prevention, budgets will be exhausted, and outcomes will likely be worse. Public bodies also need to improve the information they use to inform planning and decision-making, get a better grip on resource implications, and make sure they can understand impact. And there is still much to do to apply the Act to functions such as workforce planning, asset management, and financial planning.

Delivering change will require action from all public bodies individually. But that will not be enough. They are working in an environment that does not always promote that change. There is action that government could take to create the conditions for progress.

In 2020, we called for a review of the Act to explore how barriers to its implementation could be overcome and how Wales could remain at the forefront of actions to improve well-being. Five years on, that recommendation has not been acted on in the way we had hoped.

We have made recommendations to individual public bodies through the audit work that this report builds on. This report makes four further recommendations. They are strategic recommendations to the Welsh Government, designed with the wider conditions for progress in mind. They call on the government to minimise funding uncertainty to help bodies plan effectively and to encourage investment in prevention. They also call on government to take a fresh look at the assessment of performance and impact under the Act and to clearly set out a scope and timetable for its own evaluation of the Act in the context of wider scrutiny.

We hope that this report can contribute to a wider conversation about how public bodies apply the Act to make a real and lasting impact. All those in positions of scrutiny must play their part in recognising good practice and calling out where bodies are falling short.

Auditor General, Adrian Crompton said: 

“Ten years on from its inception, I see energy and enthusiasm for the Act in various quarters; and I see public bodies having different conversations, making decisions informed by the Act, and changes in practice. But for all the good examples, there are those that are not so good. The Act is not driving the system-wide change that was intended.

Of course, driving change across often large, complex organisations is hard. But I urge public bodies to see the sustainable development principle as a value for money issue. We cannot afford to design solutions that do not meet people’s needs, burden future generations with avoidable higher costs, or miss opportunities to deliver more with the same or less.”