Written on 01-03-2018 by Awel Irene
A world-wide campaign is being launched by a group of Gwynedd women to commemorate thousands of women who signed a peace petition following the First World War. The ‘Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu’ (Grandma’s Peace) launch will be held to celebrate International Women’s Day on 8th of March, with the photography exhibition ‘Women, War and Peace’ and workshops at Oriel Caffi Croesor, Croesor, Snowdonia.
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Between 1923-24, over 390,000 Welsh women signed a petition to the women of America asking them to influence the country in becoming a key part of the League of Nations – and to play its part in achieving a world without war. Later, in 1926, over 2,000 women from North Wales marched to demonstrate their opposition to the atrocities of the First World War as part of the Women’s Peace Pilgrimage to London’s Hyde Park.
These extraordinary acts of peace came to light through the work of Wales for Peace, a Heritage Lottery funded project that is part of the Welsh Centre on International Affairs. Now, a group of Gwynedd women – Ifanwy Williams from Porthmadog, Iona Price from Tanygrisiau, Anna Jane from Caernarfon and Awel Irene from Llanfrothen – have come together to form Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu, a 7 year long campaign with its main aim to continue the efforts of the women who worked hard in the name of peace. They have already created a brand new Peace Petition and gathered 1,000 signatures from all over Wales. The campaign will be officially launched at the beginning of March in the village of Croesor, alongside the opening of the celebrated ‘Women War & Peace’ exhibition.
Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu organiser, Iona Price says: “My initial reaction to hearing about this amazing petition was that of shock and disbelief that I had never heard about it before – that is the reaction of most people. So a group of us have come together to make sure that we will never forget the voices of these women and that the plea for peace and a world without war would never be silenced.”
The Women, War and Peace Exhibition will remain at Caffi Croesor through the Easter Holidays.
On the evening before the launch, Wednesday, the 7th of March at 7.30pm, ‘Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu’ will be hosting a presentation by international photojournalist Lee Karen Stow, who will be discussing her experience of travelling the world photographing women who have been affected by war and their efforts for peace.
On the 8th of March, Lee Karen Stow will run a workshop for young people in the area. At 2.30p, ‘Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu’ will be officially launched. In the evening, the women will be gathering at CellB, Blaenau Ffestiniog where an open discussion is held to celebrate International Women’s Day, as well as a screening of the film, ‘Dolores’ – everybody welcome!
7th March, 7.30 pm, Caffi Croesor Gallery – Presentation by the photographer, Lee Karen Stow
8th March, 2.30pm, Caffi Croesor Gallery – Official Launch of ‘Heddwch Nain-Mam-gu’
8th March, 6pm, CellB, Blaenau Ffestiniog – An open discussion about Women’s International Day by Shan Jamil Ashton before showing the film ‘Dolores’.
Find out more online at www.walesforpeace.org/womenwarandpeace
For further information about the event, contact: awelirene@wcia.org.uk.
Wales for Peace is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and managed by the Welsh Centre for International Affairs, with 10 partner organisations.
Ysbrydoledig! Diolch am eich ymchwil a’ch brwdfrydedd i ailgynneu fflam gobaith y gorffennol.
Inspirational! Thank you for your research and your enthusiasm to re-kindle the hope of yesteryear.