The Peace Rose
Nestled behind the Peace Garden Memorials Trail map lectern – and symbolically facing the UN Mosaic and Flagpole at the heart of Wales’ National Garden of Peace – is the equally symbolic ‘Peace Rose‘ bush (see image caption), planted in June 2021 as a tribute to Peter Davies and the Size of Wales climate change and rainforest conservation movement – one of Wales’ most enterprising and imaginative initiatives to have emerged over the post-devolution era.
The UN Mosaic facing the rose bush is dedicated to the United Nations, with ‘segments’ representing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – of which SDG15 ‘Life on Land’ is dedicated to forests, desertification and biodiversity.
Peter Davies’ contribution
Peter Davies from Pembrokeshire co-founded the charity ‘Size of Wales’ in 2010, following an initial 2 year pilot with WCVA under the direction of the Wales Civil Society Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Task Force, which Peter coordinated and chaired from 2005. Peter went on to become Chair of WCVA itself from 2014, among many other roles leading Welsh Civil Society efforts on Sustainable Development and Climate Change, and in establishing the Future Generations Act and Commission. Read more…
Size of Wales Blog Tribute to Peter Davies
Peace Heritage profile on the work of Wales’ MDGs Task Force
Climate Change Movements in Wales
Each of the commemorative bushes in the Peace Garden represents both individuals who have inspired global action, but also movements of people Wales-wide. As well as supporting forest projects across Africa, Asia and South America, the work of Size of Wales has given voice particularly to younger generations – through education, youth climate ambassadors, Climate Summits, campaigns, Go Green Days.
Size are a progressive part of Wales’ long history of ‘global green’ movements Wales-wide, from today’s Extinction Rebellion campaigners to pioneers such as CAT and Dyfi Biosphere and the Black Environment Network BEN.
The Rose Planting
The Peace Rose was planted by Peter Davies and incoming Size of Wales Chair Carwyn Jones, former First Minister of Wales, in a small ceremony in June 2021, when restrictions of the COVID Pandemic unfortunately precluded the option of a more public event. They were accompanied by former Size of Wales staff and trustees, some of whose tributes appear in this blog article and short film clip (below) about Peter Davies’ contribution to Welsh action on Climate Change:
Peter Davies on Volunteer Week 2020:
