Time to celebrate all the young people who have been active in the pursuit of peace in their local or wider community this year. Many have been working towards achieving Peace School status. The young people have inspired so many and we are all very excited by the entries. The WCIA Young Peacemakers Awards will be presented on Thursday 4 July at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen by the Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford.
Young artists and writers from Ysgol David Hughes, Menai Bridge almost swept the board on the art awards: Lois William’s Poem on meeting a Holocaust Survivor took first prize in the Young Writer category. Elgan Edwards, with Peace quotes on black with doves, won the 2D art category; Llio Mutembo came joint first in the 3D art with Poppies, barbed wire & a bullet together with Tigi Hirst-Williams, who used natural materials in her art work to remind us of the link between peace and care of our planet.
Year 5 at Ysgol Tirdeunaw delighted the judges with their story and images about Bubbles Troubles (Tirdeunaw – Bubbles’ Troubles – Tirdeunaw – Bwrlwm a’i broblem) a turtle, who finds friendship, overcomes discrimination and teaches us what we can all do to help the environment. (Gwern William, from Ysgol David Hughes, won the prize for digital peacemaker with his song about a victim of the Holocaust.
The young Kindness ambassadors at Peace School Ysgol Dyffryn Aman were absolute stars spreading peace in their school and community by random acts of kindness and took the first prize for Peacemakers.
Here is a selection of some of the great work. Visit our young Peacemakers Awards exhibition at the Eisteddfod to see more and check out the full entries list .
Through November 2018, the Welsh Centre for International Affairs organised an ambitious programme of events to mark the 80th Anniversary of the opening of Wales’ Temple of Peace on Nov 23rd 1938, as well as #WW100 – the centenary of the Armistice of 11th Nov 1918, and beginning of the post-WW1 “Peace Process” that shaped global relations over the century since.
WCIA delivered over 43 events with a wide range of partners, each exploring an area of Wales’ ‘Peace Heritage’, and the work of Temple organisations past, present and future – as well as showcasing through the Wales for Peace Exhibition the work of volunteers and communities who have contributed to the Wales for Peace programme between 2014-18. This blog aims to draw together links and resources from all these activities, as they become available.
Voices of 1938 – Clippings Projection
Voices of Temple80 – Film
Temple80 November Programme of Events (scroll down for recordings / outputs)
– WCIA VIPs Reception and alumni reunion, with Cutting of a ‘Rainbow Cake’
Peace Garden 30th Anniversary
On Saturday 24th, this was followed by a #PeaceGarden30 Rededication and Family Fun Day, in which WCIA brought together UNA Exchange international volunteers and alumni and Garden of Peace Founder Robert Davies, with children from Roath Park Primary School
Together they unveiled 2 new colourful mosaics (created by international volunteers) on a new archway entrance in the Peace Garden; buried a Time Capsule in the Garden, to be opened in 50 years time; and unveiled a plaque on one of WCIA’s meeting rooms in honour of Robert Davies, and all international youth volunteers inspired by him from 1973 to today.
#Temple80 ‘Wales for Peace’ Exhibition
The Exhibition accompanying Temple80 sought to draw together the story of the Temple, with Wales’ peace heritage of the last 100 years – including hidden histories gathered by community groups and volunteers 2014-18 – along with responses from young people, schools and artists.
‘We Will Remember Them’ – BBC Documentary by Huw Edwards (Temple of Peace features in about 5 minutes of content, with Dr Emma West and Dr Alison Fell)
