The Friends of the Temple of Peace group aims to encourage public interest in, and raise awareness of, Wales’s historic Temple of Peace and Health. It works with local communities and stakeholders to help safeguard this unique building and its contents for future generations. Its members and partners seek to advocate for the Temple, demonstrating both its historical value and its contemporary relevance.
In one of our early meetings we were joined by Graphic Illustrator Nate Barnaby, who captured the Temple Friends vision:
About the Temple
Read ‘A New Mecca: The Story behind Wales’ Temple of Peace‘, by Dr Emma West (WCIA Heritage Trustee)
Wales’ Temple of Peace and Health is a public monument, gifted to the nation and to Wales’ future generations in 1938 by Lord Davies of Llandinam, on behalf of the generation who survived World War 1. The Lease and formal ownership of the building affords guardianship, office space and income generation to successive bodies leading work on Peace and Health – today, the Welsh Centre for International Affairs and Cardiff University. However, Wales’ Temple of Peace, and the adjacent National Garden of Peace, hold an importance place in the hearts of many individuals and organisations Wales-wide – all of whom share a common vested interest in the Temple’s past, present and future.
Temple Friends’ Community
The ‘Temple Friends’ community brings together organisations and individuals, beyond the building’s occupants, to work together, coordinate ideas and events, and have a voice in the Temple’s development and role in Welsh public life. Friends of the Temple of Peace is intended as an informal but effective forum, pooling energies and knowledge of individuals and organisations involved: independent of, but supported by WCIA, Academi Heddwch, Cardiff University and others, to:
- Facilitate contact and cooperation between communities / stakeholders with an interest in the Temple and Peace Garden, including online forum and email list for information / updates.
- Facilitate joint events and volunteering projects on aspects of the Temple’s heritage that are important to community groups.
- Monitor maintenance of the Peace Garden, organising volunteer ‘gardening bees’ and litter picks, and raising groundwork or other concerns with Cardiff University’s Estates team.
- Consider and approve requests for new / refurbished monuments & plants in Wales’ National Garden of Peace, in line with its public purpose.
- Liaise with WCIA and Cardiff University over any proposed building developments, and ensure that voices of wider Temple stakeholders are heard and taken into account with planning and refurbishment processes.
- Enable local communities of volunteers to get involved with heritage projects and research initiatives.
How can I / we get involved?
Email templefriends@wcia.org.uk (please include: name and contact details, organisation (if relevant), a brief note about your interest / connection to the Temple of Peace and Peace Garden, and any specific aspects of the Friends’ work that you would like to be included in).
It is anticipated Temple Friends will hold (roughly monthly) discussions, on or offline, usually about an hour in late afternoon / early evenings; and over Spring to Autumn, ‘Peace Garden picnics’ and other informal and enjoyable gatherings.
Who are the ‘Temple Friends’?
A wide range of organisations and community groups continue to have an active interest in the Temple and Peace Garden. Inclusion (or not) on this list does not reflect or imply any formalised agreements or responsibilities – simply an active history of participation in recent years. Academi Heddwch
- Amnesty International Wales
- BAME memorial partners through Race Council Cymru
- Bute Park Education Centre volunteers
- CND Cymru (and local CND branches)
- CWVYS (Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services)
- Cymdeithas y Cymod / Fellowship of Reconciliation
- Dolen Cymru Wales Lesotho Link
- Durga Puja Festival Committee Wales
- David Davies Memorial Institute, Aberyswtyth University
- Davies family of Llandinam
- European Solidarity Corps (ESC) Wales volunteers network
- Gregynog Hall Trust
- Holocaust Memorial Trust Wales
- Hub Cymru Africa
- International Brigades Memorial Trust Wales
- National Assembly for Wales: Presiding Officer, First Minister, MALD and Senedd
- Oasis
- Outdoor Cardiff – Friends volunteers & groups
- Oxfam Cymru
- Peace Schools network Wales
- Quakers / Society of Friends Wales
- Remembering Srebrenica Wales Board
- Rotary International Cardiff branch
- Royal British Legion (Wales)
- Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) volunteers
- Size of Wales climate change project
- Soroptomists International Wales
- Swansea University History department
- Syrian Welsh Society and Twitter
- UNA Cardiff
- UNA Exchange international volunteering alumni
- Wales Armenian Community
- Welsh Historic Gardens Trust
- Women’s Peace Appeal Centenary Partnership
- WCIA
