At midday on 9th July young people from all over Wales will be celebrated for their positive contributions to peace and global citizenship.
The sixth Wales Young Peacemakers Awards ceremony, jointly organised by the Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod took place last Friday with prizes for artwork, creative writing and film and also for their positive work as local and global citizens.
It’s clear from this year’s entries that children and young people in Wales feel passionately about the horrors of war, about stopping climate change and the importance of gender and racial equality. It’s also clear that they see signs of hope for the future following the COVID pandemic and are willing to roll up their sleeves and make things happen.
Carmarthenshire’s Global Goalkeepers, for instance, have been involved in a range of actions from creating peace gardens in their school to learning about fast fashion and peacemakers and setting up Zoom links with young people in other parts of the globe.
‘The young peacemakers awards have meant I can express my views in a visual way, that allows people to think and discuss with others the topic of language and peace to hopefully make a positive change.’
Young Peace Artist, Xander Evans.
A ‘Global Goalkeeper’ from Old Road Primary School, Carmarthenshire added: “We have enjoyed being leaders and helping others understand about peace and justice. We are proud of ourselves and the school knowing that we can make a difference.”
To get a flavour of the positive work children and young people in Wales have produced and to find out who the winners of this year’s Awards are, watch the ceremony: