Community heritage in Action
Community Heritage Projects Wales-wide
Cymru Global’s heritage work comes to life when working with communities Wales-wide, facilitating volunteer-led projects that foster widespread participation and pride in Cymru’s ‘local to global’ identity. Through uncovering hidden histories of peacemakers past, community heritage projects can inspire action on global issues in the present.
From Cardiff to Caernarfon and Carmarthen, Llangollen to Lesotho, Cymru Global works in partnership with local groups and heritage organisations to support activities ranging from community arts or youth projects, to student research and work experience – helping channelling energies and enthusism of volunteers to capture stories for future generations.
This page spotlights the digitial legacy of recent peace heritage projects, and the foresight of funders who have enabled these to happen.
Community peace heritage projects
‘Hawlio Heddwch’: Welsh Women’s Peace Appeal Centenary, 1924-2024
Signed by 390,296 women Wales-wide, this 7 mile long petition presented to the women of America in 1923 mobilised communities ravaged after WW1 – and laid the groundwork for United Nations and other internationalist movements.
Community peace heritage projects
Faith 4 a Warless World, 1925-2025.
In 1925 churches across Wales, in the aftermath of Disestablishment and WW1 – which had torn faith communities apart – built new ecumenical understandings as they presented a united petition to the ‘Faith Leaders Congress in Detroit, Dec 1925.
Community peace heritage projects
Wales for Peace, 2014-19
Cymru Global’s heritage programming largely emerged as a legacy of the Heritage Lottery Funded WW1 Centenary programme ‘Wales for Peace’, which over 2014-19 worked with communities Wales-wide to explore the very concept of ‘peace heritage’ – posing the question “how, in the 100 years since WW1, have Welsh communities contributed to the search for peace?” From Caernarfon to Carmarthen, creative projects unearthed previously hidden histories – and a narrative core to Welsh identity today.
Celebrating community participation in
Temple80
In November 2018, WCIA staged a month long programme of community events to mark Temple80 – the 80th anniversary of the Temple’s opening.
Community peace heritage projects
Lesotho40
As Dolen Cymru, Wales’ Lesotho Link, celebrate 4 decades after Wales having ‘been chosen’ to work with South Africa land-locked mountain kingdom, volunteers have been exploring archives from early days.
Community peace heritage projects
WCIA50 ‘Golden Anniversary’, 2023
On 11 October 1973, the Welsh Centre for International Affairs at Wales’ Temple of Peace was officially opened by Foreign Office Minister Lady Tweedsmuir, following a 5-year campaign to ‘give Wales a voice in the world’. WCIA has since coordinated civil society efforts on global learning, global action and global partnerships, touching lives of many across the generations – from ‘Model UN Summits’ and Schools Debating Championships, to international volunteering, humanitarian action and Wales Africa Links.
From October 2023, WCIA will launch a golden anniversary ‘year of activities’ to celebrate half a century of Wesh action on global issues – and to look forward towards the opportunities and challenges of the next half century.
Community peace heritage projects
CND Cymru Archives
Over 2010-22, WCIA worked with CND Cymru to support volunteer-led digitisation of their Welsh campaigns archives and newsletters.
Communities & Schools – Speaking Truth to Power
Belief in Action: Conscientious Objectors
Wales’ National Garden of Peace offered the first formal space where Welsh WW1 COs were honoured with a dedicated memorial. During the WW1 Centenary we also developed a a searchable database of Welsh COs building on research by Cyril Pearce, a touring exhibition ‘Belief & Action’, and accompanying schools pack.
Archive Spotlight:
Minnie James Collections
Minnie James from Dowlais, Merthyr opened Wales’ Temple of Peace on 23 November 1938, representing war bereaved mothers of Wales and the world. She had lost 3 sons, whose mementoes from the trenches – their letters, postcards and medals – she kept in her ‘box of treasures’, unearthed by her family over 80 years later and shared with the Temple Archives to tell their story.
Community Participation:
Women’s Peace Petition
The story of the 1923 Welsh Women’s Peace Petition to America, supported by 390,296 women in the aftermath of World War One, inspired communities and individuals Wales-wide to mark the centenary of a truly remarkable campaign.
Community Projects
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