Peace conference debates a ‘warless world’

First Minister Eluned Morgan and Aberystwyth University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jon Timmis with the organisers of the peace conference at Aberystwyth.

The First Minister has opened a special peace conference at Aberystwyth University organised to discuss how can Wales contribute to a world without war.

The one-day event was arranged by Academi Heddwch Cymru, Aberystwyth University and the Heddwch Nain-Mamgu peace group to mark the culmination of the Welsh Women's Peace Petition centenary project.

The women behind the historic 1923-24 petition had collected 396,290 signatures from all over Wales before traveling to North America to present their message of peace to the women of the USA as well as the President in the White House.

Addressing delegates in Aberystwyth today (Thursday 5 June 2025), Eluned Morgan MS said:

"The story of the Welsh Women's Peace Petition is one of the most powerful and moving stories in our nation's history. It shows us what is possible when women come together with courage and purpose. Thanks to the hard work of the volunteers, the legacy of the Petition isn’t just preserved - it’s alive again and reaching far beyond Wales.

“I want to pay tribute to the women who signed the Peace Petition. We must never forget what they did - or why they did it. Their actions remind us that a small country like Wales can still have a big voice in the world.”

The aim of the conference was to debate how best to continue the efforts of the women who set out a century ago to campaign for a world without war.

Mererid Hopwood, Secretary of Academi Heddwch Cymru and Professor of Welsh and Celtic Studies at Aberystwyth University said:

"The history of the Welsh Women's Peace Petition is a remarkable one and tireless work has been going on over the past year to share and celebrate its story. But despite the efforts of peace campaigners past and present, we still live in a world where conflict and discord are commonplace. What can Wales do to help realise the ambition for a world without war? That has been the focus of our discussions today."

During the conference, delegates discussed the ‘Wales as a Nation of Peace’ report commissioned by Academi Heddwch Cymru and, following an interactive session, it was decided to establish a new network to work towards this goal.

There were presentations too on the wide range of activities organised in Wales and the United States in 2024 as part of the peace petition centenary project.

Ffion Fielding, Women’s Peace Petition Project Manager, said:

"The response to the centenary has been phenomenal, with thousands of people responding in their own way – creatively, digitally, and through events and exhibitions. This conference will help us maintain the momentum and create a lasting, worthy legacy."

Dr Jenny Mathers, reader in Aberystwyth University's Department of International Politics and co-editor with Professor Hopwood of The Appeal: The Remarkable History of the Welsh Women's Peace Petition (Y Lolfa, 2023), added.

"The promotion of peace through academic research and teaching has been a feature of the University's Department of International Politics since it was established at the end of the First World War in 1919 - the first department of its kind at the time. Its aim at that time was to bring about a new dimension in the field of international relations, where small countries like Wales could make unique contributions to global peace. That mission remains at the core of our work today."

Further details about the Welsh Women’s Peace Petition can be found on the website of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs: wcia.org.uk/academiheddwch/peacepetition.

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