May 15 7.00pm

SWANSEA UNIVERSITY James Callaghan Lecture Theatre

Public Lecture: “Meeting Thomas Merton” Jim Forest (Author; Lay Orthodox Theologian; Peace Activist; and Friend of Thomas Merton)

Admission Free

This lecture will provide the supreme opportunity to hear what it was really like to meet Thomas Merton. Please come along to find out! Everyone is most welcome to attend.

May 18 12.00pm

ABERPORTH

Stop the drones protest

Organised by Cardigan Quakers

markfranchi@hotmail.co.ukm:07905956324 or ruth.burton@tiscali.co.uk t:01239 811139.

Until May 17 from 9am to 5pm

WREXHAM CATHEDRAL

‘Loss of Innocence’ – Gaza – Children’s Art Exhibition

A unique child’s-eye view of the world

The works were collected in 2009 by Rod Cox from Chester and Palestine Exchanges (CAPE) and tell through pictures a moving story of the traumas experienced by children during the ‘Operation Cast Lead’ bombardment of Gaza by Israel in 2008-9 which, according to Dr. Khalil Abu Foul,

spokesperson for the humanitarian Red Crescent organisation “did not just have 1500 killed, or 5000 wounded. It has traumatised the entire population, all 1.5 million.”

Organised by Wrexham Peace Day Group, which organised three days for peace last year

in September including a day for 300 children from 10 local schools.

Free admission .

The exhibition will then move to other venues in the Wrexham area over the following weeks and will be at St Christopher’s School from 4 June. For more information about the exhibition in Wrexham and to make enquiries about local bookings e: peacedaywrexham@yahoo.co.uk or t: 0845 330 4505.

May 16 7pm

WREXHAM CATHEDRAL

Rod Cox will be speaking about the ‘Loss of Innocence’ – Gaza – Children’s Art Exhibition

at the Cathedral at an evening viewing.

Teachers interested in taking pupils to the exhibition and a session led by Rod Cox in June can contact peacedaywrexham@yahoo.co.uk for further information.

More information about the exhibition and CAPE www.cape.uk.net/

May 18 11a.m. – 2pm

BRIDGEND

Walk of witness for the IF Campaign to end global hunger. Start from Bridgend Quaker Meeting House or outside the Oxfam shop in Bridgend. Come and join us and raise awareness and sponsorship for this campaign. For further details, contact Jane Harries 01656 768910 or Deana Owen 01656 662301.

May 19

IONA

Pilgrimage for Peace and Justice

From Iona to Westminster.

May 22 2013 10.30am – 3.45pm

CARDIFF Wales Millennium Centre

Fair Trade Wales – Sustainable Procurement

This free one-day conference on the theme of sustainable procurement is aimed at policy makers and practitioners at all levels. If tendering is a feature of your day to day role or you simply have an interest in current welsh-based and European legislation , and what’s on the horizon then this series of Q&As and workshops will allow you to be updated, inspired and networked.

For more information on the above conference please email: tristan@fairtradewales.org.uk This is a free conference. If travel costs are a barrier to your attendance please email info@fairtradewales.org.uk Funded by the EU, Wales for Africa Department , Welsh Government and supported by the Fairtrade Foundation and Fair Trade Wales.

May 25 1.30 – 5.30 pm

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY Park Place

All Wales Anti-Drones Conference

DRONE WARFARE: FROM WALES TO GAZA

Wallace Lecture Theatre, Main Building

To discuss what drone warfare is & how we build the anti-drones movement in Wales.

The US launches hundreds of drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and reports show thousands of people killed, including hundreds of children, while Israel uses drones to launch regular strikes on the besieged people of Gaza.

The Welsh Government uses millions of pounds of our taxes to facilitate the testing of drones at Parc Aberporth. The Israeli military are a frequent presence there. Do we want our government to be complicit in war crimes?

Speakers include – Rafeef Ziadah Palestinian Spoken Word Artist & Activist

Senior Campaigns Officer with War on Want

Chris Cole – Secretary of the Drones Campaigns Network & Founder of Drones Wars UK blog;

Harry Rogers – Bro Emlyn for Peace and Justice; Haya Al-Farra – Palestinian from Gaza; Arfon Rhys – Secretary, Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales / Cymdeithas y Cymod; Jill Evans MEP – Former Chair CND Cymru and peace campaigner; For more info. and full conference programme email – Cardiff_troopsout@hotmail.co.uk

Free admission. Sponsored by Abergavenny and Cardiff Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, Cardiff S.T.A.R and others.

May 25

KNIGHTON Farmers’ Market – Community Centre

by the CND/KAPJ stall at

Knit-in for the 7 mile long pink peace scarf that will stretch from Aldermaston to Burghfield next year. If you have any metre length pieces finished do bring them along so we can sew them together and see how long our local scarf is.

Contact Angie Zelter: t: 01547-520 929 e: reforest@gn.apc.org

May 27 7:30pm

WREXHAM Saith Seren, 18 Chester Street

Dave Rovics – US anti-war folk singer

Brilliant – don’t miss him!

May 31 – June 2 and/or July 5-7

CARDIFF Quaker Meeting House, 43 Charles Street

Alternatives to Violence (AVP) workshops - Friendly group workshops for anyone who would like to learn how to deal with conflict better and build more positive relationships.

For more information, or to book a place, contact Sue Proudlove t:01443 812112 or Jane Harries t: 01656 768910.

June 1st 11.00am – 2.00pm

CARDIFF

Walk of Witness

CAFOD, Christian Aid and Tearfund are holding a Walk of Witness around churches in the Cardiff area to help bring an end to global hunger. The Walk will start by the Lightship at Cardiff Bay, with a walk via several churches, with a shared picnic in Bute Park.

The walk will include visits to several churches in the Cardiff area, including St David’s Catholic Cathedral.

This is a family friendly event, and we hope to be an enriching experience for all those who take part, as well as sending a clear message to the wider community and our Government that we are standing in solidarity with our sisters and brothers throughout the world.

For more information and to register, visit the CAFOD South Wales blog: http://cafodsouthwales.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/walk-of-witness-1st-june/

June 4

WREXHAM St. Christopher’s School

‘Loss of Innocence’ – Gaza – Children’s Art Exhibition

A unique child’s-eye view of the world

(see above – May 16th & 17th)

June 4

CARDIFF The Globe

David Rovics

Concert organised by Palestine Solidarity Campaign supporter Greg Dixon.

see www.facebook.com/events/469007616505137/?fref=ts

June 5 6pm

CARDIFF Mandela Room Cardiff University

Cardiff Palestine Solidarity Campaign AGM

All welcome

June 8 11a.m. – 4pm

LLANDUDNO St. Johns Methodist Church rooms, 53-55, Mostyn Street, Llandudno ,North Wales LL30 2NN (situated between M&S shops)

Academi Heddwch Cymru – Wales Peace Institute – open meeting

Come and find out what is happening to further the campaign for an Academi Heddwch / Peace Institute in Wales, and how you can be involved.

For further details, contact Jane Harries t: 01656 768910.

June 9 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

KNIGHTON

Non-Violence Training

In preparation for the All Wales against Trident Blockade of Burghfield (Thursday 3rd October). Accommodation available if necessary. Contact Angie Zelter t: 01547 520 929

June 9 3.30pm

SHREWSBURY Quaker Meeting House, Corporation Lane, Coton Hill

Bruce Kent speaks on Scrap Trident

Organised by Oswestry Coalition for Peace t: 01691 658330.

June 15 11.00am – 5.00pm

CARDIFF BAY & Wales Millenium Centre

One Planet Cardiff Festival

Bringing together a wide range of events across Cardiff to celebrate what people, active networks and projects in Cardiff are doing to live smart, sustainable, 21st Century lifestyles. There will be talks, walks, displays, learning days, workshops, activities, markets, films, music, drama and more. A Free event for all the family to include a wide range of interactive activities and family friendly fun.

June 22nd & 23rd 11.00am – 4.00pm

CARDIFF St Fagans Museum

Refugees and Asylum Seekers weekend events
Join in the celebration through music, dance, food, theatre and stories. http://tinyurl.com/bx4u8lh

July 10th 7 pm

LLANDUDNO St John’s Methodist Church, Mostyn Street

Talk: Israel and Palestine: A Jewish Perspective. Speaker: Leah Levane from Jews for Justice for Palestine. Contact: Don Saunders t: 01492 544 353 e: donsaundersopt@aol.com or

Chris Jones t: 01492 549 726 e: chris_joney@hotmail.com

July 13-14

LONDON

British CND Council

July 19 – 21

ABERYSTWYTH Town & Arts Centre

Annual Street Choirs Festival 2013 – theme ‘Peace’

Bruce Kent will be opening the Saturday concert and hosting a workshop Sunday morning.

Putting the music into protest, this festival aims is to promote a world free of oppression, exploitation, exclusion and violence. This year’s host choir is Côr Gobaith. The collective musical repertoire includes world music, folk, pop, rap, soul, gospel… you name it. Issues transcend traditional politics, with women’s choirs, LGBTQ choirs, choirs of women asylum seekers, choirs singing for human rights. Wales’ radical folk singer Tracey Curtis tops the bill at Friday night’s welcome gig. Saturday begins with a spectacular mass sing at the bandstand on the seafront, followed by choirs busking throughout the town. Contact: Lotte at lotte.reimer@gmail.com see http://tinyurl.com/aze62ds

August 3 – 10

DENBIGH

National Eisteddfod

CND Cymru needs volunteers to commit themselves to helping in Pabell CND Cymru/ Heddwch.

If you are a Welsh speaker or learner and would like to help – for a day or for longer (with free entrance and time off of course!) Please contact Brian Jones: t: 01792 830 330 e: brian.jones@phonecoop.coop

August 6

EVERYWHERE

Hiroshima Day

1945 – 2013

August 9

EVERYWHERE

Nagasaki Day

1945 – 2013

September 21

NEWTOWN – venue to be confirmed.

Academi Heddwch Cymru – Wales Peace Institute – open meeting

October 3rd – 4

BURGHFIELD AWE

Wales Day of Action …. with Dragons!

The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston and Burghfield will again become the focus of non-violent protest with the aim of halting the continued production of nuclear warheads at the AWE bomb-making facilities in Berkshire.

CND Cymru will be joining with Action AWE to keep up the pressure and put a public and political spotlight on the nuclear bomb factories at Aldermaston and Burghfield until at least the 2015 election. Why not organise a group from your area? Please let CND Cymru know what you are planning. More information from Angie Zelter t: 01547 520 929 also see www.actionawe.org .

October 12- 13

LIVERPOOL

British CND Conference

November 30

LONDON

British CND Council

ANY TIME 2013: More Bradley Manning Actions are planned but not confirmed. Please see www.wiseupaction.info to organise or join in with solidarity actions.

David Rovics in Cardiff on 4 June at The Globe, organised by PSC supporter Greg Dixon. More details from www.facebook.com/events/469007616505137/?fref=ts

]]> http://www.cndcymru.org/diary-dates-may-october-2013/feed 0 http://www.cndcymru.org/cardiff-may-day-march-2013 http://www.cndcymru.org/cardiff-may-day-march-2013#comments Mon, 06 May 2013 17:27:36 +0000 Elenydd http://www.cndcymru.org/?p=2145 Thanks to Côr Cochion Caerdydd

Report from CND Cymru Vice Chair Ray Davies:

The traditional May Day march in Cardiff highlighted some of the issues affecting working class lives in Wales and beyond; the present coalition government’s death by strangulation of the welfare benefits system, the Bedroom Tax, deep cuts in disability benefits, and high unemployment.

CND Cymru ‘s banner called for peace, and an end to the madness of commissioning a new Trident replacement, in these times of austerity.

The billions of pounds needed to build and maintain these useless weapons could solve all of the national deficit problems, reverse the cuts, invest in jobs, education and much more.

We could be an example to the rest of the world by being, in the words of the song, ” the first to say, throw the bloody things away!”

As David Cameron visited Faslane Naval Base today and announced the nuclear threat has “increased since the Cold War” the broad based Scrap Trident Coalition [1] argued his remarks were ludicrous scaremongering and called for investment in green jobs and human services instead of immoral and wasteful nuclear weapons.

Activists held a Scrap Trident banner at the North Gate of Faslane as the Prime Minister visited Victorious, one of the Vanguard class submarines which carries up to 40 Trident nuclear weapons each 8-10 times the destructive force of the Hiroshima bomb.

Brian Larkin, Coordinator of the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, speaking for the Scrap Trident Coalition said “David Cameron’s assertion that the UK is threatened by North Korean nuclear weapons would be laughable if it was not so deadly serious. Anti-nuclear activists and former military officers have been making the point for some time that Trident is an outmoded Cold War relic. Cameron is attempting to play down that argument with the ridiculous suggestion that Europe and even the UK is threatened by North Korea’s attempts to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The truth is North Korea does not have the ability to put a nuclear warhead on long range missile. It is nowhere near being able to strike the mainland US with a nuclear weapon and has no prospect of striking the UK at all.

Trident is no April Fools’ joke

 55 years after the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament’s first London to Aldermaston march in Easter 1958, CND Cymru will be joining others from all over Britain in returning to Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) – Britain’s nuclear bomb factory on Monday 1st April (12 noon – 2pm).

CND Cymru protestors from across Wales will be gathering to join in the surrounding of the base with music, colour, and to hear speeches calling for Trident to be scrapped and plans to replace it to be abandoned.

Every one of us in Britain pays for nuclear weapons. The recent Westminster Budget has meant further cuts to vital public services, threatening hospitals, public transport, benefits and education in Wales. Scrapping Trident would save over £2bn per year spent on maintaining Trident, and the £100bn the government plans to waste on building and running a replacement system.

Want to know what else we could get for that money? See the new CND animated page: www.cnduk.org/scraptrident

Speakers include: Green Party leader Natalie Bennett; Labour MPs Paul Flynn and Jeremy Corbyn; Green MEP Keith Taylor; fashion designer Katharine Hamnett; CND founder-members Walter Wolfgang and Pat Arrowsmith; CND General Secretary Kate Hudson and many more.

CND Cymru Vice Chair Brian Jones who will be travelling with others from Swansea to attend the demonstration commented:

“Nuclear weapons cost us over £2 billion every year when they’re not used, and will cost us the earth if they are ever used. When British politicians insist that we need new nuclear weapons, they encourage other countries to believe that they need them too. The only sane response is a worldwide treaty banning nuclear weapons, just as chemical weapons have already been banned”

The decision on whether or how to go ahead with ‘replacing’ Trident with more nuclear weapons is due to be made in 2016 yet already vast sums of public money are being spent on developments at Aldermaston.

Jill Gough, CND Cymru National Secretary said:

“The total cost of a replacement for Trident would be over £100 billion. Whatever the cost, nuclear weapons would be immoral, illegal and obscene; the current cuts to jobs, housing, hospitals, schools and other public services only serve to highlight the skewed values of our Governments.”

CND Cymru will also be taking part in protests in Scotland at Glasgow and at the Nuclear Weapons Base Faslane on 13th and 15th April.

ENDS

• Interviews and Contacts:

Brian Jones

CND Cymru Vice Chair t: 01792 830330 m: (on Monday) 07765498072

John Cox

CND Cymru Vice Chair & attender of the first Aldermaston marches t: 01495 773 495

Jill Gough (also contact for further information)

CND Cymru National Secretary t: 01239 85 11 88  heddwch@cndcymru.org

Duncan Rees (NE Wales)

CND Cymru Vice Chair m:0777 426 8371

• Each of the gates at Aldermaston will have a different theme and regional/national focus.

• 2013 is a year of continuous activity at AWE Aldermaston, prompted by the formation of grassroots campaign Action AWE [www.actionawe.org] to highlight the site’s nuclear bomb-making function.

• Details:

Monday 1st April 12 noon – 2pm

AWE Aldermaston, Berkshire, England

Time to Scrap Trident: Stop Fooling with Nuclear Weapons

Full details: www.cnduk.org/nukefools

Twitter hashtag: #NukeFools

See the pdf   Military Recruitment Response from the Petitions Committee – 13 02 26

The 10th anniversary of the huge march against Bush and Blair’s
illegal war in Iraq, which saw 14 million take to the streets
worldwide, was marked with a vigil at the Nye Bevan Statue in Queen St.
That day in February 2003, 2 million people from all walks of life
had brought London to a standstill, and the police gave up trying to control the crowd. The city belonged to us.
Even though international criminals Bush and Blair are still at large, and the Iraq war went ahead, there was no defeat for the peace movement.
Countless thousands who had never before demonstrated made their voices heard that day, and continue to speak out for peace.
They will be with us at Aldermaston bomb factory in March to protest against the grotesque squandering of billions of pounds on the new Trident missile system which is crippling our economy.
They will be with us at Faslane nuclear submarine base in Scotland.
They will be with us protesting against the arms trade, which
inflames the middle east by pouring its weapons into the conflict
zones there.
As the government slinks out of Afghanistan’s costly, useless war,
our message to our politicians is clear.
We are still here; and we will never give up on our quest for an end to the nuclear arms race, and for a more peaceful world.

Ray Davies
Vice chair, CND Cymru

 

A vigil will be held in Cardiff City centre tomorrow afternoon to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2 million strong anti-war protest which took place in London on February 15^th 2003. It was the biggest public demonstration in British history. People really believed that Tony Blair was listening to his voters and not to the warmongers running America.

The Cardiff vigil will remember that moment when the ordinary people on the street said out loud what they wanted – and it was made clear that those in power in Westminster didn’t care. Millions across the world protested that day, from European cities to the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Syria, India, Russia, South Korea, Japan – and even McMurdo Station in Antarctica.

For the previous 12 months, as elsewhere, people from all over Wales had been campaigning to try and prevent military attacks on Iraq by Britain, the USA and their ‘coalition of the willing’. Direct actions, street protests and public meetings continued right across the country including in Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, Aberystwyth, Newtown, Newport, Lampeter, RAF Valley, Brawdy, Carmarthen and Wrexham until the coalition’s withdrawal from Iraq in 2011.  Protestors from Wales took part in anti-war events and took non-violent direct action at USAF Fairford and in London.

On February 15^th 2003 scores of buses filled with people from all walks of life travelled from all over Wales to become part of the 2 million ^1. who took to the streets t­hat memorable day. Tomorrow, as on that day 10 years ago, vigil was simultaneously kept at the Aneurin Bevan statue by those unable to make it to London.

Today the suffering continues in Iraq, with well over 121,000 documented deaths from violence^2., Iraqi infrastructure destroyed and an environmental crisis in Iraq worsened by war damage and increased pollution.

Children continue to be born with Depleted Uranium-caused deformities, especially in areas heavily bombed by the ‘coalition’ ^3..

Recent UNHCR figures estimate around 4.5 million refugees, nearly 2.8 million internal ones, a third of these in squatter slums ^{4.& 5.}.

The attack on Iraq opened the door for further injustice and bloodshed. The perpetrators of this disaster have yet to be brought to account. There can be no peace without true justice.

ENDS

I. Notes:

1. www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/feb/15/politics.politicalnews

2. www.iraqbodycount.org

3. www.stratrisks.com/geostrat/9950 & www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/22/iraq-nuclear-contaminated-sites

4. www.unhcr.org.uk

5. http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/04/iraq-today-afflicted-by-violence-devastation-corruption-and-desperation/

II. Interviews are available, some bilingual from:
John Cox 01495 773 495 drjohncox@aol.com

Ray Davies 02920 889 514

Adam Johannes 07940 108 146 thomas_muntzer_cardiff@hotmail.co.uk

Keith Ross t: 01792 418926 m: 079 1467 7150. keithmalcolm@ntlworld.com

Lotte Reimer 01970 610 185 07817 596 285 lotte.reimer@gmail.com

Mark Strong markastrong2@yahoo.co.uk

Helen Asea t: 01633 770428 m: 07548 154623

(and more – contact Jill Gough CND Cymru for contacts in your circulation area: 01239 85 11 88 heddwch@cndcymru.org )

III. Comments and Quotes:

CND Cymru Vice Chair Dr. John Cox:

“In the face of this overwhelming, universal cry for peace and another way of solving conflict, the US and British Governments repeatedly lied and invaded Iraq.

“US and British interventions are not motivated by human rights but by economic interests, yet the attack on Iraq served to make Britain a poorer country. The answer is to look for a world of peace and justice, not war, greed and aggression.”

Jill Gough National Secretary CND Cymru:

 “It felt as if Wales was in uproar in the weeks leading up to that demonstration. The phone rang continuously.  CND Cymru was out and about wherever possible, calling for a halt to the plans to attack Iraq.

“It did feel as if the whole world was on the streets for peace on February 15^th.

“The attack on Iraq opened the door for further injustice and bloodshed. The perpetrators of this disaster have yet to be brought to account. There can be no peace without true justice.”

Ray Davies CND Cymru Vice Chair and Côr Cochion member

”As the slow final withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan approaches, we commemorate that fantastic march in London 10 years ago which hoped to stop the attack on Iraq. It will be remembered a thousand years from now. Let us all hope that similar adventures never happen again.”

Adam Johannes, Cardiff Stop the War:
”Ten years on, I look back in anger. The war happened.  A million Iraqis lost their lives.  We see racism against Muslims whipped up and a bonfire of civil liberties, however the Arab Spring shows that people power can change history and I hope as governments continue to wage war on the poor at home and abroad we will once again see millions in the streets.

“I will never forget the hope we all felt that day, the unity, solidarity and the internationalism. As two million marched in London we knew millions were doing the same around the world, at its height we built a movement with an estimated 500 branches in Britain and over 50,000 activists and won the argument against war with the wider public, with a recent opinion poll in the Guardian showing that over two-thirds of people in Wales today agree with us.

“I recall a crisp cold morning getting to the National Museum in Cardiff to get on a Stop the War Coalition coach to London and seeing a line of coaches not only outside the Museum, but forming a ring round City Hall, the University and Welsh office too with hundreds piling onto them. All along the motorway on the way we were passed by coaches all heading to the same place!”

Guardian opinion poll quoted – www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/feb/15/iraq-war-10-year-anniversary-poll

Keith Ross Swansea:

“As a former serviceman (Royal Navy) I felt it important to demonstrate my opposition to this imperialistic adventure, particularly in view of the deception employed by the British Government in order to justify their actions. Time has shown that the misgivings of those who protested were well founded. Tony Blair lied, and British soldiers died; not to mention the thousands of wasted Iraqi lives both during and since the invasion. Tony Blair is enjoying his comfortable retirement, but the nightmare continues for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Lotte Reimer Aberystwyth Peace & Justice Network:

 “On 15 February 2003 an amazing mix of people, spanning from babies to grannies and including many people who had never taken to the streets before, marched in Aalborg, Denmark. ‘Addressing the 3000+ crowd, perched on the shoulders of two fellow Aalborg Fredsaktion (Peace Action) campaigners…’, the message that meant the most was that we were not alone in marching, we were marching together with people all over the globe. Friends were marching in London, Harare, Frankfurt and I remember so clearly feeling that we could not be ignored, that we must surely make a difference and the world would never go back to being indifferent again. Disappointingly, even such a display of outrage and passion was ignored by decision makers, but my life will never be the same and, when we moved to Wales, connecting with the Aberystwyth Peace & Justice Network was a key factor in settling in.”

There are several events coming up in the next couple of months or so that need your support! As you must know, nothing can happen with out you and we hope you will be able to get involved in some of the following. If you are unable to go, perhaps you could write to your local or national papers and/or your elected representatives about the issue. A printed mailing will be posted to CND Cymru members in March. If you or your group have any diary dates you would like included, please get in touch.

February 13th 7.00 pm HAVERFORDWEST Picton Centre
LIVING IN PALESTINE: Life as an observer in the occupied Palestinian territories June – December 2012
JANE HARRIES AND MARYSE NEWNHAM
All welcome. Bring your friends. Contact:  Pembrokeshire Peace Group: e: anne.gregson@littlewedlockgallery.co.uk  t: 01834 845868

February 16th 3pm CARDIFF Nye Bevan Statue (opp. Cardiff castle), Queens Street
Vigil: TWO MILLION STRONG: we remember!
On February 15, 2003 over 15 million people marched against the war in Iraq, in over 800 cities around the world.  It is estimated that the London protest alone was perhaps 2 million strong. If you protested on February 15, 2003, you made history!  Tens of millions of people said “Not in Our Name” to warmongers in the biggest mass protest in the history of the human race. With history seemingly repeating itself with the drumbeats of war against Iran, it is now more timely and important than ever to remember and learn the lessons of the past, and prevent another costly and catastrophic war. Please join us in a celebration of that day and a reaffirmation of our message to the war-mongers. Bring banners, placards, songs, photos, stories, poems, musical instruments, and hwyl… bring along anyone you know who marched in 2003 and help celebrate the human spirit of co-operation, solidarity and peace. Contact: e: marie@riseup.net  t: 01495 220 400

February 28th  7 pm CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, Wallace Lecture Theatre, Main Building, Park Place (opp.Student Union)
Public Meeting : ISRAEL/PALESTINE – HOW CAN THERE BE PEACE?
Keynote speaker – John Rose, Jewish academic, activist & author of ‘The Myths of Zionism’. John became a campaigner for Palestinian rights in 1967 during the ‘Six Days War’ and anti-Vietnam war movement shortly after participating in the first ever student sit-in in Britain at the LSE, in the same year he became one of 35 British students recruited by to carry out underground resistance work in South Africa against the apartheid regime. He analyses the conflict as rooted in western imperialism and the racism of the Zionist project arguing for a non-racist democratic alternative for all peoples in the region. ‘Myths of Zionism’ Book review here: http://qumsiyeh.org/themythsofzionism/

March 11th 8-9am PONT BORTH/ MENAI SUSPENSION BRIDGE (Anglesey end)
COFIWN FUKUSHIMA – REMEMBER FUKUSHIMA NA I WYLFA B! PAWB: Pobl Atal Wylfa B/ People Against Wylfa B roadside protest against nuclear power
• in sympathy with the people of Fukushima in Japan, marking the second anniversary of this ongoing disaster.
• in support of Cumbria County Council’s decision to refuse permission for a huge underground depository for radioactive waste
• against Hitachi’s plan to store spent nuclear fuel (twice as radioactive as the present fuel), on site at Wylfa B for at least 150 years Why on the bridge?
• to highlight the impossibility of evacuating Ynys Môn in the event of a nuclear disaster
Contact: Phil Steele PAWB e: phil_steele@btinternet.com 01248 490 715

March 23rd 10am – 4.00pm ABERYSTWYTH Academi Heddwch Cymru Conference – Speakers & Workshops
To discuss ongoing work and future plans for setting up a peace institute in Wales. All welcome.  If possible let us know if you are planning to attend. ] Contact: Jane Harries ejharries@hotmail.com 01656 768 910 More details will be sent out nearer the time.
March 28th 1.15 pm BAE GLASCOED (BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions Glascoed) nr. Usk
Annual prayer service / vigil .
An ecumenical prayer vigil will be followed by the laying of flowers at the gate and boundary fence of the factory in memory of the millions of innocent victims of the arms trade. Location: http://tinyurl.com/bo9xn2m Contact t: 029 20705458
Easter Monday April 1st 12 noon to 2pm ALDERMASTON Atomic Weapons Establishment
Demonstration: Scrap Trident and Cancel Plans to Replace it!
As we head towards the 2016 decision point on whether or not Trident should be replaced, vast sums of money are already being poured into developments at Aldermaston. The total cost of a replacement for Trident would be over £100 billion. Come along and suggest that the government ‘stops fooling with nuclear weapons’. Bring banners, placards, knitting and poems to decorate the fence. An information sheet is available from British CND. To co-ordinate transport from South and Mid Wales contact: Brian and Jan Jones (Swansea area) t: 01792 830 330 e: brian.jones@phonecoop.coop or Duncan Rees (North east Wales) m: 0777 426 8371 e: ‘Duncan.rees@phonecoop.coop’

April 12th-15th SCOTLAND
Scrap Trident and Let Scotland Lead The Way to A Nuclear Free World! Three days of long overdue anti-Trident-ness at a scene of the crime.

Saturday April 13th: GLASGOW – DEMONSTRATION AGAINST TRIDENT
Sunday April 14th: GLASGOW – MASS WORKSHOPS & NON VIOLENT DIRECT ACTION TRAINING
Monday April 15th: FASLANE – MASS BLOCKADE & SUPPORTING DEMONSTRATION! http://scraptrident.org/ C Called for and supported by: Faslane Peace Camp, International Socialist Group, No To NATO Scotland Coalition, Radical Independence Conference, Renfrewshire CND, Scottish CND, Scottish Green Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Scottish Stop the War Coalition, Stirling CND, Trident Ploughshares, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, CND Cymru. With the increased debate on nuclear weapons in the run up to the Independence Referendum, mobilisation in Scotland is essential to ensure that the opportunities for disarmament that we are faced with in the coming years are not allowed to pass. Accommodation is available – book in advance!                                                                     Groups and individuals will be going from Wales, mostly on public transport.                                         Contact us to find out if there are any more people going from your area.                                     Also, it would be helpful to CND Cymru if you could register your interest. Contact CND Cymru e: heddwch@cndcymru.org

April 15th Global Day of Action on Military Spending CND Cymru are part of this day of action against global military spending www.demilitarize.org.uk

August 3-10th National Eisteddfod DENBIGH CND Cymru needs volunteers to commit themselves to helping in Pabell CND Cymru/ Heddwch. If you are a Welsh speaker or learner and would like to help – for a day or for longer (with free entrance and time off of course!). Please contact Brian Jones: t: 01792 830 330 e: brian.jones@phonecoop.coop                                                           And finally an Autumn Date for your diaries:
October 3rd – 4th (a Thursday & Friday) ALDERMASTON or BURGHFIELD AWE All-Wales ‘Action AWE’ day at the bomb factory gates. CND Cymru will of course have a presence on this day. If you or your group can be there with banners and dragons and all please let Angie Zelter t: 0845 4588 362 e: info@actionawe.org  and CND Cymru heddwch@cndcymru.org know so we can co-ordinate! See the excellent website: www.actionawe.org (Weds. 27th February 2013 7.30 pm : Public launch of AWE Action Campaign at The Conference Room, Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC), 35-39 London Street, Reading, RG1 4PS)

23 March 2013 10.00am – 4.30pm Y Morlan Aberystwyth

 Today CND Cymru urged supporters and all who care about peace and justice in the world to put the date of the next Academi Heddwch Cymru Conference in their diaries. The main purpose of the event will be to progress the campaign for the setting up of a peace institute in for Wales. Chaired by Mererid Hopwood and Stephen Thomas, speakers will include Jill Evans MEP, Dr. Robin Gwyndaf (Vice President Cymdeithas y Cymod) and Professor Jenny Pearce of the Department of Peace Studies in Bradford University. Over 1500 signatures calling for the creation of a peace institute in Wales were handed in to the National Assembly in October 2009 by a deputation headed by Sue Essex, former Finance Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government.                                                                                                                                                                                                              The petition read: “We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to investigate the potential for and the practicality of Wales having a Peace Institute concerned with Peace and Human Rights, comparable with those supported by state governments in Flanders, Catalonia and elsewhere in Europe.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The initiative has been led by the Welsh Centre for International Affairs, Cymdeithas y Cymod, Cynefin y Werin and CND Cymru and achieved all-party support within the National Assembly. The Conference is being organised by Cynefin y Werin.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Speaking in support of the petition, Sue Essex said:                                                                                                                                         ‘Wales may be a small country but with a peace institute we could be a greater voice for peace and justice in the world’.                                                                                                                                                                                                        National Secretary of CND Cymru Jill Gough said today:                                                                                                                                 ‘The widespread support we received throughout Wales for this initiative shows that it is timely.  It would reflect this nation’s heritage, and mirror the public mood on global issues, if the Assembly gave a lead in establishing such an Institute in Wales.’                                                                                                                                             For further details, contact Jane Harries ejharries@hotmail.com  t:01656 768910 or John Cox t: 01495 773 495