Specially-written song marks centenary of Women's Peace Petition

 

* The Madri'gals sing during the exhibition launch at Dory Gallery.

Local ladies’ choir Madri’gals performed a specially-written song as part of a weekend of celebrations in Llangollen to celebrate 100 years of the Welsh Women’s Peace petition.  

Welsh Women’s Dream, to the tune of iconic Welsh folk song Myfanwy with lyrics by Moira Gleed of Llangollen, delighted people who heard it when they came along to the launch this morning (Saturday) of an exhibition centred on the petition at the Dory Gallery in Regent Street, which will run until August 11.

In 1923, the horrors of WW1 having galvanised a generation against conflict, the women of Wales organised an unprecedented campaign for world peace.

A total of 390,296 women - a number from Llangollen - signed a memorial petition through the Welsh League of Nations Union, said to have been seven miles long, calling for America to join and lead the new League of Nations and 2023 marked the centenary of the campaign.

Throughout 2023/ 2024, this once-forgotten story has been brought back to life thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with communities across Wales and beyond celebrating the women’s achievement and starting new conversations about peace today.

* The peace petition banner on show at the gallery. Next Wednesday afternoon it will be proudly carried in the Eisteddfod's Parade of Nations through the town centre.

The weekend of celebrations in Llangollen began last night (Friday) when St Collen’s Community Hall hosted a one-woman show, entitled Annie Cwrt Mawr, inspired by the experiences of Annie Hughes-Griffiths, who travelled across America with the petition in 1924.

Tomorrow (Sunday) Llangollen Museum is hosting a heritage walk around town, visiting homes and workplaces of notable women who signed the petition back in 1923/24. 

People can go along to hear about their fascinating research and learn more about life of local women in the 1920s.

* To book your free space or learn more, visit Eventbrite at: Taith Gerdded Treftadaeth / Heritage Walk Tickets, Sun, Jun 30, 2024 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite

The exhibition at the Dory Gallery centres around a new piece of work from local artist Bethan M Hughes named Thread of Peace, a 16m-long stitched piece inspired by the story of how the original petition pages would supposedly measure seven miles if placed end to end. The Dory Gallery is open every weekend.

* Thread of Peace, a 16m-long stitched piece inspired by the story of the original petition pages. 

Throughout 2024, Bethan has been running stitch sessions across North Wales, collecting contributions from over 150 people to this incredible piece of work. 

Thanks again to additional funding from Wales Arts international, a group of Women from America have also contributed to the project, participating in lively online sessions.

A spokesperson for the local organisers said: “We are so grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the opportunity to bring the work of so many communities together in this exhibition to celebrate this amazing story. We have such an exciting programme of events planned – everyone is welcome!”

* To learn more about the Women’s peace petition or get involved, visit: www.wcia.org.uk/academiheddwch/peacepetition/