Former hostage Sir Terry Waite will warn Wrexham business leaders about rising global tensions and the dangers faced by international travellers.
The former Archbishop of Canterbury’s peace envoy will be speaking at a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals during the week of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod where he will be championing the festival’s message of global harmony and understanding.
Sir Terry, 87, said the Eisteddfod’s founding vision of bringing people together after the Second World War “has never been needed more” amid continuing strife in the Middle East.
He will tell the meeting at Wrexham’s Maesgwyn Hall on Thursday, July 9, that cultural understanding and personal relationships are vital to avoid conflict while also highlighting the risks faced by people travelling abroad.
Sir Terry travelled to Lebanon in 1987 to negotiate the release of hostages as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s special envoy but was himself kidnapped and held captive for nearly five years before being freed in 1991.
He is vocal campaigner for international peace and human rights around the world, and has played a role in the release of hostages in countries including Iran and Libya.
According to Sir Terry, the Eisteddfod, which was launched in 1947 to heal division after the Second World War and to promote reconciliation and international harmony, was a great example of people coming together for peace.
Sir Terry, who served as the president of the Eisteddfod for 15 years from 2006 and will be attending this year, said: “The Eisteddfod is an unique occasion in so far that it was started as very much a local venture by local people following the Second World War who had this desire to bring people together.
“They wanted to find harmony through music and over the years that has worked remarkably well.
“And today there has never been a greater need for that message.
“In negotiations for example, you have got to understand why the other side is behaving in the way they are, and particularly in the Middle East you have got to be able to forge personal relationships. Personal relationships count vastly, and many of those have broken down today.
“There is a lack of understanding and a lack of common sense and the Eisteddfod brings together ordinary people, informs relationships, and builds unions among people that lasts across the generations.
“It brings ordinary people together in celebration and harmony and it needs to be encouraged. And the occasion is very good for Wales, it allows Wales to be seen as a place which promotes unity and promotes harmony and has global interest.
“It shows Wales is an outward looking country which is using natural talents to promote peace through language and music.”
Sir Terry said the Eisteddfod, which this year runs from July 7-12, was hugely important to the region’s economy and was a fantastic cultural celebration.
He said: “I have always very much enjoyed the Eisteddfod. It brings in quite substantial sums for the economy, it brings people into Wales and helps hotels, restaurants and hospitality, so it is a boost to the economy, and therefore needs to be supported.
“We have had the good fortune to be supported by local people as well as people with international connections.”
Sir Terry, a grandfather who now lives in Suffolk, is still involved in several charities, including as the president of Hostage International, which he originally co-founded as Hostage UK in 2004.
He said he would be speaking about the charity, and how in particular it supports people who are taken hostage over business disputes.
“What is interesting are some of the dangers facing business people who are travelling abroad,” he said.
“There is far more corruption around the world than people realise, it’s pretty bad.
“For example, at Hostages International at the moment we have about 100 cases around the world on our books of people being held hostage while travelling abroad.
“Most of these cases do not get publicised in the Press, they are kept quiet for various reasons such as they are extremely difficult to work on, and you don’t want anybody complicating the issue by giving out false information.
“I will be talking about what happens when you run into a situation like that, though hopefully most people will never run into that situation.”
Sir Terry’s charity work also includes supporting Beyond Conflict, an organisation which helps the victims of war.
Ian Edwards, from Wrexham Business Professionals said: “We are genuinely thrilled that Sir Terry Waite, who is held in such high regard throughout the world, will speak at our meeting on July 9.
“As a key supporter of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for many years, Sir Terry knows more than most about the economic benefits the cultural showcase provides to businesses in North Wales.”
Louise Harper, from Wrexham Business Professionals, added: “Sir Terry is a remarkable man with a remarkable story to tell.
“We are sure business leaders from throughout the area will be interested to hear his presentation and his views on local, regional and global matters.”
Joining Sir Terry as one of the speakers at the meeting will be Samantha Rhodes, the recently-appointed director of Ruthin Craft Centre.
* The meeting Maesgwyn Hall, Mold Road, Wrexham, on Thursday, July 9, starts at 8.30am for refreshments with the proceedings starting around 9am.
People wishing to attend should confirm by email to wbp@allingtonhughes.co.uk and for more information about Llangollen Eisteddfod go to https://llangollen.net
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