1974 WCIA First Annual Report

Description

WCIA, the Welsh Centre for International Affairs, was founded in 1973 to be 'Wales' voice in the world' - championing the cause of Internationalism started by the founders of Wales' Temple of Peace from 1938. WCIA continues this work today - approaching its *50th Anniversary* in 2023 - leading Welsh projects on Global Learning, Global Action, Global Partnerships and Peace Heritage, as well as acting as the guardians and venue hire/managers for Wales' iconic Temple of Peace & Health. SUMMARY: This opening issue of the WCIA discusses the various international activities the organisation is cooperating or partnering in, including UN conferences on the oceans, development policy, and energy resources. WCIA officials and members work with various government and non-governmental entities to help inform British policy and ensure the involvement of the people of Wales in these initiatives through local Congresses or conferences. CONTENTS COVER Page of the First 1974 Annual Report on the founding of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs. Pages 4 & 5. - “Structure and Finance” section around the WCIA with a list of individuals who are Officers, part of the Coordinating Committees, Standing Conferences (made up of various backgrounds from academia, media, political parties, international organisations, non-governmental organisations and religion). Page 6 & 7. - Continuation of Structure and Finance section around the WCIA with associated County Councils, District Councils and Secretarial Staff. Contains a short section on donations and funding received by WCIA. Page 8 & 9. - “Opening Ceremony” piece on the opening of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs on 11 October 1973. It was officiated by the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Lady Tweedsmuir, and presided by the President of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs and founder of the Temple of Peace Hon. Edward Davies. A wide range of figures attended the ceremony, including the Secretary of State for Wales, the High Commissioner of India, and important department heads from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. - “Activities” conducted by the WCIA. - “Economic and Social Affairs” section (i) “World Population Year 1974” entry around the United Kingdom Youth Preparatory Conference, sponsored by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities in Cardiff from 14th-16th December 1973 as a prelude to World Population Year. WCIA convened UK follow-up meetings in the House of Lords. Page 10 & 11. - Continuation of “Activities” conducted by the WCIA with the “Economic and Social Affairs” section. (ii) Law of the Sea Conference in Caracas, Venezuela (20th June -19th August) where the Director of WCIA took part in a special Foreign and Commonwealth office seminar in London to discuss British policy at the Conference. (iii) World Food Conference to discuss British policy with interested organisations at the Ministry for Overseas Development in London. (iv) Special session of the UN General Assembly on world energy and resources in April 1974 discussing international implications of the oil crisis as the theme of the Abergavenny Residential Conference and the North West Wales Congress at Bangor. (v) 1973 North Wales Congress on Britain's Role in the UN Second Development Decade in Bangor. - “Political and Security Affairs” section. (i) The Middle East peace as the subject of a Residential Conference at the Hill in Abergavenny on the acceptability of UN peacekeeping forces within demilitarised zones. (ii) Cyprus and Northern Ireland conflict discussed at North East Wales Congress at Wrexham on 16/17 December 1974. - “Goodwill Message of the Youth of Wales to the World - May 1974” section on a multilingual ceremony from the Temple of Peace. - “Study Groups - The Settlement of International Problems in a nuclear age” short piece on 27 study groups set up in every Welsh country to consider various aspects of problems. - “1975-6 The role of the Superpowers with Special Reference to the United States of America on the 200th Anniversary of the Singing of the Declaration of Independence” short piece on a special conference by an Honorary Consultant of the Welsh Centre and a former British Ambassador to Washington. - “Schools Curriculum Project” short piece. Page 12 & 13. - “Links with United Nations Agencies, International Institutions and United Kingdom Committees” section. - “1975 - Environmental Studies” on a study by the David Davies Memorial Institute on the use of waters in the UK, especially the North Sea. - “International Service Programme” for a co-sponsored field-programme associate in Laos under UNICEF, with a list of individuals, countries of origin and their responsibilities. - “Diary of Major Conferences and Congresses”. Page 14 & 15. - “Special Meetings and Tours” in Bridgend and South and West Wales. - “Specialist Committees” section on the important functions of the WCIA to act as a coordinating point for the activities of organisations with international interests in Wales. Page 16 & 17. - “Publications and Press Cuttings”. - “Reports of Organisations represented on the Coordinating Committee” such as the United Nations Association at the Welsh National Council General Meetings. Page 18 & 19. - Continuation of the “Reports of Organisations represented on the Coordinating Committee” such as Council for Education in World Citizenship-Cymru, Freedom from Hunger Campaign Wales. Page 20 & 21. - Obituary of “Professor Trefor Evans 1913-74”. - Appendix section. - “Messages of Goodwill Read at the Opening Ceremony 11th October 1973” section by UN Secretary-General Dr Krut Waldheim. Page 22 & 23: - “Messages of Goodwill Read at the Opening Ceremony 11th October 1973” section by Director-General of the World Health Organisation Dr H. Mahler, Secretary of State for Wales Peter Thomas.