CENEDL GLYNDŴR - NATIONAL DAYS AND CENEDL GLYNDŴR - Midsummer 'Troad y Rhod' National Heritage Week.

Due to witnessing the short fallings of, both, the 'Civic Trust' and 'Cadw' in regards to the promotion of our history and heritage as a means towards the recreation of a 'true' Welsh National identity, Embassy Glyndŵr has come to the point where we now feel compelled to 'actively' advance three crucially important days in our history as well as a Welsh National Heritage Week.

28 May: A 'National Day' to celebrate and commemorate Owain Glyndŵr's Birthday in 1354.

In regards to the above, Embassy Glyndŵr is now in the process of setting up an 'All Wales Commission' to advance exiting Initiatives associated with the holding of a major 'Wales National Commemoration' in 2014 to celebrate the 660th anniversary of the birth of Owain Glyndŵr in 1354. There will be an opportunity for everyone in Wales to participate and in due course, a bilingual web site will be established as a launch for the '660 National Commemoration' but, in the meantime, just keep your eyes on this blog for further news.

21 June 'Dydd y Senedd' National Day: An appropriate National Day to celebrate and commemorate the event of the establishing of Senedd Cenedl Glyndŵr in Machynlleth by Prince Owain Glyndŵr in 1404. This day is also known and recognized as 'Dydd Coroni Glyndŵr', the name which the annual national chief Owain Glyndŵr Festival 'Gŵyl Dathlu Coroni Owain IV' is associated with. This 'Gŵyl' is held on and around midsummer - 'Troad y Rhod' and will, hopefully, over the next couple of years, develop into a long weekend festival.

16 Medi: Dydd Glyndŵr - National Heroes Day! The day to celebrate and commemorate the date when Owain Glyndŵr was chosen by other Welsh leaders at Llys Glyndyfrdwy in Corwen to lead a grossly oppressed Welsh nation in a War for political and economic Independence - which we are still striving for today, though, by more peaceful means of course.

16 Medi - Dydd Glyndŵr has, to some degree, become established as an 'unofficial' National Day now with events being organized in many parts of Wales to celebrate and commemorate the date but, recognition did not come about without the continuous dedication and hard work of a few patriots.

A brief background: 16 Medi - Dydd Glyndŵr had, initially been promoted in the 1960's by nationalist leaders such as Dr Gwynfor Evans, patriotic bard Harri Webb and then radical nationalists such as Gethin ap Iestyn and Toni Lewis of the Patriotic Front - who took the remembrance of 16 Medi closer to the people with the organizing of commemorative rallies to mark and draw public attention to this all important day in our history. However, it was with the establishment of 'Cofiwn', the Cymric Consciousness Campaigning Movement initially established in 1972 by Gethin Gruffydd, Toni Lewis and Eurig ap Gwilym that the 16 Medi - Dydd Glyndŵr really began to become a much broader celebrated event. This was in the days when 'Cofiwn' would organize an annual programme of well attended events which would take place at Corwen, Glyndyfrdwy and Caerdrewyn. This was in the days when Plaid Cymru leaders such as 'Gwynfor' (as we respectfully knew him) was proud to take part and when Dafydd Elis Tomos would 'ask' if he could be a speaker! How times have changed - for the worse for the cause of Independence!

Anyway, Embassy Glyndŵr over the last 11yrs has worked extremely hard to continue on with the pioneering work carried out by patriots in the 60's and by 'Cofiwn' in the 70's to advance 16 Medi - Dydd Glyndŵr our 'National Heroes Day' as an all important historical day to celebrate and commemorate nationally throughout Wales. This was achieved by having 1000's of Dydd Glyndŵr cloth and enameled ribbons and 1000's of 'baneri Glyndŵr' produced to publicize the making of this day as a truly national celebration. Part of this campaign has been (and still continues) to seek recognition of the day by National Institutions such as the Welsh Assembly, the National Eisteddfod and County as well as Local Authorities.

This campaign is successful but, sad to say, Corwen, despite having the all important history associated with ' 16 Medi -Dydd Glyndŵr' - and despite having a good size, well placed, brand new Glyndŵr statue now, as of yet, does not take the lead (as it should) by the holding of a 'major' and 'National' Dydd Glyndŵr Festival - as Machynlleth is now endeavoring to do annually on the nearest weekend to 21 June with 'Dydd y Senedd'

Ironically, The Sleeping Giant Foundation have organized a splendid 'Dydd Glyndŵr' weekend at Abercraf for six years, this year will be their 7th. Please visit their website at http://www.sgfnet.co.uk/ for details and to view galleries of the events of previous years.

There is some good news. The Welsh Assembly Government's in house heritage body 'Cadw' has been authorised to dispense a great deal of money to assist 'some' Glyndŵr projects as part of a European funded Heritage Tourism Initiative. So, hopefully, this money will assist important 'hub' areas such as Corwen. Note though, how I stressed that this money will only help 'some' Glyndŵr projects and I will be returning to this issue (with vengeance) in my next posting on this new ‘Galwad Glyndŵr’ blog. It will suffice for me to say here that Cadw has commissioned an 'Interpretation plan' for their ' Owain Glyndŵr Initiative' . I have read this 72 page 'Interpretation plan' and, as a result, will be issuing a full critique as to the rights and wrongs that we have see within it soon but, in the meantime, I feel there is a need to draw immediate attention to a 'big wrong' as it will require some immediate action from you all! so take special note of the next posting on this new blog.In the meantime – and In connection with the above, there is no mention (anywhere!) in the Cadw - Glyndŵr Interpretation plan of the 'National Days', being promoted by us and other Pobl Cenedl Glyndŵr, as being days 'worthy' of major commemorations and celebrations! Therefore, I am thus calling on all 'Pobl Glyndŵr' and all other patriots to make every effort, this year and every other year from now on, to fly Baner Glyndŵr far and wide throughout Cymru and the world. The Eisteddfod is only two weeks away, make your voice heard through symbolic protest.

Also, of course, Dydd Glyndŵr - Medi 16 is close so, again, voice your protest by flying 'baner Glyndŵr wherever possible. Let's drive the message home to the WAG and Cadw. Also, Dydd Glyndŵr this year falls on a thursday, so schools throughout Cymru, let's hold as many associated celebrative events and activities as is physically and mentally possible and, all schools with flagpoles, don't forget to hoist your Baner Glyndŵr onto it for Dydd Glyndŵr.Cenedl Glyndŵr - National Heritage Week:In response to the Civic Trust's ignorance and disregard for our 'National Heroes Day' in September.

Click into links below for background info on Civic Trust, European Heritage Days.

Embassy Glyndŵr is now calling for the week following the 21st June to be made a 'Cenedl Glyndŵr - National Heritage Week' by Pobl Glyndŵr. This will be the week when we call upon 'Cymunedau Glyndŵr' throughout Wales to organize events to celebrate a 1000 years of our national history - from the age of the great leaders and founders of Wales, such as Cunedda Wledig' and his sons and daughters, to the age of our Owain iv, Owain Glyndŵr. The objective being so that our people, and visitors to Wales during mid-summer, can become better informed and acquainted in regards to our national history via the work and events organized on a local level by communities.

Is it not an interesting example of perversity that, over this Dydd Glyndŵr celebrative period, the Civic Trust organizes their E.U. Heritage Open Days Initiative - that does not only clash but also, of course, diverts and distracts attention from Dydd Glyndŵr - be it by just 'ignorance', 'tunnel vision' or, could it be a deliberate act? You decide, view the following blogs to read more:

www.heritagedays.net/

www.heritageweek.ie/

To further inform 'Pobl Glyndŵr and other Welsh Patriots in general, go on to look into links provided as to how 'really' patriotically mature, free and Independent Nation States officially mark, commemorate and celebrate their most historic national days as in Flanders.

Day of the Flemish Community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Heroes' Day - WikipediaWapedia - Wiki: Heroes Day.

Please note, that further development of this initiative and information in regards to possible events and activities organized on a community level will be posted on this blog as we get the information. In the meantime, view the Civic Trust's Heritage Open Days on their website.

It's also worthwhile to view other websites that promote Heritage Open Days - such as those at Ireland and Scotland, which are far broader in approach and content than that organized by the Civic Trust in Wales. Note, in particular, how Ireland is promoted independently of England.

This year, Northern Ireland is coming on line as a Civic Trust promoted area so, it will be very interesting to see as to 'which' and 'what' heritage and to 'how' such is promoted in this part of Ireland - where people owe a dual allegiance - as do many in Wales! Thus, until such time as Cymru is free and Independent, as Ireland is and as the newly created Nation States of the Baltic countries, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are, then we suggest 'Cenedl Glyndŵr', as far as is possible, is worthy of your patriotic allegiance and needs your united stand and cooperation in insisting on this 'Cenedl Glyndŵr - National Heritage Week'. Such could be the first real positive stone laid towards preparing the psyche of our nation for an Independent Wales.

Also note: I have almost completed a report on the workings of the ‘Civic Trust’ in association with the ;Heritage Environment Group’ and others over the last five years. The conclusion of this work became the basis of 'The New Strategy for Wales' as presented by the Minister of Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones, to the Coalition Government of the Welsh Assembly Government. My research report on this will be published in due course in my blog ‘Welsh Heritage Watch’....and remember...more on Cadw's Owain Glyndŵr Interpretation plan in the next post but only a little more - as the full critique will take until mid Sept to complete and will be released in time for GLYNDŴR DAY - SEPT 16!

CADW and the OWAIN GLYNDŴR STORY - A VERY FLAWED PLAN!

As already touched on in the previous post on this new ‘Galwad Glyndŵr’ blog. The Welsh Assembly Government is managing a project entitled The ‘Heritage Tourism project’ which is meant to develop Heritage Tourism in Cymru.
.
The WAG’S 'in house' Heritage Department Cadw is leading the Heritage Tourism Project which is being funded by £8.5m of European funding as well as £7.6m in Welsh Assembly funding and according to the Cadw website, the Project is to have five key themes they being:

1. Princes of Gwynedd.
2. Princes of Deheubarth.
3. Owain Glyndŵr.
4. Edwardian Castles.
5. Lords of the Southern March.
.
Also according to the Cadw website:

“ The project will see investment in heritage sites across the Convergence area (north and west Wales and the valleys)”

And…
.
“Only projects that are proposed for north/west Wales or Valleys regions can benefit from the EU funded bid, but Cadw will retain an all-Wales approach to developing the programme since many tourists will start and finish their visit to Wales outside of the Convergence funding area”.
.
Maybe, as part of the above last paragraph in the statement of ‘aims’ by Cadw in regards to this project they should have stipulated… “but not so far as that troublesome rebel Owain Glyndŵr is concerned, the less attention and credence we give him the better” !
..
...because, that is exactly what they’ve sanctioned by their acceptance of the proposed ‘Interpretation Plan for Owain Glyndŵr' which they commissioned and paid for generously.

Unbelievably, despite Cadw’s statement (as quoted above) that they are prepared to “retain an all-Wales approach” to developing the programme”, the plan concerned does not include the South West, North East, Central or the South of Wales! Its restricted to what Sian Shakespear (the Consultant that was commissioned to research and compose the plan) refers to as an ‘Eastern Cluster’ consisting only of Hanmer Village, Sycharth, Glyndyfrdwy and Bryn Glas and a Western Cluster, consisting only of Machynlleth, Pennal, Aberystwyth Castle and Harlech castle! Now, For the uninitiated in knowledge of 'Convergence areas eligible for funding' in Cymru up to 2013, Please see the map below which covers the Convergence area in Cymru as decided on by the EU (in yellow) and the rest of Cymru (in white) and bear in mind that the Owain Glyndŵr Great War of Independence was stretched to every corner of Wales for a number of years, and also bear in mind that Cadw had stated on their website that they...

"will retain an all-Wales approach to developing the programme since many tourists will start and finish their visit to Wales outside of the Convergence funding area”.

But, as earlier stated, they have no intention of making the 'Owain Glyndŵr Interpretation plan' an all Wales affair unless you insist they do!

Although Sian Shakespear states in the ‘aims’ section on p1 of the ‘Interpretation Plan’ that the ‘plan’ should:

“strengthen a sense of identity and pride in Welsh heritage including Wales’ links with the rest of the world – particularly amongst schoolchildren”

the fact that this Interpretation Plan’ has decreed what areas of the Owain Glyndŵr history is to be interpreted, is insidiously denying, both visitors and indigenous Cymry alike, of the full story and, to be fair to her, she does point to the danger of this occurring in her recommendations to Cadw on the same page:

“Sites beyond north-east and mid Wales which played a role in the uprising may be ignored and visitors will not appreciate the pan-Wales nature of the uprising”

.
So, the buck (as far as this particular issue in the ‘Interpretation plan’ is concerned) rests with Cadw, who has accepted and paid handsomely for the plan and, ultimately, at the feet of the Minister of Heritage.

The above is but a taster of our criticisms of the plan, there are other issues within it that need to be challenged and (a full critique will be published by Dydd Glyndŵr - Medi 16) but it is necessary to draw immediate attention now to the fact that Glyndŵr as a ‘Pan Wales Initiative’ is certainly not what has been set out in this Cadw/ Sian Shakespeare Owain Glyndŵr Interpretation Plan. On the whole, it’s certainly not worthy in regards to the telling of the Owain Glyndŵr Story to tourists - and 'definately not' not to our own people. And, just as important – if not more so, this is supposed to be a ‘Heritage Tourism Initiative’ and yet, it denies two thirds of Wales and its Tourism, the opportunity to be involved and to take advantage of a Pan Wales – Glyndŵr Initiative!

This is a very serious matter and, indeed, I would seriously propose an ‘uprising’ of Welsh Tourism in these areas, which is, in effect, the old medieval ‘Marcher Wallia’. All ‘Pobl Glyndŵr’ and all Cymric patriots and everyone concerned about promotion of the ‘truths’ in regards to their history and in utilizing that history for the sake of the economies of the ‘Marcher Wallia’ areas of Cymru excluded from this Interpretation Plan, should ask the question… why not us? and then demand that they are included.

And, yes…you’ve guessed it, there’s not going to be a ‘Princes of Powys’ Initiative either - and Owain Glyndŵr is descended from the Princes of Powys! Then, what of the North East?, also very much a part of the Gwynedd story - as Gwynedd îs Conwy is, plus, how on earth can you possibly tell a complete Glyndŵr story with out incorporating the ‘Gwlad Glyndŵr’ of the Northern Eastern March?

You just cannot possibly tell the Owain Glyndŵr Story with out it being an all Wales Initiative! However, be prepared to have Cadw tell you that they have no money available to extend the Glyndŵr Story across Wales - despite the assurance on their website that they will “retain an all-Wales approach” to developing the programme”

Most certainly, this issue urgently calls for everyone, not just nationalists, to protest and demand that The Glyndŵr Story be told as a national story and If Cadw tries to say that they have no money, then, how is it they can include in their packages ‘Lords of the South’ which, essentially, is the story of the Anglo – Norman ‘Conquistadors’ of the Southern Marches of the medieval ‘Marchia Wallia’, not even the story of the Welsh Princes, Lords and Chiefs of the South!, who, from ‘Y Blaenau’, continued to resist these ‘Conquistadores’ for two centuries and were native medieval Welsh families who supported Llywelyn III and Owain Glyndŵr -making his story pertinent to the South - but neither this history or the Glyndwr history of Powys or the North East March is included in this plan!

Cadw, I suggest your ‘Interpretation plan’ is badly flawed and you need to go back to the drawing board or, I shall continue to be on your backs until you change a great deal of it - and I now call upon one and all who agree with me to get aboard a radical campaign against Cadw on these issues, starting at the Eisteddfod. Make your way to the Cadw Stand and demand answers and demand they put things right, do this every day, every hour if needs be, until they get the message!

If you are Welsh exiles living abroad, voice your protest from your current home. If you are groups abroad that believe this is 'unjust' and wish to support us by voicing your protest, please do. Your support is needed and will be appreciated and valued. Here is the address you need, to write your letter of protest to Cadw:

Marilyn Lewis. Director.
Cadw, Plas Carew, 5 - 7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Caerdydd, CF15 7QQ.

To voice your protest to the Minister of Heritage at the Welsh Assembly Government, write to: Alun Ffred Jones AM, Minister of Heritage, Welsh Assembly Government, Caerdydd CF10 3NQ

Please do not just leave it to others to do this, it must be one and all in an united front. If you do not 'voice your protest', you, us, the Owain Glyndŵr history, Welsh Tourism, Cymru and...the truth! will all miss out so, its up to all of you out there to unite as one to voice your protest. Go to Cadw on the Eisteddfod field and show them you're angry! and bombard their headquarters in Nantgarw with messages of protest until they radically revise this 'Interpretation Plan'.

Siân