A hundred-year-old Peace Petition signed by almost 400,000 Welsh Women is to return to Wales as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History transfers the oak chest and petition to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
In 1923 with the horrors of World War One having galvanised a whole generation against conflict, the women of Wales organised a campaign for world peace. In a Welsh League of Nations Union conference held at Aberystwyth University, it was proposed that a campaign should be launched to ensure that the women of the USA should hear the voices of the women of Wales and work together for a world without war.
A total of 390,296 women signed a peace petition. Within seven months, Annie Hughes Griffiths, Mary Ellis, Elined Prys and Gladys Thomas had reached the USA with an oak chest containing a petition that was said to be 7 miles long. In New York, it was presented to the women of America by the peace delegation from Wales. Since then, the chest has been preserved and exhibited at the National Museum of American History, in Washington DC.
The Women of Wales for a World without War Partnership began working in 2019 with the National Library of Wales to borrow the chest and some of the petitions. The subsequent discussions with the National Museum of American History eventually resulted in this transfer to the National Library of Wales. The trunk is now on its way back and should reach its new home at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth within the next few weeks.
On March 29th, 2023 representatives from Wales, to include Academi Heddwch Cymru (the Welsh peace institute), Heddwch Nain / Mam-gu (Our Grandmother’s Peace), Welsh Government, The National Library of Wales and Aberystwyth University, will meet with staff from the National Museum of American History to mark this occasion.
The Welsh Government contributed £150,000 to finance the return of the chest and petition to Wales. Once in Aberystwyth expert staff at The National Library will digitise its contents. This in turn will enable the public to search the Peace Petition to find out who exactly were these women of Wales who went in search of peace.
Working with the Peace Petition Partnership and volunteers Wales-wide, an exhibition will be organised during 2023-2024 to present the chest and petition at three locations – Aberystwyth, St Fagans and Wrexham.
Jill Evans, Chair of Heddwch Nain/Mamgu (Our Grandmothers’ Peace), a group which has been instrumental in drawing attention to this story, said:
“This unique and remarkable peace mission by women in Wales a hundred years ago inspired so many people and continues to do so. This history belongs to all of us. We need to remember and share the story, to celebrate their achievements but also to reaffirm their aim of a warless world. Heddwch Nain/Mam-Gu was set up to continue the women’s campaign for peace.”
Pedr ap Llwyd, Chief Executive and Librarian, National Library Wales said:
“We would like to thank the Smithsonian Institution and all our partners in the Women of Wales for a World without War Partnership for ensuring that the Peace Petition is making its way to the Library here in Aberystwyth. The digitisation and engagement projects will enable people from all over Wales to understand more about the Peace Petition, the women who led the campaign and many of the women who signed the petition.”
Anthea M. Hartig, the Elizabeth MacMillan Director of the National Museum of American History said:
“This petition from the women of Wales on behalf of the women of the United States, is a beautiful example of supportive sisterhood. For nearly two decades the trunk was on display in our museum to illustrate the use of women’s networks in promoting peace. We are pleased and honoured to transfer the trunk and petitions to the National Library of Wales and return it home for the 100th anniversary.”
Mererid Hopwood, Partnership Chair said:
“Against the backdrop of today’s troubled world, it’s an enormous privilege to remember how the women of Wales, a century ago, were bold enough to work for global peace. It’s our hope that through the Peace Petition project this spirit of international co-operation, focussed on creating a fair and violence-free world, will find new voices.”
Susie Ventris Field, Chief Executive of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs said:
“When we found the cover of the petition in the Council Chamber of the Temple of Peace, we knew this was a remarkable story of women and the peace movement in Wales. Since then, we’ve seen people across Wales, particularly children, inspired by the story to take their own action towards peace. With the petition itself returning to Wales, there is a further opportunity to inspire the next generation of peacebuilders.”
Dawn Bowden, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Welsh Government said:
“I am delighted that the 1923 Peace Petition is returning to Wales a hundred years after it was taken to the USA. I would like to thank the Smithsonian Institution for the generosity of this gift to the National Library of Wales. The gathering of almost 400,000 signatures from women across Wales as a campaign for peace is inspiring. I hope that the return of the petition to Wales will inspire and motivate a new generation of advocates for peace.”
For more details, contact: Rhodri ap Dyfrig, Head of Marketing and Audiences, National Library of Wales rhodri.apdyfrig@llyfrgell.cymru / 07855362206.
Update 11th April 23
Welsh Peace Petition Arrives Home as Funding Announced to Bring its Story to Life
A hundred-year-old Peace Petition signed by almost 400,000 Welsh Women had an emotional welcome back to Wales on Wednesday the 5th April 2023, coinciding with the announcement of an award of nearly £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to bring the story to life.
The Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) has been awarded £249,262 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) to support the Women’s Peace Petition Project. The project will be managed by Academi Heddwch Cymru and the WCIA on behalf of the Women’s Peace Petition Partnership. The NLHF funding will enable the Partnership to actively engage with the community of Wales to share and celebrate the story as well as enabling people to play an active role in transcription efforts to support the National Library’s work.
The chest and petition arrived at the National Library of Wales to a warm welcome by the people involved in the Women’s Peace Petition Partnership who have worked over many years to bring it back home. This return signals the first step in making it accessible to the people of Wales. Over the next year, the petition will now be catalogued, digitised, and opened to the public to crowdsource its transcription, along with several exhibitions at Amgueddfa Cymru – St Fagans, Wrexham Museum, and the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
The 1923 campaign and its presentation to the USA
In 1923 with the horrors of World War One having galvanised a whole generation against conflict, the women of Wales organised a campaign for world peace. In a Welsh League of Nations Union conference held at Aberystwyth University, it was proposed that a campaign should be launched to ensure that the women of the USA should hear the voices of the women of Wales and work together for a world without war.
A total of 390,296 women signed a peace petition. Within seven months, Annie HughesGriffiths, Mary Ellis, Elined Prys and Gladys Thomas had reached the USA with an oak chest containing a petition that was said to be 7 miles long. In New York, it was presented to the women of America by the peace delegation from Wales. Since then, the chest has been preserved and exhibited at the National Museum of American History, in Washington DC.
The peace petition returns to Wales
The Women of Wales for a World without War Partnership began working in 2019 with the National Library of Wales to borrow the chest and some of the petitions. The subsequent discussions with the National Museum of American History eventually resulted in this transfer to the National Library of Wales.
Once in Aberystwyth expert staff at The National Library will digitise its contents. This will enable the public to view the Peace Petition and participate in a national campaign to transcribe the names of petition signatories creating a publicly available and searchable resource for the first time.
Suzie Ventris-Field, Chief Executive of WCIA said:
“WCIA is extremely honoured to be part of the Women’s Peace Petition Partnership and thankful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their award which will bring this incredible story to life. Centenary celebrations and outreach funded by the NLHF will help the Partnership start a conversation with communities about how Wales can develop as a Nation of Peace and inspire the next generation of peacemakers.”
Mererid Hopwood, Peace Petition Partnership Chair said:
“Against the backdrop of today’s troubled world, it’s an enormous privilege to remember how the women of Wales, a century ago, were bold enough to work for global peace. It’s our hope that through the Peace Petition project this spirit of international co-operation, focussed on creating a fair and violence-free world, will find new voices.”
Andrew White, Wales Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:
“Five years before they won the vote in 1928, 400,000 Welsh women reached out across the Atlantic in a historic show of solidarity to take a stand against the horrors of war by signing this petition. It’s our incredible privilege to be awarding almost £250,000 to bring the petition and the chest in which it travelled back to Wales at a time when sadly the shadow of war looms over Europe and the need for peace and solidarity is as great as it has ever been.”
Dawn Bowden, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, said:
“I am delighted that the 1923 Peace Petition has returned to Wales a hundred years after it was taken to the USA. I would like to thank the Smithsonian Institution for the generosity of this gift to the National Library of Wales. The gathering of almost 400,000 signatures from women across Wales as a campaign for peace is inspiring. I hope that the return of the petition to Wales will inspire and motivate a new generation of advocates for peace.”
