2022 marks 100 years of the Peace and Goodwill message ©

Urdd Gobaith Cymru

About the Urdd

Urdd Gobaith Cymru is Wales's largest national youth organisation, and since 1922, the Urdd has provided unique opportunities for over 4 million children and young people in Wales, from sporting, arts and voluntary to philanthropic, residential, apprenticeship and outdoor experiences.

Every year for a century the young people of Wales have shared a message of peace, aimed at uniting children and young people, to reduce prejudice and ignorance and to show the unity of all young people across the world. It is completely unique to Wales. Promoting peace between countries and providing humanitarian aid to help others has been at the heart of the Urdd’s values since day one. ​​ Recently one of the Urdd’s residential camps offered refuge to over a hundred Afghan refuges and now in the shadow of war the Urdd is opening its doors to over 250 Ukrainian refugees. 

The British Council is supporting the Urdd to help spread the international Peace message in its centenary year, using our global networks and expertise in fostering international collaboration to help the Urdd reach their target of sharing the message in 100 countries and 100 languages.

Peace and Goodwill Message in 2022

In addition to assisting victims of the war, the Urdd also recognises the importance of not delaying the climate emergency agenda. The climate emergency message is a call to action to the world, to use the significance and power of our voices to urge governments and large corporations to take urgent action to prevent further climate change. 

The centenary peace message was created in collaboration with Aberystwyth University students. You can view the message here. The powerful and positive response from children and young people across the world each year is testament to the impact and reach of the Peace Message, examples of which can be found here. With the reach growing significantly year on year, 2021’s message on the theme of Equality for Women and Girls was translated into 65 languages, viewed in 59 countries and reached over 84 million people worldwide. The message was shared by politicians, organisations and celebrities - and now we need you to join in to help reach 100 countries and share the message in 100 languages in its centenary year.

 

Sharing the message on 18 May

On the 18 May the message will be published on the Urdd's Twitter, Instagram and Facebook channels. Here's how you can get involved:

-          100 countries and 100 languages: The Urdd is aiming for the message to reach over 100 countries, with the message available in over 100 languages. If you are posting from outside of Wales, use the country hashtag e.g. #Deutschland #USA. Don't forget #Heddwch100 and encourage your friends across the world to share the message too.

-          Record the message in one of 100 languages: Share the message on 18 May in a language of your choice using the hashtag #Heddwch100, the country hashtag and the language hashtag.

-          Download the education pack: The Urdd has teamed up with the Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) and Climate Cymru to create a teacher-led climate emergency education pack to empower and educate children and young people about the climate emergency. Sign up here to receive the pack.

Contact heddwch@urdd.org for more information.