Peace and environmental campaigners across Wales will be celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the Nuclear Free Wales Declaration tomorrow (23 February), and Welsh councils which are members of the Nuclear Free Local Authorities network will be joining the party.
On 23 February 1982, Clywd was the last of the original eight County Councils to pass a resolution declaring itself nuclear-free. Although these traditional county authorities have with local government restructuring passed into history, the Chair of NFLA Wales, Councillor Ernie Galsworthy of Merthyr Tydfil Council believes the motivation that drove elected decision-makers to act still holds true today:
“At that time, Councillors across Wales from all political parties were convinced that we had no need for nuclear weapons, which represent an existential threat to all life on our planet. Welsh anti-nuclear activists have been historically pivotal to action on disarmament. In 1981, a march by Welsh women from Cardiff to Greenham led directly to the establishment of the women’s peace camps and the campaign against the US cruise missile base.”
“Later this year, nations which have signed the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will meet in Vienna. NFLA Wales will continue to press the UK Government to sign the treaty and before that send a representative to observe proceedings as part of our ongoing commitment to work for a nuclear weapon-free world.”
Councillor Galsworthy would like to see the anniversary become an opportunity to reaffirm Wales’ commitment to becoming a nation powered by renewables as well as continuing the fight for a nuclear-weapons free world:
“As a nation, we are endowed with natural resources that can be used for power generation. As well as our hydro-electric plants, we can look to meet our needs from the wind and sunshine with which we are blessed, and we also have great potential to harness tidal power as we are surrounded on three sides by the sea.”
“Instead of looking to build new nuclear power plants at Wylfa and Trawsfynydd at vast expense, our local and national politicians should be looking to invest much more heavily in a range of renewable technologies to provide for our future energy requirements.
“Not only do renewables represent sustainable power sources, they can deliver energy and many high-quality long-term jobs for Welsh citizens at a much lower cost than nuclear and without the dangers and the radioactive waste that accompany nuclear plants.”
CND Cymru are hosting a webinar on the anniversary on Wednesday 23 February starting at 7pm. The link to register for the event can be found here: https://tocyn.cymru/cy/event/e20f4ca9-6a73-470d-9700-f7d7c495ab8f A poster has also been issued to mark the event and this accompanies this press release. An exhibition marking anti-nuclear activism in Wales will be touring the country from April. This will include a banner created by activist Thalia Campbell which went to Greenham Common.
Ends//… For more information please contact Richard Outram, Secretary, NFLA Email Richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk / Mobile 07583 097793
