Recognising the contribution of women during the First World War in National Assembly Remembrance lecture
Remembrance Lecture 2018 - ‘Welsh Women’s response to the First World War’
Location: Neuadd, Senedd, Cardiff Bay
Date: Tuesday 6 November
Time: 18.00 – 20.00
Respected author and historian Dr Dinah Evans will give this year’s Remembrance lecture at the Senedd on the theme of the contribution of women during the First World War.
Dr Evans is an Honorary Research Associate of Bangor University and her particular field of interest is the impact of the two world wars on Wales and Welsh society.
Dr Evans’ lecture will focus on the women who took over the jobs when the men went away, who worked in the armaments factories which supplied the bombs and the shells, or worked in hospitals on the front line treating the sick and injured in horrendous conditions.
The lecture is a fitting part of the National Assembly’s continuing programme events to mark the contributions of women in society, including the suffrage movement which saw some women given the vote 100 years ago.
Elin Jones AM, Llywydd of the National Assembly for Wales, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Dr Dinah Evans to the Senedd for what I’m sure will be a fascinating insight into the role of women during the First World War.
“Her lecture is part of a series of events throughout November including the inspiring Women’s Suffrage in Wales exhibition which returns to the Senedd.
“We will also host a fascinating interactive work of art by Scarlet Raven and Marc Marot which brings one soldier’s story to life in a beautiful and immersive way. 
Dr Dinah Evans said:
“These last years have brought alive the horrors of the First World War for so many people in this country.
“Much of the attention has focussed on the wartime experience of the men, many of them little more than boys. But these soldiers, sailors and airmen had mothers, wives, sisters and daughters, and their wartime history is important too.
“Across the age groups and class barriers of the time, many women also played their part in the war effort. Some doing jobs that freed up men to go to fight, including thousands of women and girls who worked in armament factories across Wales, risking their health, and lives, as they made and filled shells with explosives. Other Welsh young women trained as nurses and then travelled out to battlefields across Europe and the Middle East, where they nursed the sick and dying at considerable personal risk.
“It is so very important that we understand the part played by both men and women in the First World War, because only then can we appreciate the totality of their effort and sacrifice.”
The Remembrance lecture will be followed by a Q&A chaired by Senior Lecturer at Aberystwyth University’s Department of International Politics, Dr Elin Royles. The Department will also be celebrating its centenary in 1919, being founded shortly after Armistice day as a response to the extreme violence of the First World War.
Dr Royles said:
“A century ago, the horror of the First World War, which was felt across the globe, was the impetus for Lord David Davies and his sisters Gwendoline and Margaret Davies to make a financial contribution to establish a Chair and Department to study how to promote better relationships between the countries of the world.
“This led to the establishment of the Department of International Politics at the University of Wales College in Aberystwyth.
“The First World War's centenary is an opportunity to consider all the implications of that grave war, including the complex impact it has had on society.
“Therefore, it’s great that Dinah Evans, at the Remembrance Day Lecture, focuses on a proportion of society, which is often forgotten in history and politics when discussing the response of women of Wales to the First World War.”
Dr Dinah Evans is an Honorary Research Associate of Bangor University and her particular field of interest is the impact of the two world wars on Wales and Welsh society. ‘Welsh Women’s response to the First World War’ is a subject which Dr Dinah Evans has researched extensively and her research has been published as a Chapter in ‘Creithiau: Dylanwad y Rhyfel Mawr Ar Gymdeithas a Diwylliant yng Nghymru’, which was published in 2016. Dr Dinah Evans is also a committee member of Women’s Archive Wales.
Dr Elin Royles is Senior Lecturer at Aberystwyth University’s Department of International Politics. The department will be celebrating its centenary in 1919 after being founded shortly after Armistice day as a response to the extreme violence of the First World War.
Remembrance at the National Assembly for Wales: Exhibitions
Date: 1-25 November 2018
Location: Senedd, Oriel
‘The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Wales’
An organised women's suffrage movement operated continuously in Britain for more than sixty years, with partial enfranchisement won in 1918 and equal voting rights with men finally achieved ten years later.
This exhibition aims to provide a snapshot of Wales's part in this lengthy and multifaceted campaign, the photographs, images and artefacts seeking to illustrate some of its principal elements.
‘The Soldier’s Own Diary’ by Scarlet Raven and Marc Marot
Artists Scarlett Raven and Marc Marot call themselves “The Augmentists”.
They combine their skillsets to create art which reveals the poignant story of the Great War through poems, animation and music.
‘The Soldier’s Own Diary’ features the tale of Welsh Private Robert Phillips, who escaped a POW camp and trekked his way home to the valleys. His story is brought to life through the use of augmented reality via the ‘Blipper’ app on smartphones or devices available from the National Assembly.
Castle Fine Art Cardiff, which represent the artists, have kindly loaned the piece in time for Remembrance to be experienced by the people of Wales, many of whom can relate to the story of Private Philips.
Wales for Peace Conference
On Tuesday 6 November Wales for Peace will be delivering, ‘Shaping the Future We Wish to See – Young people’s role in building a more peaceful Wales and the world’, the 5th annual conference, in partnership with the National Assembly for Wales. The aim of the conference, is to promote the voice of young people.
Young people attending will have an opportunity to discuss three peace related themes and put their questions to a panel of AMs in Siambr Hywel before visiting the Temple of Peace when the first six schools who have become Peace Schools will be awarded.