Extract from First Minister's Questions in the Welsh Assembly
One of the things that the armed forces community in Wales really
does value and appreciate is the opportunity to commemorate
significant events in military history and to reflect and remember
those who have fallen in those periods of conflict.
One of the successes that we've seen in Wales in recent years in
terms of being able to commemorate events has been the Cymru'n
Cofio programme, which I thought was absolutely superb and ought to
have continued into the future.
What consideration has the Welsh Government given to picking the
Cymru'n Cofio programme back up so that it can incorporate future
anniversaries of significance, including, for example, next year's
fortieth anniversary of the Falklands war, in which 48 people from
Wales were killed and there were 97 casualties?
These are the sorts of significant events that I think we need to
be able to plan well in advance for. I wonder what you're able to
tell us today about commemoration of that particular event and
whether you can set up another sort of Cymru'n Cofio-type programme
for the future.
, First Minister of Wales
I thank the Member for that question. I agree with him, of
course, on the importance of commemoration of these major events.
Next week, Llywydd, as I think you know, I will represent Wales
at the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the British
legion at the service of commemoration at Westminster abbey. And,
indeed, in the following week, I will take part at Brecon
barracks in a commemoration event of the actions that Welsh
troops were involved in in the second world war in liberating
parts of Holland.
The Member asks about the conflict that happened in the
Falklands; it'll be 40 years next year. I know that the Member
himself was involved in the commemoration of the thirty-fifth
anniversary here at the Senedd. I'm happy to tell him that
discussions have already taken place with the Scottish Government
to make sure that we're aware of what's happening there, and
discussions are planned to take place with the UK Government
through the Ministry of Defence.
We will want to make sure that Wales is aligned with whatever
UK-wide commemorative events are planned, but I do know that
local events are already being thought about. In Wrexham, there
is to be an event jointly held between local organisations and
the Welsh Guards, and the South Atlantic Medal Association, I
understand, is considering a commemorative event here in Cardiff.
So, I thank the Member for drawing attention to the need to plan
ahead for this and give him an assurance that, both at whatever
national events are planned but in supporting those local events
as well, the Welsh Government will want to play our part.
