This is Video of the Week from Wales Arts Review. We’ll be showcasing some of the best art in Wales with a new video shared every week. From music to drama and everything in between, videos will not be limited by medium. Today’s video is Urdd’s annual peace message: “It’s time to wake up”.
Welcome back to another video of the week! In case you missed it, this week we take a look back at Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s annual messages of peace and goodwill in its centenary year. This years message focused on climate change, a highly relevant topic given the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report found that, in Southern Europe, more than a third of the population will be exposed to water scarcity at 2°C warming, and coastal flood damage is projected to increase at least 10-fold by the end of the 21st first century. With figures like this in mind, the Urdd’s message feels more apt than ever.
Speaking on Urdd’s message, First Minister Mark Drakeford said:
“At a time when the peace of the world is in such peril, the message, and work of the Urdd in welcoming refugees to Wales have never been more significant. The theme of the climate emergency, too, will resonate with young people from around the globe as we work together to protect the fragile planet which we inhabit together.”
This year’s message is available in 100 languages to ensure that the climate message can be received worldwide. A musical version of the message, entitled ‘Mae’n Amser Deffro’, meaning ‘it’s time to wake up’, has also been recorded by Lily Beau, and was produced by Rich James Roberts and Ifan Davies from Stiwdio Ferlas. A formal partnership was also formed between Aberystwyth University students and a group of students from the University of Life Sciences in Norway to emphasise the international importance of the message.
You can watch this year’s Climate Emergency message below.
