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191494500 Belgian Refugees offered sanctuaryOver 4,500 Belgian Refugees fleeing Flanders' Fields and cities are offered sanctuary in communities Wales-wide, from Milford Haven and Laugharne in the South, to Rhyl and Menai Bridge in the North. Making a profound yet often forgotten contribution to Welsh art, culture and communities - for example, Flemish Refugee Eugene Van Fleteren carved The Black Chair posthumously awarded to Eisteddfod bard and WW1 War Poet Hedd Wyn in 1917. Almost all return to Belgium at the end of the war, but Wales' warm welcome is not forgotten - one that Welsh communities will extend to many more waves of refugees through the century.https://www.flickr.com/photos/129767871@N03/30220817157Refugees in Rhyl ProjectCrowds turned out in force to welcome Belgian Refugees arriving in Rhyl, Denbighshire, a scene echoed in towns throughout Wales. #ffd966
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1936Basque Refugees fleeing Spanish Civil War offered sanctuary in Old Colwyn, Newport, Swansea and BrechfaWales offers sanctuary to Basque Refugees fleeing Spanish Civil War. In particular over 400 children who arrived on the 'SS Habana' were accommodated in specially contructed camps in Old Colwyn, Conwy; Newport, Monmouthshire; Sketty, Swansea; and Brechfa, Carmarthenshire. They were the largest ever influx of refugees into Britain.https://www.flickr.com/photos/129767871@N03/44441893364Wales for Peace1935 Spanish Civil War Basque Children#ffd966
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19395Jewish KinderstransportWales offers sanctuary to German Jewish Kindertransport fleeing persecution in Poland, Germany and Hungary. The Kindertransport was an organised rescue effort that took place during the nine months prior to the outbreak of WW2. Llanwrtyd Wells in Powys becomes home to over 130 Czech-Jewish children who were rescued quietly by Nicholas Winton, whilst Gwrych Castle near Abergele in Conwy becomes a Jewish Children's home. Over 6,000 descendents are alive thanks to Nicholas Winton.https://www.wcia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Nicholas-Winton-stamp-marking-Jewish-Kinderstransport-role-300x300.jpgWelsh Centre for International Affairs#ffd966
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193910World War 2 EvacueesWales offers sanctuary to evacuees from UK’s major cities, and also Belgian and French Refugees fleeing WW2https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/img/slideshows/446x251/ww2-newport-evacuees-04.jpgBBC WalesEvacuees in Newtown and Oswestry ; the week Great Britain went to war - Sept 1939#ffd966
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1956Polish RevolutionAfter the death of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1953, Poland relaxed some of its policies. These changes prompted a popular desire for further, more-radical reforms which the conservative Polish leadership were reluctant to implement. On June 28, workers of Poznań striked and 30,000 demonstrators marched through the city. Riots soon broke out and the following day the minister of defense, Konstantin Rokossovsky, ordered the military to suppress the uprising. Within a few days nearly 60 people were killed, adn more than 200 were wounded.#ffd966
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195610Hungarian & Polish RevolutionsIn October 1956 a group of university students in Budapest held a demonstartion condemning the Soviet Union's cruel response to the Polish revolution. Soon that demonstration shifted to focus on the economic hardships Hungary faced under the USSR. The students march turned into a full-scale uprising which was quickly met with Soviet tanks and brutal violence. Approximately 200,000 Hungarians decided to flee their home country, an estimated 20,000 of which chose the UK. Many Polish and Hungarians settled in Wales and were met with an enthusiastic and positive response both locally and in the media. Wales contirbuted to the peaceful settlement of those fleeing Eastern Europe and highly benefited from an increased workforce, without which many mines would have had to ave shut down.https://wciavoices.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/hungarian-refugees.jpgWelsh Centre for International Affairs Hungarian refudees lay a wreath at the War Memorial in Cathays Park, Cardiff in 1958#ffd966
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19728Ugandan Refugees fleeing Idi Amin welcomed in GwyneddOn August 5th 1972, the Ugandan President Idi Amin ordered the expulsion all Asians and gave them just 90 days to leave the country. The presence of Indians in Uganda was the result of British administration (1894–1962), and as a result many held British passports. Of the 50,000 that were forced out, almost 30,000 Ugandan Asaisn came to the UK and went to 12 resettlement camps nationwide. 1,000 were taken in by the Gwynedd community of Tonfanau near Tywyn in South Snowdonia.https://www.wcia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Tonfanau_Station_-_Uganda_Refugees_1972.jpgWCIAUgandan Refugees on the Platform at Tonfanau, Gwynedd#ffd966
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1978Vietnamese Refugees in Merioneth Wales offers sanctuary to a small number of refugees fleeing collapse of the Vietnam War, becoming part of the community in Barnmuoth, Gwynedd.https://www.wcia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1978-Barmouth-Guardian-Article_Vietnamese-Boat-People-1024x362.jpgThe Guardian, Sept 1978#ffd966
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1991Sanctuary from SomalilandMany from Somaliland sought sanctuary with longstanding Somali communities in Wales - which, since the opening of the Suex Canal, in 1869, has been connected through the coal trade. Over 7,000 Somalis play an active role in Cardiff communities and covil society alone. Wales' Somalilander communitty has been instrumental in supoprting the establishment of a stable Somaliland state - and advocating for the international recognition, and independence from, the 'failed state' of Somali to the south.https://www.wcia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/1992-Wales-Somaliland-Link-2011.jpgWCIAWales Somaliland Link representatives with Julie Morgan MP#ffd966
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20105Swansea becomes the UK's 2nd 'City of Sanctuary'Cities of Sanctuary' have grown to become a national movement committed to building a culture of hospitality and welcome for refugees seeking anctuary fom war and persecution. There are now 11 'Sanctuary Regions' across Wales: Abergavenny, cardiff, Croeso, Teifi (Cardigan), Hay Brecone & Talgarth, Machynelleth, Mold Synergy, Montgomeryhire, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Valleys of Sanctuary, and Wrexham. With support of the Welsh Government, Wales is working towards becoming the world's first Nation of Sanctuary.https://cdn.cityofsanctuary.org/uploads/sites/41/2010/09/city-of-sanctuary-s2.jpgSwansea City of SanctuaryAnna Mammedova and Keith Ross presenting the City of Sanctuary certificate to the Lord Mayor of Swansea at the Council Meeting on 19 September.#ffd966
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2015Syrian Refugees offered Sanctuary in WalesIn 2013, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 4.25 million Syrians are internally displaced. 3.8 million of which are settled in just 5 countries: Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. 63,170 resettlement places have been offered globally since the start of the Syria crisis. In 2015 Wales started to welcome Syrian refugees and by 2016 at least 397 refugees were resettled across Wales.https://www.wcia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Syrian-Refugees-Aberystwyth-Mary-Turner.jpgWCIASyrian Families making a new home in Aberystwyth, 2015. Credit: Mary Turner#ffd966
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