NEWS

The Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates, will today represent Wales at a special commemorative service held by UEFA, Europe’s Football Governing body, to mark the centenary of the First World War’s famous Christmas truce.

The ceremony, taking place at the Comines-Warneton in Belgium, includes representatives from around Europe and was organised to remember a moment when hundreds of soldiers of different nationalities stopped fighting and were briefly united by a game of football.

The Welsh Government is leading on Wales’ official programme of commemoration for the centenary of the First World War, Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918, working in partnership with organisations across Wales and beyond.

The Deputy Minister said:

“It is an honour to represent Wales at this special event. I am a firm believer in the power of sport in not only keeping people active and healthy, but in helping to build confidence, self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

“The now famous Christmas truce is a poignant example of this power, where people from different cultures and opposing sides in a devastating war were united by a game of football.

“We are proud to be leading Wales’ centenary programme of commemoration of the First World War and of the way the public has responded to this. It’s so important that we remember the sacrifices made for peace and freedom and the transformational effect this had on our history.”

The Welsh Government has supported a Christmas Truce exhibition developed by the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum and partners in Germany and France. The exhibition features items exchanged during the Christmas truce by soldiers from the regiments involved and is  touring Wolkenstein in Saxony, Armentières in Nord Pas de Calais and  at Bodelwyddan Castle in Wales between January 15 – March 31 2015.

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