David Lloyd George, the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations
28 / 06 / 201928 June 2019 marks 100 years since the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which officially ended the First World War and led to the creation of the League of Nations.
For the Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 Programme’s final year, the Welsh Government will focus on Wales’ role in the peace process, including the role of Prime Minister David Lloyd George, and the wider Welsh contribution to the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.

David Lloyd George in discussions relating to the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, at the Salon de l’Horloge, Quai d’Orsay. Courtesy of the National Library of Wales.
This year, several Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 partner organisations are also arranging events, talks, activities and exhibitions on the search for peace after the First World War, including:
- On 28 June pupils from Ysgol Llanystumdwy will run the Lloyd George Museum. The activity is part of #TakeoverDay, a day where museums, galleries, historic houses, archives and heritage sites invite young people to take over the jobs of adults. Pupils will welcome visitors to the Museum, show Lloyd George’s personal draft copy of the Treaty of Versailles, demonstrate what kind of experience Lloyd George would have had as pupil at Ysgol Llanystumdwy, and guide visitors around Highgate, the home where Lloyd George was raised.
- Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales’ 1918: Return to Peace exhibition is touring its national sites, including the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, Big Pit: National Coal Museum in Blaenavon, and the National Wool Museum, Drefach Felindre. The effects of the First World War lasted for many years after it ended. This exhibition looks at how companies commemorated their workers’ war service and sacrifices, and also how Welsh industries in the 1920s were shaped by the First World War. For more information visit https://museum.wales/
- Gregynog Festival 2019: Vision includes talks on 29 June from Craig Owen, Welsh Centre for International Affairs and Dr Jan Ruzicka, David Davies Memorial Institute. These talks in the former Davies family home of Gregynog Hall, near Newtown, Powys mark the anniversaries of two institutions founded by David Davies – the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University, and the Temple of Peace and Health in Cardiff – and commemorate the centenary of the First World War, the ‘peace legacy’ of the Davies family, Wales’ unique Temple of Peace, and the extraordinary stories of ordinary people who, over the last 100 years, have shaped Wales’ role in building a better world. Can they inspire a new generation of internationalists?
- Book tickets: https://gwylgregynogfestival.org/programme-2019 / Tel: 01686 207100.
- More information: https://www.wcia.org.uk/wcia-news/peace100-wcia-gregynog-festival-lecture-will-mark-centenary-of-post-ww1-paris-peace-treaty/
- Feature article: https://www.wcia.org.uk/wcia-news/wcia-history/david-davies-75-father-of-the-temple-of-peace/

The Palace of Versailles during the Paris Peace Conference 1919. Courtesy of the National Library of Wales.
- The Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) is celebrating young people who have contributed to peace in their school, local community or the wider world in a variety of ways. Working with Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, WCIA will be presenting the Young Peacemakers Awards at a new ceremony in the Eisteddfod on 4 July – where young people will showcase their achievements, and receive awards and certificates. Individual young people or groups can be nominated under 6 categories, for peace work through: Heritage, Writing, Art, Digital, Data and Community Peacebuilding. For more information visit https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/young-peacemakers-awards-2019/.
- For World Peace Day on 21 September, a ‘Garden Party’ event will mark the transition from Wales for Peace, to the launch of The Welsh Centre for International Affair (WCIA)’s new ‘Global Action’ programme for 2019-24. As well as formally launching legacy publications from Wales for Peace work over 2015-19, WCIA hope to unveil new interpretation in Wales’ National Garden of Peace – inspired by the aspirations of a ‘new generation of internationalists’ to build a better world. More information available soon at https://www.wcia.org.uk/events/.
- During 2019 there will be a series of activities taking place at the Lloyd George Museum in Llanystumdwy, Gwynedd, which will identify the important role of David Lloyd George, British Prime Minister at the time of signing the peace. There will be a range of events available for audiences of all ages, including an open day on 22 September. For more information contact 01766522071 / lloydgeorgemuseum@gwynedd.llyw.cymru.
- The Cardiff and District Branch of the United Nations Association and Penarth Quakers are jointly arranging a public lecture at the Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff at 7.00pm on Thursday 24 October. Professor Sir Deian Hopkin, Chair of the Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 Programme Board will be giving the lecture on ‘The impact of the First World War on Wales 1918-22’. For more information, please contact Professor Emeritus Robin Attfield, attfieldr@cardiff.ac.uk.

Megan Lloyd George and family members outside the Palace of Versailles during the Paris Peace Conference 1919. Courtesy of the National Library of Wales.
- The National Library of Wales is promoting the online exhibition on the life and work of David Lloyd George that includes a variety of items from the collections of the Library. Among them are letters sent by his Personal Secretary Frances Stephenson to her family while she was at the conference in Versailles between April and June 1919. There are also pictures of Versailles in Margaret Lloyd George’s photograph book, a film clip of Hepworth’s interview with David Lloyd George, and links to education resources on Lloyd George, Versailles and the First World War. See the digital exhibition at https://www.library.wales/davidlloydgeorge/.
- The National Library of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales have worked jointly to produce and publish digital learning resources on the Treaty of Versailles, through the support of the Welsh Government. To see the resources on Hwb, the digital platform for learning and teaching in Wales, visit https://hwb.gov.wales/repository/resource/a9997049-967e-4016-a01f-86f8bc41ae18/en.
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Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918 is the Welsh Government’s programme to mark the centenary commemoration of the First World War.
- Website: walesremembers.org
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