PRIMARY school children from across Wales, including two in Newport, joined First Minister, Carwyn Jones today to unveil their specially selected personal messages for world leaders ahead of the Newport Nato summit.
Thirty messages written by nine and ten-year-olds, some from Mount Pleasant Primary School and Pillgwenlly Primary School, have been picked to be given to each of the Nato world leaders - including Prime Minister David Cameron, US President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande – during the summit.
The messages will appear bilingually on postcards and answer the question, what would you like to have changed in the world by the time you are adults?
They include Natalie Hamlin, age 10, from Ysgol Pencae Cardiff’s wish for “not just my family to be happy and safe, but for everyone else’s too” and Kian Wyn Thomas, age 10, from Ysgol Yr Hendre, Caernarfon who said “when I am grown up I hope that everyone is treated equally, whatever the colour of their skin.”
The First Minister said: “This week’s Nato summit is the largest political gathering of world leaders ever to be held in the UK, and I am immensely proud Wales is the host nation. We wanted to make sure that children growing up in Wales had a chance to be a part of this historic event by giving them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share their hopes for the future with influential world leaders.
“Their messages are heartfelt and united in their calls for peace, equality and respect. It’s encouraging to know that the Summit has captured the interest of these school children, making them consider global issues and their personal ambitions for the future.”
Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb added: "The Nato summit in Newport is a huge and historic opportunity for Wales to be seen on the global stage.
"I'm delighted that our children and young people are being given the chance to get involved and have their voices heard by some of the world's most influential leaders and heads of state."
The schools taking part in the project are Ysgol Pencae, Cardiff, Mount Pleasant Primary School, Newport, Pillgwenlly Primary School, Newport, Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth, Ysgol yr Hendre, Caernarfon and Adran yr Urdd Treuddyn in Flintshire.
Five of the children will personally deliver the postcards on behalf of their schools , attending a reception hosted by the Prince of Wales at the Celtic Manor on the first day of the Summit. These are Elin Griffiths, aged 10, from Mount Pleasant Primary School, Awais Ahmed, aged 10, from Pillgwenlly Primary School, Cai Rhun Jones, aged 10, from Ysgol yr Hendre, Rhys Phillips, aged 10, from Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth, Elin Henstock, aged 10, from Adran yr Urdd Treuddyn and Molly McVeigh, aged 10, from Ysgol Pencae.
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