Seventy participants celebrated Owen’s birthday with a programme from Newtown to Japan and back again, making this a memorable celebration. Activity included:
Welcome by Cllr. David Selby, Mayor of Newtown, joining us, with floral tribute from the Co-operative Group
Greetings: Akira Kurimoto, former Secretary General, Robert Owen Association (Japan) Organising committee, ICA Global Congress, Seoul, December 2021
- What would Robert Owen be doing today?’ School children interview the First Minister of Wales
- ‘What Owenite ideals descended to the modern Co-operative Movement?’
Cilla Ross, Researcher/Activist,
Sara Vicari, Aroundtheworld.coop, (Rome),
Gillian Lonergan, former National Co-operative Archive Librarian
Facilitator: Rebecca Harvey, Executive Editor, Co-op Press
- ‘How do we keep Owen’s ideals burning brightly?’
Sara Vicari, Aroundtheworld.coop (Rome),
Michael Brown, Director for Open Newtown,
Dan McCullum, Awel Aman Tawe,
Rory Ridley-Duff, Chair, UK Society for Co-operative Studies,
Ceri Cunningham & Selwyn Williams , Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog
We are very pleased to acknowledge financial support received from several UK Co-operative Societies and other Co-op Member Education organisations. Thanks are due to all those who have contributed to making Owen’s Birthday celebrations possible. Special thanks are due to Rebecca Harvey, at the Co-op Press, who at our suggestion interviewed the Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford MS; and recorded Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd pupils interviewing our First Minister in March 2021. A short publication is being prepared to capture presentations and participant views with an edited video of event highlights.
