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Major stateless nation conference to be held in Wales

By Mark Mansfield
A group from Flanders at the recent March for Independence in Barry. Photo Mark Mansfield

Martin Shipton

An international body that promotes the interests of stateless nations is to hold a major conference in Wales, it has been announced by YesCymru.

The 2025 International Commission for European Citizens (ICEC) conference will be held in Cardiff on Saturday, July 5, at the iconic Old Library in the heart of the Welsh capital.

The event marks a significant milestone in the growing collaboration between European movements for independence and self-determination.

Hosted by YesCymru on behalf of Wales, this international gathering will bring together representatives from seven stateless nations: Wales, Scotland, Catalunya, the Basque Country, Flanders, Sud Tirol, and Veneto. All are united by a shared commitment to achieving democratic self-government and national recognition.

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Self-determination

The ICEC is a transnational network working to promote the right to self-determination and peaceful democratic processes for stateless nations across Europe. ICEC advocates for the inclusion of these nations within the European framework and supports cooperation on political, economic, and cultural initiatives.

YesCymru was founded as a grassroots, non-partisan campaign for an independent Wales. With a focus on civic nationalism, democratic engagement, and a prosperous future for Wales, YesCymru sees itself as aiming to empower Welsh people of Wales to take control of their own destiny through independence.

The purpose of the 2025 ICEC Conference in Cardiff is to forge closer working relationships between the seven participating nations, fostering shared strategies, knowledge exchange, and solidarity in their respective campaigns for independence. The event will feature speakers, panel discussions, and cultural showcases, offering a platform to highlight each nation’s aspirations and challenges.

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'Celebration'

Phyl Griffiths, a spokesperson for ICEC Wales said: “We are honoured to host the ICEC conference here in Wales, this is more than a conference — it is a celebration of democracy, identity, and the shared pursuit of a better future for our nations.”

Geraint Thomas, a Wales representative for ICEC said: “Organising a transnational conference like this is a powerful opportunity to strengthen ties between our nations. By coming together, we share not only our challenges but also our strategies, ideas, and hope for the future. This collaboration lays the foundation for a new era of cooperation among Europe's stateless nations — one rooted in mutual respect, solidarity, and a shared vision of democratic self-determination.”

The ICEC conference is open to the public, media, and all those interested in the future of European democracy. More details, including the day’s agenda and speaker announcements, will be shared in the coming weeks.

Declaration

The organisation had its beginnings in 2009 and holds meetings regularly. At a conference held in Scotland in October 2024, a declaration was signed aimed at seeing all campaigns for greater autonomy and independence in a European context.

Previously, discussions about Europe's autonomy and independence movements treated each as an individual case separate from the others. The declaration aimed to send out the message that Europe was too centralised and that many nations and regions wanted either more autonomous power or full independence.

The objective was not only to place the continent's autonomy movements into the context of widespread dissatisfaction with the centralisation of Europe but also to highlight that independence and autonomy movements led in proposing that Europe should be reformed through more democracy, not less.

The ICEC argues that both advocates for a European super-state and anti-EU populist movements believe that the future of Europe should, on the contrary, involve less democracy.

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25 comments

Mab Meirion

Try getting a council to open a traveler site...pull the other one... Was it Drakeford that turned us into a nation of hypocrites...

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Dai

Labour turned us into a nation of none thinking drones, that follows the party whatever.

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Nia James

Excellent news! ICEC is a really important campaigning body that actively promotes Stateless Nations across Europe and beyond. Let us hope that we show off Cymru in all its glory with a really good attendance and plenty of positive media coverage.

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hdavies15

Cymru needs to be careful about getting to close to some of those nations listed in the article. Their separatist groups thrived under the EuroNazi regime of a certain Herr Hitler, did a good job of shifting Jews out to camps ( although that seems to be back in fashion among some readers of both "left" and "right" persuasion) and generally hating their neighbours who were really no better or worse than them. Flanders, Sud Tirol, and Veneto all have seriously tainted back histories.

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Cynicus

“ Flanders, Sud Tirol, and Veneto all have seriously tainted back histories.” ==== As does -whisper it-Ukraine. A statement can still be true, even if Vladimir Putin says it is true.

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In reply to Cynicus

hdavies15

As far as I know Ukraine will not be represented at this event. It's for stateless nations, them what don't have their independence ! Ukraine and most other Eastern European states/nations have some dodgy back histories. Spent time in Croatia a few years ago and all I heard was the rough time they'd had off the Serbs only 30 or so years ago. No mention of how Axis backed Croatia and Islamo-Fascist Bosnians set about gutting their ethnic and ideological enemies during WW2.

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In reply to hdavies15

Mab Meirion

Pst...No 10 is like a state within a state when it comes to double-dealing...some right desperados...Dooling Dalton for one...

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In reply to hdavies15

Johnny

It's unfair to say all Croats as Josip Broz Tito was from Croatia. Again not all Balkan Muslims should be put into the same bracket as it was the Muslims of Albania who hid their Jewish population in the Mountains, unlike other groups who handed over the Jews to the Nazis. As for Ukraine read up on the Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera.

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In reply to Johnny

Rob

There is also the holodomor genocide under Stalin. Thats why many Ukrainians and other Soviet citizens welcomed the Nazis.

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In reply to Cynicus

Dai

Yes the stupid idea that, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Has got many nations in a mess.

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Ernest

Do you know this is projecting. What you say of others is what you are. All current nations in the World with states have won more wars and killed more people than stateless ones who lost their own. Does it make sense? All these small regions want to achieve self goverment with democracy. Are you going to help or you were projecting your own image?

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Y Cymro

Great to see this event held in Cardiff. We must make all aware of those nations and their peoples, and there are many around the world, whose statehood is suppressed by so-called democracies like Spain & France with the Basques & Catalan peoples. Turkey/Syria/Iraq who usurped Kurdish land in the Middle East. Also the subcontinent where the Tamils of Sri Lanka who history & culture has been erased by the ethnic Indian Sri Lankan government. The far east where the Tibetan people's country was devoured by China. And in Russia where countless nations were assimilated by the behemoth former Soviet Union. And close to my heart Cymru. A country invaded in 1283. Annexed in 1535/45 by England. And even 490 years later this l self proclaimed democracy who claims to have the "Mother of all Parliaments" Westminster, the very legislature that rubber stamped the Act of Union Wales in 1535 that condoned the state sponsored ethnic cleansing of Britain's native people, has never officially apologised for their actions where they did the Irish with the Anglo-Norman invasion , potato famine and partition of the island of Ireland. The English Monarch through his government could say sorry , rectify our democratic deficit, or even repeal the racist law passed by his ancestor Henry VIII that initially stripped us of our sovereignty, dissolved native Welsh Law, banned the teaching of our history and language. But he hasn't. A law that also stipulated how English overseers be required watch over us to ensure only English was used in our Courts of Law and school system now controlled by England, or else! I know my bloody history. Do you? It's 2025 and still the use of Cymraeg is prohibited under English law to be spoken in the House of Commons chamber. A Parliament that supposedly represents all four constitute parts. And say if I spoke English, Norman French or Hebrew, can freely do it without any threat or action even though all are foreign tongues to Britain. But if I dared speak Cymraeg would be forcibly removed. So this event hits a raw nerve. And I empathise with those around the world stateless. See, we in Cymru don't really live a democracy, or United Kingdom, but an open prison tethered by an invisible leash to Whitehall and England. Only independence will break those restraints that binds us tightly. We can either continue to crawl or stand up tall. I've never been one for crawling. #YesCymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.

I thought the Tudors a Welsh dynasty united England and Cymru and at the tome the event was celebrated by the Welsh nobility who put them on the English throne.

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Y Cymro

Don't confuse so-called nobility in Wales with the normal citizen. Not all were sellouts obviously ,but most we're willing participants in handing over our sovereignty and destroying our language.

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In reply to Y Cymro

Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.

Was there any form of rebellion or dissent.

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In reply to Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.

Y Cymro

Yes. There were numerous rebellions and uprisings. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd 1211 Princes of Aberffraw, 1218–83 Rhys ap Maredudd, 1277–78 Madog ap Llywelyn, 1294–95 Llywelyn Bren, 1316–17 Owain Lawgoch, 1372–78 Owain Glyndŵr, 1400–16 And less we forget. The Act of Union between Wales & England in 1535 is misleading. It was not a union or a marriage of equals. Wales was forcibly annexed , our sovereignty removed, legal system dissolved, language and culture banned with English overseers put in place to keep us in check. Also, see the Russian incursion into Ukraine as a modern example of annexation. Question. Is Putin entering into a union with Ukraine, or is he trying to take its land by force? No need to answer. I already know your response. Note: Wales were annexed in its entirety not partially like Ukraine. The modern definition of annexation: "Annexation, in international law, refers to the forceful acquisition of territory by one state from another, usually following military occupation. It's generally considered an illegal act under international law."

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In reply to Y Cymro

Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.

I thought the nobles of Wales were delighted with Harr1 Yr wythfed and his Union. Over the moon infact. That's why the celebrations were held at Carew.

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In reply to Y Cymro

Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.

Ok Owen Glyndwr was he nobility after all werna the King his father in law. Or is that a different nobility.

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Geraint

Although only English may be used in the House of Commons debating chamber, Welsh is permitted to be spoken at Westminster in the Welsh Grand Committee, and in the Senedd of course. All citizens in Wales are entitled to use Welsh in a court of law in Wales and the Welsh school system now encourages the use of Welsh, even in English-medium education. It's not necessary to repeal a law in Wales and England for it to be made redundant by a subsequent law.

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Y Cymro

Sorry, wrong I'm afraid. There are two official languages used on the House of Commons chamber. English and Norman French. Yes, primarily English is spoken in the chamber, agreed, but the Clerk of the Parliament traditionally responds to the Royal Assent ceremony in Norman French. And only recently, 2017 to be exact, was Welsh permitted to be used in Welsh Grand Committee. Oh, how lucky and privileged we are. It's not not good enough to be spoken in the House of Commons chamber even though the mother tongue of Britain. And furthermore. At least when Welsh MEPs were in the EU Parliament had provisions and translation services for Welsh to be used. Damn those nasty Europeans. How dare they respect our language. And if you are not too bothered that the Act of Union Wales was not repelled find it very strange? By repelling the act would be symbolic. It would be Westminster admitting a wrong they wanted to right. After all, a law was passed to effectively erase and destroy a language & culture on this island for multiple millennia. And after the Welsh Language Act of 1967, sure Welsh speakers were afforded minimal rights, but it wasn't given equal status to English in Britain though, big difference ,cand why it's effectively still banned in the House of Commons chamber. And before you say. Yes, it allegedly does in Wales after The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 ensures that Welsh has equal legal status with English. But even then it still faces prejudice. The fight for rights is still ongoing.

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Dai

Devolution has given us 25 years of labour oppression/stupidity. Until our nation matures politically independence would be suicidal.

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Rob

Well then we can vote out Labour. You can't just say we shouldn't have independence because we don't like the governing party. South Africa has had the ANC since 1994, the US voted for Trump, should their independence be revoked? According to the polls Welsh Labour's hegemony is coming to an end next year.

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Ernie The Smallholder

The problem is that the UK is near to becoming a failed nation. They had a bounty of North Sea oil in the 1980s. Norway saved the income from oil sales in its sovereign wealth fund, while England took the resource from Scotland and blew it on failed a ideology. Now with a climate crisis Norway (and other Scandinavian countries are investing in new technologies) The UK is broken. It is clear that the only way is for Wales and Scotland to become independent countries and for England to have a new federal constitution. Centralised states have never survived long term. ...And still the FM of Wales still sees a future in the broken UK system. Unless the Starmer regime sees the real problem: Extreme wealth inequality in favour of the oligarchies hoarding fortunes and I am not talking about those that have less than £10 million of wealth; then the economic crisis will only get worse for ordinary people. Are there any signs of change from the current UK government ? The ukip/reform movement will take power at Westminster, and any sort of democracy will disappear. Many of ukip/reform activists have or had connections with fascist and other far-right groups. Do you want this ? Wales must get out from this potential disaster. Wales has Plaid Cymru.

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Garycymru

The reform voters have shown that they're the type of people to support wronguns, seeing a few of their candidates with sex offences against their names has probably encouraged some of their voters.

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Bradley

The failed artist was big on restoring national identity. I assume you're a fan?

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Replying to Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys. Cancel

I thought the Tudors a Welsh dynasty united England and Cymru and at the tome the event was celebrated by the Welsh nobility who put them on the English throne.

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