National Welsh American Foundation (NWAF)|
We invite all people of Welsh descent or all people interested in the land, the language, the culture, and the Traditions of Wales or Welsh America to join with us in the National Welsh-American Foundation.
The National Welsh-American Foundation is a nonprofit membership organization managed by volunteer officers and directors in the United States and in Wales. It was formed in l980 to provide a link between Welsh Americans in the USA and the Welsh in the homeland of Wales who share a common interest in their culture, heritage, and the preservation of the Welsh language. It is dedicated to:
Projects Recognized and Supported by the NWAF:
- Promoting and sharing the history of Welsh-Americans
- Providing financial assistance, fellowships and study grants to individuals, eisteddfodau, Welsh festivals, traveling museums, exhibits, and choral groups.
- Coordinating selected cultural and educational activities of Welsh-Americans.
- Assuring a unified, effective voice for Welsh Americans in all aspects of American society.
- Encouraging an exchange of artists and scholars between Wales and the United States to share the Welsh language, music and culture with the world.
- Supporting Welsh-American groups in their relations with corporate, philanthropic and governmental organizations in the United States and Wales.
The foundation supports a number of projects both in the United States and Wales. They include, but are not limited to, the following:
The Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales
The Urdd (League of Youth) Eisteddfod
The Welsh National Opera Company
The Welsh National Cymanfa Ganu Association
The Organization of Overseas Welsh people, Cymru a'r Byd
its Journal Yr Enfys (the Rainbow )
The University of Wales Centenary Campaign
Welsh language training in the United States (and Canada) by
Cymdeithas Madog and the Welsh Harp Society of North
The NWAF journal, The Eagle and the Dragon: Yr Eryr a'r Ddraig
The rehabilitation of historical properties
The installation of historical markers to honor Welsh
Americans or men and women of Welsh descent or events
of historical significance to the Welsh-American community
The preservation of books and other printed materials
The publication of manuscripts on Welsh or American-Welsh
In addition to the above, the NWAF offers annual scholarships for young Welsh-Americans to study in Wales. It also hosts the Welsh learner of the Year chosen at the National Eisteddfod of Wales to visit the United States
What needs to be done:
The NWAF ten-year program is a listing of approved projects. Goals include the following:
How you can help:
- increasing the exchange scholarship endowment fund .
- expanidng the exchange scholarship program to provide $l0,000 scholarships to young Welsh-American and Welsh students. Extend scholarship proram to include education of young Welsh people for small enterpreneurial positions in Wales.
- Supporting adult education programs at Coleg Harlech in Wales
- Increasing grants to Cymruj A'r Byd, (Wales International) and its magazine, Yr Enfys (the Rainbow ).
- developing a library of Welsh TV programs, documentaries, and information on travel in Wales
- helping fund exchange educational tours, exhibits, and guest-speakers
- encouraging and funding the publication of informational brochures and histories of Welsh-Americans who have made significant contrivutions to life in the United States.
- reprinting books of Welsh-American interest such as Flames and Embers of Coal and Americans from Wales.
- increasing financial support to Cymdeithas Madog and the North American Welsh Harp Society to fund scholarships and meet other needs for Welsh language training in the US.
- providing suppprt for intensified Welsh language traning at Nant Gwrtheyrn, Wales.
- publishing a registry of contemporary Welsh-Americans.
- increasing membership from l,200 to at least 3,000
Membership details can be obtained from:
- Become a member of the NWAF
- Make a contribution to the NWAF exchange scholarship endowment fund.
- Consider planned giving to benefit the foundation and yourself
- Join your local Welsh Society.
Jack Pritchard, NWAF
24 Carverton Rd
Trucksville, Pa. l8708
Visit the NWAF on the WWW.