The King and Queen were visiting Cardiff Bay to mark 25 years of the Senedd, during which The King delivered a speech to mark the 25th anniversary of devolution in Wales. Their Majesties also met people who have made an invaluable contribution to the Senedd’s work.
Bowen Cole is a former member of the Welsh Youth Parliament. He is half-Welsh and half-Rwandan and has fought to bring attention to the ongoing conflict between Rwanda and the DRC. He was also a member of the European Youth Parliament.
Bowen Cole said: “Meeting the King and Queen is one of the highest honours of my life. I really do respect them, especially for coming to the Senedd to celebrate 25 years of devolution.
“I’m pleased to have been a part of this place’s history as a Member of the Welsh Youth Parliament and looking back at my time there were so many valuable lessons which I learned. I not only understood more about issues facing young people across Wales and the world but I also learnt how to be more resilient in the face of abuse, especially for speaking out about attacks on ethnic minorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
“With elections for the next Welsh Youth Parliament now open, I would encourage any young person to stand as a candidate. I believe it’s such an effective learning experience and prepares anyone who wants to enter politics or be a campaigner in the future. It always gave me something to talk about with people and I have plenty of stories to tell!”
Nominations are now open for young people to stand in the next Welsh Youth Parliament elections which will be held in the autumn.
Llywydd of the Senedd, Rt. Hon. Elin Jones MS said; “It was an honour to welcome people who have made such a valuable contribution to the Senedd’s journey to celebrate the parliament’s 25 year milestone. Politicians have come and gone, making their own contributions. But this is not a politicians’ Parliament – it belongs to the people of Wales, who forged its beginning and are shaping its future.”
Three Swansea primary schools were also represented as part of the Any Body Can Choir, which is made up of school pupils from all over Wales.
Pupils from Clase Primary School, St.Illtyd’s Roman Catholic Primary School and Hafod Primary School were among the choir and they performed the song Sing Together / Pawb i Ganu’n Un.
