Welsh Society Member Honoured by Welsh National Eisteddfod
By EIFION WILLIAMS
VANCOUVER - John Pritchard, a long time member of the Vancouver Welsh Society, will be honoured this coming August at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, which this year will be held at Y Faenol, near Bangor, North Wales.
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| JAMES RAWLINSON the British Consul General for British Columbia is shown above with Jane Byrne, President of the Welsh Society. |
Every year the Eisteddfod devotes one afternoon during the week’s many events to welcoming Welsh exiles from all over the world. The exiles are represented by Wales International (Undeb Cymru A’r Byd) an organization which since 1948 has linked Wales with people of Welsh descent and friends of Wales throughout the world.
This year, John Pritchard has been appointed by the National Eisteddfod Committee and Wales International as Leader of the Overseas Welsh (Arweinydd y Cymry Tramor). His duties will include leading the exiles into the Eisteddfod Pavilion and responding to the Eisteddfod’s welcoming address.
John and his wife Llinos have been frequent visitors to the National Eisteddfod since coming to Canada over 40 years ago. Both are Welsh-speaking and have been active in the Vancouver Welsh Society in many capacities over the years. The Eisteddfod will be held in familiar surroundings for John, who grew up in the area of Y Faenol and attended college in Bangor.
At the St. David's Day dinner on March 5 Jane Byrne, president of the Vancouver Welsh Society, congratulated John Pritchard on his selection, followed by a standing ovation from those present.
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