Ffion Thomas
Ffion is a soprano who is about to commence her final year of undergraduate study under the guidance of Suzanne Murphy at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She also sings with the John S Davies Singers. Ffion recently played the role of Papagena in Rhosygilwen’s production of the opera The Magic Flute. Ffion is delighted to be a part of this festival and is very grateful to the Urdd for this special opportunity.

Mae Ffion yn soprano sydd ar fin dechrau ei blwyddyn olaf yn astudio llais yng Ngholeg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru, o dan arweiniad Suzanne Murphy. Mae’n Canu gyda Chantorion John S Davies, ac yn ddiweddar bu’n chwarae rhan Papagena yng nghynhyrchiad Rhosygilwen o’r opera “Magic Flute.” Mae’n ddiolchgar iawn i’r Urdd am y cyfle i berfformio yn yr ŵyl arbennig yma.


Nansi Rhys Adams
Nansi is 19 years old and is from Cardiff.  She has been competing in the Eisteddfod since a young age and has had success at the Urdd and National Eisteddfod through the years.   In 2022 she won a scholarship at the Urdd Eisteddfod for the most promising performer under 19 after winning both the monologue and the Solo from a Musical.  She was also fortunate to be part of the Urdd Choir that toured to Alabama in partnership with the UAB Gospel Choir.   This year, Nansi was thrilled  to compete and win the solo from a musical under 25 at the Urdd Eisteddfod and she is grateful for all the opportunities the Urdd has given her.   She hopes to pursue a career on the musical stage and as an actress. She is currently studying Drama at Mountview Academy of Theatre in London.
 
Sophie Jones
Sophie is a young farmers daughter from the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. At 20 years old, Sophie is studying Medicine at Cardiff University School of Medicine, and enjoying every moment! But since a very young age the singing has certainly taken her delight. From competing since the age of six on the National Urdd stages, to having the opportunity to sing internationally in Cape Town South Africa, St Petersburg Russia and Alabama USA - the opportunities have been ones to remember. Sophie enjoys all kinds of singing - from Folk Singing to Cerdd Dant and Classical Solos. But at this year's Urdd Eisteddfod in Llandovery the Folk Singing and Cerdd Dant were the competitions that shone as Sophie was lucky to win both competitions under 25. Sophie is really looking forward to entertaining her patients on the hospital wards one day - as music is certainly the best medicine!
Merch ffarm ifanc o Fannau Brycheiniog yn Ne Cymru yw Sophie. Yn 20ain mlwyddyn oed mae Sophie yn astidio Meddygaeth yn yr Ysgol Feddygol yng Nghaerdydd, ac yn mwynhau bob eiliad! Ond ers yn iau mae’r canu yn sicr wedi mynd a’i fryd. O gystadlu ers yn chwech mlwydd oed ar lwyfannau Cenedlaethol yr Urdd, i gael y cyfle i ganu’n fyd eang yn Cape Town South Africa, St Petersburg Rwssia ac Alabama UDA – mae’r cyfleuodd wedi bod yn rhai i’w gofio. Mae Sophie yn mwynhau bob math o ganu – o Alaw Werin i Gerdd Dant ac i Unawdau Clasurol. Ond yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd Llanymddyfri eleni yr Alaw Werin a’r Cerdd Dant aeth a hi wrth i Sophie fod yn ffodus i ennill y ddwy gystadleuaeth o dan 25ain. Mae Sophie yn edrych ymlaen yn arw i ddiddanu ei chleifion ar wardiau’r ysbytai rhywddydd – gan mae cerddoriaeth yn sicr yw’r feddyginiaeth orau!
 
Eiriana Jones-Campbell
Eiriana is a young soprano who will be starting her undergraduate music course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in the autumn. During Easter 2022, Eiriana travelled to Alabama and Atlanta as part of a newly formed Urdd Choir, where she was fortunate to perform a solo with a gospel choir. She has been competing in the Eisteddfods since a young age and has had success at the Urdd Eisteddfod, The National Eisteddfod and the Cerdd Dant Festival. Last summer she won the Girls Classical solo over 16 and under 18 in The National Eisteddfod. Eiriana is a member of Merched Plastaf choir and in april 2023 she travelled to Rome to sing in the Pantheon and the Basilica of San Vitale. During the trip Eiriana had the opportunity to perform duets and solos. During recent months she’s had the privilege of singing the welcome song for the 2023 cerdd dant festival.
Mae Eiriana yn soprano ifanc a fydd yn cychwyn ar ei chwrs cerddoriaeth israddedig yng Ngholeg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama yn yr hydref. Yn ystod Pasg 2022, teithiodd Eiriana i Alabama ac Atlanta fel rhan o Gôr yr Urdd oedd newydd ei ffurfio, lle bu’n ffodus i berfformio unawd gyda chôr gospel. Mae wedi bod yn cystadlu yn yr Eisteddfodau ers yn ifanc ac wedi cael llwyddiant yn Eisteddfod yr Urdd, yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol a’r Ŵyl Gerdd Dant. Yn ystod yr haf llynedd enillodd yr unawd Glasurol i Ferched dros 16 a dan 18 yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. Mae Eiriana yn aelod y gôr Merched Plastaf a fe teithion nhw i Rhufain i ganu yn y Pantheon ac Eglwys Basilica San Vitale. Yn ystod y trip cafodd Eiriana cyfle i befformio deuawdau ac unawdau. Yn ystod y misoedd diwethaf cafodd Eiriana’r fraint o ganu’r cywydd groeso ar gyfer gŵyl cerdd dant 2023. to edit.

As part of Welsh Week, the Welsh Society of Philadelphia in partnership with the Honorary Consul of Ukraine, Wales salutes Ukraine at this free screening of the biographical thriller movie Mr. Jones at the Philadelphia Film Center.  Billed as the most important true story you will ever watch.

 Mr Jones stars James Norton (Happy Valley, Grantchester), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown, Pieces of a Woman) and Peter Sarsgaard (The Batman, Dopesick) and is directed by Agnieszka Holland. The movie is based on the true but tragic story of Welsh journalist Gareth Jones. In 1933 Jones travels to the Soviet Union and uncovers the truth about the ‘Holodomor’ - the deathly famine caused by Stalin in Ukraine.
Responsible for millions of deaths, the Soviets desperately want to conceal the famine from the outside world and Jones is the only journalist brave enough to break the story to the western media.  The screening is a partnership event between the Philadelphia Film Society and the Welsh Society of Philadelphia.
To learn more about Gareth Jones, see seminar The Man Who Knew Too Much  at the North American Festival of Wales at 2:00pm Fri. Sept. 2  &  9:30am Sat. Sept. 3.  Free entry to the seminar for holders of a North American Festival of Wales Day Pass ($35 per day) available here.

NAFOW Off-Season, Seminar recorded on March 20, 2022
Watch Here...
A century ago almost 400,000 women in Wales signed a petition to be sent to the women of the United States urging them to demand that the US join the League of Nations, work together “in  a limitation of naval armaments”, stop the trafficking of women and drugs, and join the Permanent Court of International Justice. Three Welsh women traveled to the US and presented the appeal to leaders of many of the leading women’s organizations; they also met President Coolidge. The petition has been housed in the National Museum of American History since those days. Today Women in Wales, and in North America, are preparing to remember, celebrate and realize the dream for a warless world. 

Bron i ganrif yn ol arwyddodd bron i 400,000 o wragedd yng Nghymru ddeiseb i’w gyflwyno i wragedd yr Unol Daleithau yn eu hannog i fynnu byd di-ryfel.  Heddiw mae Partneriaitth wedi ei sefydlu i gofio, dathlu a gwireddu y freuddwyd.

September 2-5, 2021
It has been a long 14 months and we are all ready to take a step toward normal. This message is to update you on plans for the 2021 North American Festival of Wales. We realize the COVID situation is ever-evolving and, for the first time, it looks like we are on the right side of this fight. The board of the Welsh North American Association feels strongly that the best course of action for the organization is to take a small step forward and hold an in-person event in September for those who are comfortable attending.
We realized several months ago that our biggest obstacle was the U.S.-Canada border closure. Unfortunately, we just learned that it has been extended another month. As a result, we are unable to move forward with planning an in-person event in Ottawa. We will return to Ottawa as soon as we are able to do so safely. We have decided to relocate the 2021 festival to Utica, New York. Utica has strong Welsh roots and the ‘national gymanfa ganu’ has been held there many times in the past, most recently in 1996.
Plans are under way and we ask that you bear with us as we navigate these new times. We assure you that in every stage of the planning we will follow guidelines from the CDC and New York State Department of Health. If you feel comfortable, we hope you will join us as we continue to preserve and promote our Welsh heritage.
Hotel booking will be available in early May and we are working to get a tentative schedule out as soon as possible. We anticipate the event will start on Thursday, September 2, and end on Sunday, September 5. At this time, we do not plan to run auxiliary tours. However, Utica and the surrounding area have a lot to offer if you plan to extend your stay and explore on your own. We want to eliminate as many variables as possible before opening registration, and therefore aim to do so by July 1.
As always, please reach out to me with questions and I will do my best to assist. wnaahq@gmail.com
Key Dates:
May 4 : Hotel reservations available
July 1: Registration opens
September 2-5: North American Festival of Wales

The 2020 North American Festival of Wales was scheduled to be held in Philadelphia, Pa, and like all large gatherings in 2020, had to be canceled due to the COVID19 crisis. Fortunately, it was successfully rescheduled to be in Philadelphia in September 2022.

In leu of an in-person event, while not the same, the organizers were able present a Virtual NAFOW which launched on September 4 and ran through the end of October 2020, allowing many to experience elements of the planned program.   To access the Virtual NAFOW 2020 click here.

On this episode, Gideon and Richard chat with Dr Megan Williams from the Welsh North American Association about the upcoming annual North American Festival of Wales, a weekend long event that includes performances, poetry, literature, singing, dancing, seminars, a marketplace and an Eisteddfod. Sadly, due to the ongoing corona virus threat, this year's entire event will be virtual, the first time in the festival's 91 year history. The good news is that anyone can now attend for free online when proceedings kick off on Sept 4th, or screen it at their own leisure through Sept 30 via their event page. During their conversation, Gideon and Richard speak with Megan about the importance of the festival to the Welsh North American community, the challenges of adapting to a virtual format and the history of the event and Welsh heritage in North America.