The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

The future of artificial intelligence and human rights

QCEA blog September 12, 2018 

The rise of artificial intelligence threatens to shake the foundations of our society and fundamentally change the way it functions. AI can involve robotics or just software. It’s a game-changing technology and is developing fast. AI has the potential to enhance our way of life, but at the same time, it could be a vehicle for discrimination, violation of privacy, new types of weapons and other harm.
It is time to think about an ethical framework that can protect human rights.
On 10 September 2018, the European Commission met with faith-based organisations to discuss AI, including Baha’i, Buddhist, Catholic and Protestant representatives, as well as the Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA).
During the meeting, QCEA asked about the regulation of AI to prevent discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, and disability. AI operates on algorithms. If human biases (whether intentional or not) are written into algorithms, this may compromise the objectivity of computers and reinforce discrimination.
AI is all about technology that thinks, learns and adapts for itself. What a challenge for regulation!
Another concern is job loss to automated machines. One study predicted 47% of jobs replaced by AI, whilst a more widely accepted OECD study estimated only 9%. Widespread job loss can devastate communities. And as QCEA said in the meeting, the current momentum of the far-right in Europe makes the next few years particularly dangerous timing for job loss.
The reality, as expressed by the European Commission, is that many jobs will not be completely replaced but become shared tasks between humans and machines. The meeting heard how this raises questions about the nature of work in our society and the need for consideration of universal basic income.
One participant expressed concern about proposals that machines be given legal personality. The humans that create these machines should not escape responsibility for the consequences of their actions. In addition, several faith groups raised concern about the global south (in particular, Africa) being left behind and not considered in the development of any global ethical framework.
Other human rights issues involving AI include lethal autonomous weapons, privacy implications (such as facial recognition software), and the threat to freedom of expression if governments were to use AI to police the Internet.
Funding military AI
The European Defence Fund (2021-27) is set to exponentially increase EU funding for arms research, and there is no specific exclusion for lethal autonomous weapons systems. QCEA called for restrictions on the development of AI systems that can take a human life without human control. The ethics committee needs to seriously consider how potential EU funding for the arms industry might be used for the development of autonomous weapons.
Europe’s positive contribution
The big players in AI, China and the USA, are leaving an ethical gap that the EU could fill. China has shown little interest in ethical considerations, and the USA appears disengaged at present. Some have said that it’s too late for the EU to take a leading position on AI, as the rest of the world has raced ahead. However, the European Commission doesn’t agree.
Fast progress on AI has been made in a few specific areas, and Europe has the advantage of good research labs and promising AI startup businesses. A European ethical framework on AI would be welcome in some parts of the world and could become the global standard. For this reason, for organisations interested in AI, engagement here in Brussels is a must.
In the absence of global governance, AI is an example of why the European Union adds value. Countries need to work together to have any chance of regulating global technological developments.
Next steps for the EU
A high level expert group is developing guidelines for the use of AI in Europe, guided by a statement produced by the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies. One of the proposals being considered is that private sector companies will need to sign up to an ethics charter. Private companies are said to be positive about ethical guidelines, but some worry that this could keep the focus away from hard law and regulation. At present, the European Commission is clear that it understands the need for both ethics and regulation.
More detailed EU proposals will be developed on the ethics of AI by December 2018 with a consultation process running until March 2019. Given the huge potential impact of AI, this must be a public consultation, but it may be more low-key. However, anyone can join the EU consultation platform on AI, called the AI Alliance. You can post questions and see what officials have written.
Europe’s AI moment is now, but it must not forget its best asset – its founding value of protecting human rights.

Isabel Hamilton (American University) and Andrew Lane (QCEA)

Peter Hussey writes:  I contacted Gethin Rhys at CYTUN  to find out is any work is being done by churches or faith groups in Wales.  His reply:

Thank you Peter. I’m not quite sure how we might handle this ecumenically, but I’m grateful to you for drawing it to my attention. If you know of anyone in Wales who might be willing to help us think about this, I would be glad to hear of them.

So where are the experts on AI in Wales who might provide, at least, a steer on this?

 Giles Cuthbert, managing director at the Chartered Banker Institute. “We have to be absolutely explicit that the AI itself cannot be held accountable for its actions. This becomes more complex, of course, when AI starts to learn, but even then, the ability to learn is programmed.”

 Dear MP
The rise of artificial intelligence threatens to shake the foundations of our society and fundamentally change the way it functions.   It is time for us to think about an ethical framework that can protect human rights.   The new GDPR regulations introduced by the European Union are an excellent start.  We need to ensure that these regulations are not diluted, regardless of the outcome of Brexit.  But it is insufficient to not dilute them, we should be building on them.
There is a need for regulation of AI to prevent discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race, religion, sexual orientation, and disability.  AI operates on algorithms.  If human biases (whether intentional or not) are written into algorithms, this may compromise the objectivity of computers and reinforce discrimination.
Another concern is job loss to automated machines. One study predicted 47% of jobs replaced by AI, whilst a more widely accepted OECD study estimated only 9%. Widespread job loss has already devastated communities.  This is a very appropriate time to seriously consider the concept of the basic wage.(universal basic income).
AI will, of course, be mainly taken forward by the arms industry opening an enormous can of worms!  Meanwhile some cities, in particular Barcelona and Amsterdam are beginning to explore the possibilities of AI built on a human-centric, ethical policy and regulatory framework with new rules against market dominance of tech platform giants.  Uber is monopolising data about transport and movements, Airbnb are garnering huge data about houses, homes and who lives there.  Amazon and Facebook simply know everything about everybody.  Just about everything produces data, roads, trains and plastic cards to name just a few, and all that data gets sucked up by the major platforms and is the currency that they value most.  We need ambitious and structural interventions that will tackle the question of data ownership and who is going to own the AI services built with that data.  Fortunately the Labour Party is researching and fleshing out policies to reflect this enormous area of influence.
Yours sincerely
 Dear Peter Hussey

No reply so far from my MP, but here is a very helpful response from Eluned Morgan AM.

Thank you for your recent email expressing your concerns about the many uses artificial intelligence is now put to. As you point out this has made a considerable difference to the way we live and work in a relatively short period of time.  Recent well reported incidents suggest that  a review of the way AI is used to gather and to use information would be timely and Welsh Government have already begun to do this. 

In March 2018 the Welsh Government announced it had established a panel to undertake a ‘Review of Digital Innovation for the Economy and the Future of Work in Wales’. The review aims to gather further insight on the challenges and opportunities associated with digital innovation in the context of the Welsh economy and the future of work. The review is being chaired by Professor Phil Brown, Distinguished Research Professor at Cardiff University, and is being supported by a specially convened Expert Panel.

The review panel will make final recommendations to the Welsh Government by March 2019, although the review has the scope to provide ongoing advice so that new ideas can be tested and learnt from at the earliest opportunity. An interim report is expected to be published by the end of November 2018.

The term ‘digital innovation’ is being used to capture the wide range of technology advancements – both physical and digital – being made in automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, internet of things and large-scale data. I believe the review is still underway and would welcome contributions. Further information on the review, its terms of reference and work activities to date, can be accessed online here. I hope that you find the information available at this website useful, if the panel are not addressing all of the issues you are concerned about they may be able to refer you to other groups who are.
 
If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of my team.

Quaker Voluntary Action at the Pales

3rd-6th August 

Quaker Voluntary Action enables participation in spirit-led volunteering that makes a practical and social difference. Their projects build community and work for a more just and peaceful world. www.qva.org.uk 

QVA held a retreat at the Pales and undertook various task around the grounds. This is an edited report by Alison Smedley, one of the volunteers. The full report can read here – http://qva.org.uk/the-pales-working-retreat-3-6-august-2018/ and more photos of the work done can be seen on the Pales website.

“How then, shall we lay hold of that life and power, and live the life of prayer without ceasing”
(QFP 2.22 Thomas Kelly 1941)

These words were among those which inspired me as I researched the Quaker Voluntary Action theme of prayer ahead of attending a working retreat at The Pales, a remote Quaker meeting house in Mid-Wales. All of life as a prayer; what a simple yet amazing truth to attempt to live by.

The lane to The Pales is tiny and at various points I wondered if I had taken a wrong turn. Then the buildings appeared, unassuming and easily missed. A little further on was the quarry where we could park. Another car pulled up and a couple introduced themselves as Claudia and Marco from Bologna in Italy. We went in together and met Hannah and Laura, facilitators, and Carole, Friend in residence, and tea and cake were generously shared. The first thing which struck me was the overwhelming smell of ‘old’ in the meeting house; it is over three centuries old and the oldest Quaker meeting house in continual use in Wales. Soon Ruth arrived and we quickly became a sociable group. Keith was collected from the railway station at Penybont and we expected two more later.

Five of us camped and we were fortunate to have a dry day to pitch our tents and acclimatise to the grounds. Carole took us on a tour and explained what needed doing. Nothing looked too daunting, though the enthusiasm cooled somewhat when we looked inside the woodshed! Fortunately, the man with the woodshed plan was yet to arrive. Tony, with his van and array of power tools, tackled this job with relish. Malcolm arrived as we were washing up so we were all present for our first epilogue in the meeting room. Here we met with a special silence and an atmosphere which was comforting and welcoming. We entered the room a collection of individuals and left it a community; the retreat had properly begun.

Saturday morning we returned to work, spreading out now over various projects; removing plastic tree guards, clearing the pond and surrounds, hedge trimming and did I mention there was a woodshed?!

Each meal was prepared by two of us and by Saturday lunchtime we had worked up a good appetite and, in the heat, quite a thirst. A more relaxed afternoon of free time and a walking prayer session balanced the day well and our pre-dinner work was quieter and a little gentler. After dinner, epilogue was held on the hillside opposite with the setting sun and a gentle breeze.

I opted to cook breakfast on Sunday with Tony. A feast of egg, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms which was well-received. We went on to sing and speak and be silent around the newly revealed pond. There was a joyful accompaniment from some resident frogs. Our worship continued at Llandrindod Wells meeting house where we swelled the numbers considerably. This is a simple, modern, purpose-built meeting house set back from the road and shaded, so peaceful and cool.

After a leisurely lunch we gradually resumed work. The pressure had reduced as we had been very productive on Saturday. We began to see smaller jobs which were concealed behind the larger, more urgent tasks; tidying the vegetable garden, trimming the roses around the door oh, and a little more to do in the woodshed…

Peter Hussey came to tell us of the history of The Pales and of the hopes for the future. All the while firmly rooted in the present.

A very special epilogue among the memories in the burial ground brought this full and fulfilling day to a close.

On Monday I awoke early, a little sad that it was the last day of the retreat, followed by a joy that I could sit in the meeting room alone for a while before breakfast. There was a little finishing off to be done as well as worship and lunch before departing at 2pm. A very special final worship involved walking in George Fox’s footsteps to Penybont common, where, centuries before, many were convinced and became Friends. Radnorshire became the stronghold of Quakers in Wales. As Quakers, we are mindful of equality, of place and time as well as people. Worship on Penybont common was a very spiritual, gathered experience and a fitting close to our little itinerant community in Mid Wales. We shared laughter, tears, chatter and silence, despair and delight, connection.

Alison Smedley

A Sufi Day at the Pales

With Karim  Hadden
Wednesday 24th October 10.30 – 4.30
 

Explore and experience Universal Sufism at the Pales,including Spiritual Song and Movement with Karim Hadden. In this day we will come together to explore the theme of Universal Sufism drawing from the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan and others, including spiritual poets such as Rumi and Kabir. Universal Sufism honours all the spiritual traditions of the world and emphasises the unity of religious ideals. It is an experiential path which does not insist on specific beliefs.

During the day we will weave together presentation, discussion, meditative practices, spiritual song and movement. Everyone is welcome and no special abilities are needed. Everything will be explained in a simple and relaxed way and you will be encouraged to take part in whatever way is best for you. These are spiritual practices which help us in the ‘Tuning of the Heart’ and to this purpose we can all contribute by our presence.

Bring vegetarian food to share for lunch.

Geology event at the Pales

With Joe Botting

When:

October 8, 2018 @ 10:30 am – 4:30 pm

Geology Day with Joe Botting – Monday 8th October

The history of the Earth is written in its rocks, and the details (such as fossils) captured within them. Learning to read that record can be challenging, but is immensely rewarding, giving you the eyes to reveal the world of the unimaginably ancient past. Join Joe Botting for an introduction to this grand natural detective story, with a chance to put it into practice to discover the lost world of The Pales. Dinosaurs not included.
There will be a talk and discussion in the morning , from 10.30 a.m., and an exploration of the quarry in the afternoon (2 – 4.30pm).
Bring some lunch to share. Coffee and tea will be provided. No booking needed. Donations will be appreciated.

Pales Annual Lecture 2018

When:

September 29, 2018 @ 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

The Use of Silence

We are delighted to announce that Dominic Walker has agreed to deliver this year’s

Pales Annual Lecture Saturday 2.30pm 29th September 2018

Silence lies at the heart of the Christian spiritual tradition and is the major feature of Quaker worship.  Come and explore how to use silence and discover how it draws us closer to God and one another.

Dominic is a member of an Anglican Religious Community called the Oratory of the Good Shepherd that seeks to combine a consecrated life of prayer with pastoral ministry. He has worked as a parish priest, superior of his community and a bishop in England and Wales. He now looks after an allotment and his dog but says he is still learning to pray and he is still fascinated about God.

After the lecture Dominic has agreed to respond to questions.

Tea and cakes will be provided with an opportunity for informal conversations

Cultural differences

Some thoughts on the cultural differences

between England and Wales

(Ry'n ni yma o hyd)

BACKGROUND

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is now being developed between the Quaker Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) and Meeting of Friends in Wales (MFW). The responsibilities of MFW are described in Quaker faith and practice paragraphs 5.04/5.05. This makes it clear that MFW has national responsibilities on behalf of BYM to represent and advance the life and witness of Quakers within Wales, as well as informing BYM about Quakers in Wales.

These responsibilities include:

5.4 (d) “responding to issues which relate to living in a bilingual society, including outreach in Wales and commissioning, translating and publishing Quaker material in the Welsh language.”

and

5.04 (e) “representing Wales to BYM, liaising with yearly meeting committees and departments where appropriate.”

A Language Policy will form part of the MOU to clarify the ways in which these responsibilities will be fulfilled by both BYM and MFW. Clarity is also needed on the differing requirements of Quakers living in a society which is both bilingual and bicultural. This paper seeks to explore cultural differences other than language, in particular those which impact on Friends’ understanding of a culture which for some is very different from the one they have come from, and seeks to assist Friends House when its work impacts on the life of Friends in Wales. Simple translation is never enough.

The paper is based on the responses of MFW Focus group, Trustees and other Friends to an initial paper produced for discussion by the Clerk of Focus Group. It is not exhaustive, but we hope it will be helpful to all who read it.

SUMMARY

The culture of Wales is heavily dependent upon its mythology and history, a mythology which still lives in the background of Welsh thinking with the tendrils of care for environment, people and justice running through to current thinking. Historically Wales became a second class partner in a supposedly united kingdom, a country of resource that could be exploited with little regard for its inhabitants.

As a community made up of small farms and workers’ towns, the Welsh have retained a strong sense of belonging to place, and of justice and equality. Although land and mine owners were only interested in a quick return on their investments, their workers retained a wish to invest in the future, a wish which could only show itself as valuing the importance of education, poetry, song and performance.

Once devolution began and gathered pace the history and culture of Wales has shown itself in more progressive policies with a longer horizon than those imposed by the UK Government.

DETAIL

Although Welsh is spoken by 19% of the population (2011 census)^*, surveys show that its existence is valued by a clear majority of those who don't speak it. In a number of areas, between 60% and 70% speak Welsh.

The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is the Welsh name for Wales. These words are descended from the Brythonic word combrogi, meaning "fellow-countrymen" (John Davies, History of Wales). The word “Wales” and associated words come from the Germanic “whal” meaning other. So these two names are quite opposite in their derivation, broadly speaking “us” and “them”. Modern Welsh people still see themselves as part of a community which is not always appreciated by people attracted by low house prices in beautiful situations, and who may not recognise any role for themselves in their new locality's culture and society . In genetic terms there is no difference, both nations showing exactly the same diverse origins. It is in the history and community make-up that the differences appear. Newcomers do not always recognise the investment that residents are called on to make in welcoming them, sometimes for them to have a limited stay or response. This is particularly true in those areas where a majority of local people speak Welsh.

Wales has its own mythology – the Mabinogion, the Triads, the Book of Taliesin and other tales. This mythology is referred to much more frequently in modern writing than its equivalent in the rest of the UK. This illustrates another cultural difference, that history, both mythological and more recent, is closer in Wales than in England.

There appear to be strong differences in the political culture of the two nations, but, to some extent this could be the fact that the majority party in the United Kingdom Government has been the Conservative Party for two Parliaments, whereas the dominant party in the devolved Welsh Government has been Labour with Plaid Cymru as one of the major opposition voices. Wales has never returned a majority of Conservative MPs, or even come close, ever since universal suffrage began.

The devolved administrations in the home nations of the UK are elected by proportional representation, which means that everyone can feel they have a voice, unlike in UK general elections, which are by simple majority vote so in practice are never won by a party having an actual majority of the votes.

While the UK government has governed for the benefit of a small section of the public at the cost of the majority, Welsh politics have concentrated on the future generations. This difference in outlook is quite obvious in the way that decisions are made in the two administrations. For example, in the consultation about environmental policy following Brexit, the White paper asks where the environmental principles should be set out. Cytûn (Churches Together in Wales) have responded and their response provides a quite different viewpoint to that of the paper:

“It is our view that ‘principles’ which can be modified by Ministers through Statutory Instruments are hardly principles at all. It is essential that a statement of principles be encoded in primary legislation and be amendable only by Parliament (or by the devolved assemblies in devolved areas).

We note with concern the exclusion of national security and Finance Acts from the ambit of these principles. This means that any Government policy badged in these ways can be put through in contravention of environmental principles agreed by Parliament, and we strongly oppose these conclusions.

Para 40 raises the issue of balancing the environmental principles against other principles, such as prosperity. We would commend the approach of the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which outlines well-being goals (in effect, principles) covering the whole of Welsh Government activity (including Finance Acts) and requires Government and statutory agencies to show how their policies contribute to achieving all the well-being goals. It also outlines ‘ways of working’ to ensure that this happens and that the public can be fully engaged in considering the impact of policies not only now, but also on future generations. We believe that the England and UK reserved matters would benefit from a similar approach and would commend this to DEFRA. We would hope that the Inter-Governmental Agreement which has been made between the UK and Welsh Governments will allow Welsh policies on occasion to be adopted across the UK rather than a mechanism for imposing English solutions in the devolved nations.”

Although Devolution has been limited to certain areas of control, the Welsh Government has introduced many pieces of progressive legislation, for example:

• Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013
• Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013
• Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015
• Environment (Wales) Act 2016
• Public Health (Wales) Act 2017
• Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018

In these cases, for example in charging for plastic bags, in organ donation, in free prescriptions, in a smoking ban, and a ban on fracking, the Welsh government has taken positive action well in advance of the UK government and has been quite clear in their decision making, while the UK government has hedged about with options, and taken much longer over reaching a decision. There have been many cases where the UK Government has preferred to attempt to achieve their aspirations with voluntary industry- led programmes rather than directives. Generally speaking the health and well-being of Welsh people have been primary for the Welsh government, while in England targets and finance have been more important.

Although devolution has been part of UK Government policy there has been a tendency for the UK Govern-ment to create uncertainty about the decisions already taken, with a real danger of back-sliding. This tendency has become linked, particularly since the Brexit vote, to the UK Government taking on the European Union role of coordination as we move away from Europe. The UK Government is both the “national government” for the UK, and the “national government” for England. That dual role is not always clearly understood, either by the UK Government or by the media when reporting such matters. In a recent post from QPSW there is an item with the heading, “Should fracking permission be given by the government?” Neither the brief introduction nor the detailed brief mention that this policy is specific to England. Both the Welsh and Scottish governments have said that they will not sanction any applications to frack.

The history of Christianity in Wales influences our present politics. The New Testament was translated into Welsh by 1567, and the whole Bible was translated into Welsh by 1588 (i.e. before the King James Authorised version.) Translation of the Bible, with the arrival of the printing press using moveable type, facilitated others than the priesthood to explore religious concepts. Although church and chapel attendance is mainly in decline in Wales as elsewhere in the UK, Wales retains an underlying respect for religion; the chapels and local churches retain an essential role in communities that contain a high proportion of working farms, where even though the weekly congregation may be in single figures the death of a popular local farmer can still attract a thousand mourners.

Non-conformist churches have a much greater cultural influence in Wales than the Anglican church. The administration of the Church in Wales is top down while the chapels are self-governing, with any priests being the employees of the congregation, keeping them strongly linked to the community. The one form of Christian practice showing growth is in the Evangelical churches which are also very community based. The Evangelical Alliance is not a member of Cytûn (Churches Together in Wales), but the two bodies work together in some matters.

When the National Assembly was established, a role for Cytûn was included, recognising the limited time span of politicians (5 years maximum between elections), which helps to provide a longer vision. Because there is no established church in Wales public events/services tend to be organised by Cytûn rather than one of the member churches. A meeting between the First Minister of the Government and church leaders was established very quickly; this has now been extended to include other faiths.

Although rural depopulation is a factor in Wales as in the rest of the UK, the topography of Wales has caused the retention of a greater number of small farms, which in turn retains a stronger farming community. Possibly because of this tradition of small farms a sense of place is an essential part of the Welsh person's nature. “Where are you from?” is a far more likely opening question than “What do you do?” Welsh people like to “place” others in the landscape.

Papur bro (local paper) is a Welsh language local community newsletter, produced by volunteers and generally published monthly. There are currently 58 papurau bro, produced throughout Wales. With changing times and appetites, more modern, online versions of papurau bro have started to appear. During 2015-2016, papurau bro had a combined distribution of 66,808 copies each month, an example of the importance of local communities in Welsh life.

Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) are a vital and stable part of rural Welsh community and culture. YFC is a remarkable organisation promoting social, cultural and political awareness and involvement. Young people involved in YFC develop confidence, knowledge, stage presence, debating ability and an awareness of national and local matters.

Traditionally there were very limited opportunities for young people in Wales following the Industrial Revolution. The economy of Wales was closely tied to mining, heavy industry and farming. Many youngsters left Wales for careers in drapery, teaching and the churches. Those who stayed found opportunities for personal development in organisations such as Young Farmers Clubs and the Miners Institutes and social clubs that were an essential feature of the towns. Although for many these establishments provided social opportunities, they were also essential in educating many of the working class in cultural and political skills that resulted in a vibrant political, poetic, musical society which includes both solo and group performance.

Eisteddfodau and agricultural shows at all levels of Welsh community interaction from village to nation are still vibrant. The Royal Welsh Show is described as the pinnacle agricultural show in Britain. The National Eisteddfod is one of the largest cultural festivals in Europe, while the Urdd (youth) Eisteddfod and the Llangollen International Eisteddfod continue to grow in popularity.

One of the most popular songs in Wales since it was written in 1981 is Dafydd Iwan's “Yma o hyd” (English: Still Here) a patriotic song that tells of the survival of the Welsh nation over the centuries since Macsen Wledig^* led a Romano-British army in 383 AD during the final years of the Roman Empire, right through to “Maggie (Thatcher) and her crew”. The chorus proudly proclaims Ry'n ni yma o hyd, er gwaetha pawb a phopeth which translates as "We're still here, in spite of everyone and everything."

It has been argued that the song played a significant role in raising the morale of Welsh nationalists during the 1980s, thereby inspiring a resurgence in support for the Welsh language and culminating in three key Acts of Parliament: the Education Reform Act of 1988, the Welsh Language Act of 1993and the Government of Wales Act of 1998 (the last of which authorized the establishment of a National Assembly for Wales in 1999). Today, Yma o Hyd is very popular with Welsh folk music fans and widely considered second only to Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (the official national anthem of Wales). It has also become a popular song sung by the fans of the Scarlets and Wrexham FC fans. (Wikipedia)

It is interesting to wonder why one of the nations of the United Kingdom needed to have its morale raised, before it could begin to establish its own personality, but, of course Macsen Wledig and his army could not prevent the pushing of the British peoples to the western edges of what is now England, and, while the later Norman invaders used intermarriage as their main tool for subduing those they lorded over, eventually it was their force and their castles that had the greatest effect until money and the ownership of land completely subdued the Welsh to become what Paul Robeson recognised as a people in a similar state to the American Negroes of his time. Aberfan was a reminder of the oppression of industrialisation, and yet also of the strength of community.

Many parts of England suffered Norman invasion, land expropriation, enclosure, industrialisation, collapse or closure of industries and were significantly non-conformist in their religious practice, and would recognise most of these feelings. However the Welsh were explicitly discriminated against for extensive periods. After Edward I’s conquest, for about 150 years, there was systematic colonisation, with the setting up of English walled towns in which the Welsh could not spend the night, and in rural north Wales, thousands of acres of Welsh Princes’ lands with bond tenantships were expropriated and leased to English settlers. Free lands without heirs fell to the Crown. After the Glyndwr uprising, the Penal Laws of 1402, restricted education in Wales: the Welsh were not allowed to attend universities, hold court office, or own property in England. These laws were not repealed until 1624, seventeen years after the English laws against the Scots had been repealed, despite Henry VIII’s two Laws in Wales Acts of 1536 and 1543 legally unifying the law in England and Wales. It may seem strange to talk of the Normans, Glyndwr and Henry VIII in a paper reflecting on cultural differences today, but it was clear that the votes for and against devolution in 1997 followed a geographical distribution that mirrored the pattern of Norman influence.

A second phase of enclosures followed the beginnings of industrialisation as the nouveau riche created estates out of land that had been used by farmers and peasants. The Rebecca Riots grew from a community based vigilante process to fight against the fences and toll gates that suddenly blocked their access. The Government, frightened of the French Revolution spreading to Britain, gave way to some of their demands and legislated to ensure that the newly taxed roads were improved to reflect the taxation.

The notorious Blue Books of 1846, written by monoglot English school inspectors, taking much of their evidence from Anglican clergymen, disparaged the Welsh as immoral, (i.e. non-conformist,) and ignorant, (i.e. failing to learn much from their English-speaking teachers,) and so recommending that the use of Welsh be stamped out. There were remnants of that approach in Welsh schools as recently as the 1950s. In spite of that, learning, certainly in the post war years, seemed more important than status and not only as the vehicle to escape the oppression of industrialisation; thus the transition via education to professions has been more available.

The drowning of Capel Celyn still resounds in Welsh culture and politics. The Act of Parliament in 1957 to create the Llyn Celyn reservoir and drown the village was opposed by 35 of the 36 Welsh MPs of the day, but was still pushed through. Prior to that the village of Llanddwyn was drowned in the process of building Lake Vyrwy to supply water to Liverpool. The creation of the Elan and Claerwen Valley reservoirs for Birmingham (begun in 1890) was forced on the local farm tenants with two weeks’ notice to vacate. The post World War II clearance of the Epynt for live ammunition exercises allowed the tenants six months’ notice, but the promised return of the land is still awaited. In 1958, without even a vote in Parliament, Trawsfynydd Nuclear power station was imposed within a National Park that had been set up as recently as 1951.

The implication of these events is that Wales is still considered exploitable. As recently as the mid 1990s John Redwood, then Secretary of State for Wales was proud of sending £3,000,000 back to the UK Treasury when Wales was recognised as one of the most disadvantaged regions of Europe (GDP per capita was below 75% of the EU average; it is still the poorest of the UK nations). That same politician refused to answer any correspondence in the Welsh language, returning it with “I don't speak this language” scrawled across it. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation the proportion of households living in income poverty remains higher than in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and poverty among couples with children has been rising since 2003/06

https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-wales-2018.

North-South transport links in Wales are poor, a consequence of the topography and the economy over centuries being part of England's with routes tending to lead to and from England. The A470 Cardiff-Llandudno is the only North-South trunk road except for the A487 Bangor to Haverfordwest west coast road. There have been no North-South rail routes within Wales since the Beeching closures in the 1960s, so today's North-South route runs through England from Chirk to Abergavenny. Wrexham and the North Wales north coast are further by rail from Cardiff (4+ hours from Bangor) than London (3 1/4 hours) by the fastest train. Reputedly Pwllheli at the end of the Cambrian Coast line is the furthest point by time from London at about 6½ hours (and probably within Wales from Cardiff at about 6 hours) via Shrewsbury.

Sport has become the opportunity for the occasional triumph which usually brings the whole nation together in celebration, and makes up for the far more usual succession of our footballers losing to some even smaller nation, our rugby players not quite getting to where we hoped they would, or our athletes simply disappearing amongst the numbers of others. So when Geraint Thomas wins the Tour de France thousands of us travel to wave our dragon flags and cheer.

The status of Wales as a small nation tends to lead its people to a greater awareness of other small nations and minorities (e.g. Bretons, Catalans, Croatians, Native Americans). This, with the concepts of community and of the well-being of future generations leads to empathy with other peoples. The Gorsedd of Bards may well be historically poppycock, but its creation had pacific foundations that are embedded in the call “A oes heddwch? (Is there peace?)” during the bardic ceremonies. That has implanted itself in the psyche of many Welsh people and Jane Harries' lecture at the Eisteddfod this year was a reminder that there is a strong peace message driving some aspects of Welsh consciousness. There seems to be a great sense of the importance of equality and lack of class in

Wales, as there is in other parts of the UK away from the main areas of population.

CONCLUSION

There is still indignation among Welsh people related not just to history but also to an ongoing injustice in the way this part of the UK is financed. There is a recognition too that in some matters Wales is approaching the problems of today in a more progressive way than the UK Government is. Devolution is allowing Wales to develop a different character to other parts of the UK, and that character is increasingly attractive, and anyway ry'n ni yma o hyd, er gwaetha pawb a phopeth!

Peter Hussey, Clerk of MFW Focus Group (with MFW Wales Focus Group and Trustees, with others)

October 2018

*23% according to the 2013-14 Welsh Language Use Survey [AM Clerk]

*aka Magnus Maximus [Note by AM Clerk]

Plastic waste - what can we do?

Transition Llandrindod have just published this very useful guide to what can be done by individuals to combat the dreadful problem that the developed world has created, with its eyes shut, of plastic waste.  Plastics have been incredibly useful materials, but we have overused them and created the most horrendous problem of waste clogging our oceans.  TLT say that they will be returning to the topic of plastic waste and what we can do locally in future monthly meetings.  These 5 things that individuals can do are recommended by the New Scientist based on a detailed analysis of issues and being cautious about easy, but false, solutions:

• Cutting out single-use plastic – water bottles, straws, disposable plates and so forth – is a good place to start reducing waste. But make sure you aren’t inadvertently increasing your carbon footprint. A cotton tote bag must be used 131 times before its environmental cost falls below that of a disposable plastic bag, mostly because of the impact of growing cotton. Similarly, you must use a steel water bottle 500 times for its carbon footprint to shrink to less than that of a disposable PET bottle. One undergraduate study found a permanent plastic bottle to result in less carbon emissions than a stainless steel one.

• Reducing the packaging you use by buying large containers and, for example, avoiding single-serve yogurt pots, also helps. And switch to bar soap. It is a complicated life-cycle analysis, but it tends to have a much lighter footprint than liquid soap from a dispenser.

• Buying concentrated forms of products such as detergents is also a case of more bang for less packaging. Life-cycle comparisons show they reduce other environmental impacts, too.

• Boycotting mixed packaging, which often can’t be recycled, may also help: for instance, crisp bags and stand-alone pouches that are all the rage for baby food. Avoid black plastic food trays, whose colouring confuses the infrared detectors used to distinguish plastics in most recycling plants. Go for brands that have made meaningful packaging changes, such as the few drinks companies using 100 per cent recycled PET.

• Taking any recyclable waste home with you helps if, as in the UK, kerbside recycling is much easier and cheaper for local authorities. If you tip it into a public bin, it’s unlikely that anyone will take the time to separate it out for recycling.

Richard Kite

Our Friend Richard Kite died at the end of August.  A copy of his life story, used at his burial has been added to the page "People that have been involved with the Meeting"

How I found the Quakers… By Caroline Andrews

Emerging Kind is one of the groups using our Meeting House.  Here is an introduction to them.

For as long as I can remember, I have been a seeker, a believer in Source, but I hadn’t stopped still enough to find and allow that “kingdom of Heaven within” to emerge and guide me. I, like so many, had tried to run my life from egoic needs for years, though realised  that I must surrender to the higher power of Source, of God, who speaks within and is all around us. In doing so, doors open, people appear, and all sorts of miracles happen!

Finally surrendering ever more to Spirit, I came to Llandrindod Wells in late 2017, clearly guided here whilst in prayer, after some pretty challenging times in my life. Here in Llandrindod, I have been following that guidance further, attending various groups and churches, finding new spiritual paths, and solace.

I was previously welcomed by a local cafe for the peer group ,and was so thankful to start something I had been guided to do for so long. However, due to the nature of our group, after a few months I realised I needed something that reflected the spiritual nature of our group. Through we come from all walks of life, with or without faith or religious back ground, we all have a sense of something "bigger". When I attended the Quaker meetings for my own reflection and enquiry, also following quite strong guidance from Spirit, I knew this was the place. The surrounding gardens and greenery allow us to really drop in to our self, leaving behind the outside world. It feels like we are being surrounded in the light, and this to me feels very in keeping with the message from the Quakers - there is divine in all.

When I attended the Quaker meeting, I felt welcomed and found much solace in being part of the group. Though my journey has since taken me onwards, I realised the Quaker meeting house was the perfect home for the peer group I had been running in a local cafe, and contacted them to enquire about this new home.

The “Emerging Kind” peer support group comes under the guidance of “Emerging Proud”, a national campaign to provide safe space for people experiencing spiritual awakening and spiritual phenomena that can often result in huge life upheaval, feeling very isolated from peers, and being labeled with a mental health diagnosis. To find out more about the national campaign, please see here:

www.emergingproud.com

I am so grateful for the presence of the Quakers, knowing that our group is within a safe and friendly setting, totally welcomed and for a very reasonable financial exchange. I can only thank you again, those of you who have allowed me to find a home for the Peer group that has helped me, and others throughout this last year.

For more information about the Emerging Kind group, contact me on carolinemaryandrews@hotmail.com