A DELEGATION from Wales will be heading to the European Parliament to present the case for Welsh independence for the first time.
The group will be attending the International Commission of European Citizens (ICEC) annual conference alongside a delegation from Scotland on Thursday where they will talk about the current campaign for Wales to leave the UK.
MEPs, European Commissioners, the international press and delegates will hear presentations from academics and independence campaigners hailing from Wales, Scotland, Flanders, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Veneto and South Tyrol.
Each country has produced a documentary film in their native language which will be shown for the first time at the conference.
The conference is entitled Peaceful Agreements or Bloody Papers? - The Advocacy of Independence for European Nations from Old Imperial Occupations.
The delegation from Scotland includes Robin McAlpine – founder of the Common Weal think tank - Rory Hamilton, co vice-chair of Scottish CND Isobel Lindsay and Scottish historian Dauvit Broun.
Among the Welsh representatives are former Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans, Iestyn ap Rhobert - founding member of YesCymru, and Simon Hobson, director on the YesCymru National Governing Board.
The ICEC is a non-governmental organisation created to gather organisations and people who share “the vision of Europe which is democratic both in theory and reality”.
ICEC argues that ancient laws are still being used to justify the ownership of land and resources of countries that are held “captive” within the state.
Each ICEC delegation has prepared a documentary film which outlines how their nations have had their territories exploited by their neighbours.
Speakers will argue why their nations must gain independence and how working alongside each other is part of that process of liberation.
Iestyn ap Rhobert, spokesperson for ICEC-Cymru, said: “Being part of ICEC allows Wales’ campaign for independence to be heard in other Europe nations. Wales wants its voice to be heard in the world and Wales wants to collaborate in a constructive and peaceful manner with partners across Europe.
“In return, ICEC - Cymru can inform a Welsh audience of independence campaigns elsewhere in Europe thus creating an awareness in Wales of what is going on elsewhere.
“Since leaving the European Union in 2020, the ICEC conference in Brussels is a golden opportunity for us to collaborate with partners across Europe.”
