250th events

Robert Owen Memorial Museum had planned larger events for Robert Owen’s 250th Birthday on Friday 14th May 2021, but sadly, due to the world pandemic and Government lockdown restrictions, some of these were scaled down in Newtown.

However, Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council and Robert Owen Memorial Museum with various Cooperative Groups together arranged many events. To avoid large crowds gathering, some events went  online, some were low-key, and others used recorded filming to avoid problems on the actual day.

A variety of events were recorded and filmed by the museum & N&LTC and released online here. Of these, a short film is planned which will include Newtown dignitaries; Iolo Williams (Welsh Naturalist & TV Presenter) and Robert Owen Memorial Museum Trustees presenting the significance of Robert Owen’s lifelong legacy. There will be some colourful illuminations of memorials to Robert Owen, at the statue and at the tomb in Newtown, and provided by N&LTC. A new portrait of Robert Owen, painted by Brian Jones, is also to be unveiled and filmed at the museum and displayed in the West Bromwich Building society’s shop window in Broad Street. These events are to commemorate his significant legacy which lives today in co-operative organisations, social business enterprises, politics and in particular education. Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd were presented with a cake for Robert Owen’s 250th birthday by Co-ops & Mutuals Wales. Robert Owen heritage custodians and cooperative organisations have been planning  events and online conferences to explore the visionary utopian ideals of Robert Owen, who inspired the Cooperative Movement and to highlight the current work of the modern day co-operatives across the globe. Some of these events are:-

1. Co-ops & Mutuals Wales online events: ‘Relevance of Robert Owen on his 250th Anniversary’. These events focus on the relevance of Owen’s themes of mutuality, education, active citizenship and to ensure his influence is taken account of in publicly funded education.
2. Cooperative Group NMC meeting  on Saturday 15/5/21. This was a fringe meeting for the Co-op Group AGM planned and organised by Nick Matthews of the Co-op Group National Members Council. This is a closed meeting.
3. Wales Co-operative Centre photography exhibition entitled “The Modern Face of Co-ops in Wales” launched online on three Welsh museum’s websites, but Robert Owen Memorial Museum was the only museum using a virtual 3D space to do so. This was organised by the Wales Co-operative Centre. The photography exhibition features on the Robert Owen Memorial Museum website and you can view the exhibition by following this link.
4.  “The New World of Robert Owen“– by Chris Williams, co-author and editor of his book ‘Robert Owen and his Legacy’ on Robert Owen’s life and global impact. This talk was held online on Wednesday 12th May from 12:00 – 13:00. 
5. Inspired by Owen 2021 “Best Employment Practices: Robert Owen’s Legacy”
   Sunday 23rd May 2021 2.00pm – 4.00pm Free online event with excellent line-up of speakers and film. Organised by Newtown and District Labour Party Branch Robert Owen Group. 
6. Wales Co-operative Centre in the Communities Creating Homes project have a regular monthly network event on zoom and this month to coincide with the anniversary are focusing on Robert Owen and housing, looking at his legacy and also at some pioneering community housing projects today. 

Also New Harmony, in the USA, plans various events including writing and poetry competitions, online talks, and a picnic on the date of his birthday. You can read more here by following this link.