Former councillor Derek Vaughan grew up in Aberfan, a small village in South Wales known for a tragic event in 1966 when a coal tip collapsed onto a school, causing many deaths. Despite this tragedy, the speaker remembers the village as having a strong sense of community. However, unemployment was widespread, and housing conditions were poor. These experiences motivated Derek to seek change through politics. Moving to Neath at a young age, he became involved in the Labour Party there and represented the Neath town center constituency, which presented different challenges compared to the mining valleys, including issues related to urban development and commercial activities.
Derek attended the Labour Party conference in 1988 where Jacques Delors gave a pivotal speech. Delors emphasized the importance of a social Europe, advocating for laws to protect working people. His words shifted perceptions within the Labour Party and trade unions towards Europe.
As the leader of Neath Port Talbot council, Derek oversaw several twin town partnerships. These partnerships were established by both Neath and Port Talbot, as the two entities merged to form the new unitary authority after their amalgamation during the reorganization in 1995. Derek also helped establish a partnership with Piotrkow Tribunalski. Given the historical and industrial similarities between Wales and Poland, especially in mining, it seemed natural to establish a twinning arrangement with Piotrkow Tribunalski as a means of fostering international connections and potential future collaborations.
For Derek, the European Union is primarily a means of achieving political ends through economic integration. By bringing the economies and people of Europe closer together, the EU aims to create interdependence and prevent wars among member states. Serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for ten years, Derek found it to be a rewarding experience, as he was able to represent Wales and influence policies and legislation that affected millions of people across Europe.
After Brexit, in 2020, The Welsh Government appointed Derek Vaughan as their representative to Europe, tasked with promoting Wales and maintaining a pro-European stance. His role involves engaging with MEPs, other Member States, and various partnerships and networks to convey that Wales remains committed to staying connected with the European Union.
Concerning the ending Neath’s of twinning arrangements in 2015. It seemed finances, particularly after the 2008 financial crash, drove the decision, prioritizing local services over twin town events and conferences. If he were council leader then, Derek he wouldn't have supported that decision. He would probably have put the twin town arrangements on a shelf until things got better
The ultimate aim of the European Union is to bring the peoples and economies of Europe closer together to prevent conflicts. However, it can be challenging to communicate this message effectively at a practical level. Derek acknowledges that more should be done to emphasize the role of the EU in maintaining peace in Europe. He suggest that highlighting this aspect more prominently might have influenced the outcome of the Brexit vote in the UK. Moving forward, he believes it's important to consider how to better articulate this message to garner support for European integration.
Friends in a Cold Climate: After the Second World War a number of friendship ties were established between towns in Europe. Citizens, council-officials and church representatives were looking for peace and prosperity in a still fragmented Europe. After a visit of the Royal Mens Choir Schiedam to Esslingen in 1963, representatives of Esslingen asked Schiedam to take part in friendly exchanges involving citizens and officials. The connections expanded and in 1970, in Esslingen, a circle of friends was established tying together the towns Esslingen, Schiedam, Udine (IT) Velenje (SL) Vienne (F) and Neath. Each town of this so called “Verbund der Ringpartnerstädte” had to keep in touch with at least two towns within the wider network. Friends in a Cold Climate looks primarily through the eyes of the citizen-participant. Their motivation for taking part appear to vary. For example, is there a certain engagement with the European project? Did parents instill in their children a a message of fraternisation stemming from their experiences in WWII? Or did the participants only see youth exchange only as an opportunity for a trip to a foreign country? This latter motivation of taking part for other than Euro-idealistic reasons should however not be regarded as tourist or consumer-led behaviour. Following Michel de Certeau, Friends in a Cold Climate regards citizen-participants as a producers rather than as a consumers. A participant may "put to use" the Town Twinning facilities of travel and activities in his or her own way, regardless of the activities programme. A question is if and how this ‘use” conformed to the ideals offered.
Integration of West-Europe after the Second World War was driven by a broad movement aimed at peace, security and prosperity. Organised youth exchange between European cities formed an important part of that movement. This research focuses on young people who, from the 1960s onwards, participated in international exchanges organised by twinned towns, also called jumelage. Friends in a Cold Climate asks about the interactions between young people while taking into account the organisational structures on a municipal level, The project investigates the role of the ideology of a united West-Europe, individual desires for travel and freedom, the upcoming discourse about the Second World War and the influence of the prevalent “counterculture” of that period, thus shedding a light on the formative years of European integration.
