Chris Rees facts for kids

Edward Christopher Rees (born January 5, 1931 – died December 1, 2001), known as Chris Rees, was a Welsh politician who strongly supported Wales and its culture. He believed in the idea of Wales having a strong identity.

Chris Rees grew up in Swansea, Wales. He joined a political party called Plaid Cymru when he was quite young. This party works to promote Welsh interests.

Early Life and Beliefs

Chris Rees had strong beliefs about being Welsh. In 1951, he felt that he should not have to join the military service that was required at the time, because he was Welsh. Because of his beliefs, he faced a difficult time and spent about a year in a special facility.

Even while facing these challenges, Chris Rees continued his political work. He ran for election in the Gower area in the 1955 general election. He received more than 10% of the votes, showing that many people supported his ideas.

Political Career

Chris Rees ran for election several more times but was never chosen to be a Member of Parliament. He stood in the 1963 Swansea East by-election, and then again in 1964 and 1966 for the same area. Later, he ran in Merthyr Tydfil in 1970.

In 1964, Chris Rees was chosen as the Vice President of Plaid Cymru. This was a bit of a surprise to some people. Then, in 1966, he became the very first Chairman of the party. He held this important role until 1970, helping to lead the party.

Supporting the Welsh Language

Even though Chris Rees grew up speaking English at home, he learned the Welsh language as an adult. Welsh became his main language, showing how much he cared about his heritage.

He worked as a college lecturer, teaching students. By 1970, he was the Director of Policy for Plaid Cymru. In this job, he helped create detailed plans for how the party would support and promote the Welsh language. These plans were adopted by the party.

Wlpan Language Learning

In 1973, Chris Rees helped adapt a special way of learning languages called the Ulpan system. He changed it to help people learn Welsh, and he called it Wlpan. From 1975 onwards, he spent his time running a special center. This center, based at what is now Cardiff University, focused on teaching the Welsh language to adults.

Chris Rees passed away in Cardiff in December 2001, when he was 70 years old. He is remembered for his dedication to Wales and its language.