Community Gathers in Cardiff to Honour Welsh Campaigner Eilian Williams
Members of the Armenian community, church leaders, and friends gathered at St Garabed Armenian Church in Cardiff on 27 June for a special In Memoriam service in honour of Eilian Williams, the Welsh campaigner whose decades of support for Armenia and recognition of the Armenian Genocide left a lasting mark on the Armenian community in Wales.
The service was led by Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland, who offered prayers for the repose of Mr Williams' soul and reflected on his lifelong commitment to justice and solidarity.
In his address, Bishop Hovakim described Eilian Williams as "one of those people through whom God extends His hand during humanity's darkest moments," recalling meeting him during demonstrations outside the UK Parliament in support of the people of Artsakh. He spoke of Williams' willingness to stand alongside the Armenian people despite having no Armenian heritage, describing his witness as an example of courage, compassion, and moral conviction.
Following the service, John Torosyan, a close friend of Mr Williams, delivered a eulogy tracing his contribution to the Armenian community in Wales over almost three decades.
He recalled that while the first informal gatherings of Welsh Armenians began in the early 1980s under Garabed Torosyan, it was from 1998 onwards, under Eilian Williams' guidance, that the community became increasingly organised, eventually developing into the Armenian Community of Wales.
The eulogy highlighted Mr Williams' role as a leading advocate for recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Wales. Through public campaigning, lobbying elected representatives, and organising demonstrations, he helped bring the issue before the Welsh National Assembly. His efforts contributed to Wales becoming the first devolved legislature in the United Kingdom to recognise the Armenian Genocide.
Among the milestones remembered was the unveiling in 2007 of the first Armenian Genocide memorial on public land in Wales at the Temple of Peace in Cardiff. Speakers noted that the memorial would not have been possible without the determination of Mr Williams and his fellow campaigners. More recently, he was honoured with a commemorative plaque recognising the individuals whose efforts made the memorial possible.
The congregation also heard tributes from Alice Kanekanian and Stephen Thomas, who shared personal memories of Mr Williams' friendship, generosity, and commitment to human rights.
Throughout the afternoon, photographs documenting his many years alongside the Armenian community were displayed in the church, while a portrait placed near the sanctuary provided a focal point for prayer and remembrance.
Mr Williams was widely recognised not only for his support of Armenia but also for his lifelong opposition to injustice and his willingness to speak on behalf of vulnerable communities. Those attending the service remembered him as a man whose quiet determination, humility and integrity inspired many across Wales and beyond.
The commemoration concluded with refreshments and fellowship, giving members of the community an opportunity to share memories of a man whose friendship and steadfast support helped shape the history of the Armenian community in Wales.
As Bishop Hovakim reflected during the service, "No act of kindness is ever lost before God, no word spoken for justice is forgotten, and no gesture of compassion is without eternal value."