Professor Medwin Hughes, DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David was given a Papal Audience with His Holiness, Pope Francis at the Vatican last week.

The Papal Audience was arranged as a part of a strategic mission to the Pontifical Foundation to discuss the establishment of a strategic alliance between Wales and the Pontificia Scholas Occurentes, Pope Francis’s international youth initiative.

It also offered an opportunity to share plans for the establishment of a new International Foundation to be established in Wales which would focus upon youth leadership, global futures and sustainable development.

In commenting upon the Papal Audience, Professor Medwin Hughes said: “This was a great privilege and honour.

"It was a most moving experience to be presented to the Holy Father.

"It offered an opportunity to share with him our plans to establish the Foundation for Global Futures and how this new initiative will build upon our current UNESCO partnership and further Wales’ commitment as articulated in the Wellbeing of Future Generation Act (2015).

“Wales is leading the way in building strong international partnerships which will focus upon educational programmes in the area of Youth Global Leadership and Resilience”.

A delegation from the Pontifical Foundation will be visiting Wales in the autumn to further the strategic engagement”.