Seven young people from Wales will retrace the historic journey taken by anti-fascist volunteers who travelled from Britain to Spain during the Spanish Civil War.
The expedition, Antifascist Footsteps, will see the group travel from Cardiff via London and Paris before crossing the Pyrenees on foot, camping along the way and documenting the journey for a documentary film.
Their route follows the path taken by many members of the International Brigades who left Britain in the 1930s to join the fight against fascism in Spain.
The journey will culminate at the Solidarity Park International Festival in Malgrat de Mar, Catalonia, taking place from 29 May to 31 May, 2026. There the group will meet Catalan students and take part in events exploring the history of the Spanish Civil War and the legacy of international solidarity.
The documentary will focus particularly on the journeys of Harold Davies and Sidney Shosteck, great-uncles of Bedwas artist and presenter Tad Davies. Harold left Neath in 1937 while Sidney travelled from New Jersey to join the international struggle against the military dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
Harold and his Welsh companions travelled first to London before secretly crossing the Channel to Paris. From there they travelled south through France towards Marseille, before crossing the Pyrenees and eventually reaching Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Sidney and other American volunteers travelled from Paris to Marseille, where they boarded the ship Ciudad de Barcelona.
The filmmakers plan to retrace these routes and visit key locations connected with the volunteers’ story, including Malgrat de Mar, where local fishermen rescued many brigadistas after the Ciudad de Barcelona was torpedoed by a fascist submarine in 1937.
Tad Davies, presenter, said:
“Not every day you get to walk the same road your ancestors travelled. We want to understand what drove ordinary people – miners, farmers and clerks – to leave their homes and fight for a country that seemed to have nothing to do with them.
As we follow the footsteps of these volunteers, we also want to ask what their story means today, at a time when far-right movements are once again growing across Europe.”
The Solidarity Park International Festival is an educational and cultural initiative dedicated to preserving the memory of the International Brigades and promoting the values of democracy, solidarity and anti-fascism. Each year it brings together students, historians, artists and activists for talks, exhibitions and historical activities.
If you would like to take part in the trek, or meet the filmmakers along their journey, get in touch using the following details:
Media contact
Mark Redfern
+44 7948 805 627
msredfern@protonmail.com
English or Welsh spokespersons available on request.
For Catalan or Spanish enquiries:
Solidarity Park – info@solidaritypark.com
Website: http://www.solidaritypark.com
Solidarity Park 