Adrian Masters BBC Wales' political reporter

Dafydd Iwan is the first non-politician to lead the party

Leaders hope members will unite ahead of forthcoming polls after a difficult year of election losses and infighting.

There is likely to be a reaffirmation of the party's commitment to independence by president Dafydd Iwan in his keynote speech.

He will point to emerging small countries like Slovenia as a model for a future independent Wales.

Difficult

The past year has been a difficult one for the party.

After making gains in the first assembly elections, last May's poor showing proved to be a disaster and led to a bitter leadership battle.

There are still tensions within the party between traditionalists in the Welsh-speaking heartlands and newer members, many of whom do not speak Welsh.

These are the strands the leadership must bring together at the conference - where the focus will be on local and European elections.

In his keynote speech Mr Iwan is expected to hit out at critics who say that independence for Wales would mean cutting it off from the rest of the UK.

In his first speech as party leader last September, he said he wanted Plaid Cymru to emerge from England's shadow and take its place among the world's nations.

Mr Iwan - the first non-politician to lead the party - underlined his aim of achieving full independence for Wales.

"Self-government, self-determination, autonomy, home-rule, freedom, independence, full national status - call it what we will.

"We know what it means," Mr Iwan told delegates at Cardiff's St David's Hall at the time.