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Commonwealth Day

Published March 10, 2007 in Antiguan, Australian, Bahamian, Bangladeshi, Barbadian, Belizean, Botswanian, British, Bruneian, CULTURES, Cameroonian, Canadian, Cyprian, Dominican, Gambian, Ghanaian, Grenadian, Guyanaian, Indian, Jamaican, Kenyan, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysian, Maldives, Maltese, Mauritian, Mozambiquian, Namibian, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaraguan, Nigerian, Pakistani, Papuan, Samoan, Seychelles, Sierra Leonean, Singaporean, Solomon Islands, South African, Sri Lankan, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucian, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tanzanian, Tongan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvaluan, Ugandan, Vanuatu, Zambian | Comments [1] | Post a Comment

The second Monday in March is Commonwealth Day. About one quarter of the people in the world live in one of the countries in the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations, all of which, with the exception of Mozambique are former colonies of the United Kingdom. According to the Commonwealth Secretariat, “the aim of commemorating Commonwealth Day is to promote understanding on global issues, international co-operation and the work of the Commonwealth to improve the lives of its 2 billion citizens.” The theme of Commonwealth Day 2007 is “respecting difference, promoting understanding.” While it has a certain official status, Commonwealth Day is not a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries and there is little public awareness of it.

The second Monday in March was chosen as Commonwealth Day because it is a day when all schools throughout the Commonwealth are in session. One of the primary aims of Commonwealth Day is to promote knowledge of the various countries and cultures of the Commonwealth, particularly among young people.

Traditions associated with Commonwealth Day seem to include essay writing, school exhibitions, flying the Royal Union Flag outside government buildings, and issuing stamps. The BBC broadcasts an address to the Commonwealth by its head, the British monarch, who also attends a multi-faith service in Westminster Abbey. You can even play a Commonwealth Day puzzle game.

The quadrennial Commonwealth Games are the second-largest multi-sport event, after the Olympics. In the year before the Games, the Queen starts the Queen’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day, handing the baton to the first runner on a journey that will end at the opening ceremony of the games.

History of Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day began as Empire Day, celebrated with bonfires and fireworks on Queen Victoria’s birthday, May 24, after her death in 1901. In 1958, Empire Day took on its post-colonial name, Commonwealth Day, to reflect the new “personal union” relationship of the 16 sovereign member states of the Realm to their recognized monarch, Elizabeth II. In 1976, on the recommendation of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the Commonwealth Secretariat selected the second Monday in March as the date on which Commonwealth Day would be observed throughout all countries of the Commonwealth.

Although Commonwealth Day is not widely known, many Commonwealth countries do have at least one public holiday that celebrates either the current or a previous Sovereign’s birthday.