Overview

Commonwealth Day, held every year on the second Monday of March, is a celebration of unity, diversity and the links of the modern Commonwealth. It is also a time to bring people together for dialogue and reflection upon the designated theme of the year.

Schools, governments, Parliaments and communities across the Commonwealth organise events. The Commonwealth Day Service is organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society and takes place in Westminster Abbey in London, UK.

Governments and Parliaments of Commonwealth member states and Commonwealth organisations can undertake activities, events and discussions on the theme chosen for Commonwealth Day.

Commonwealth Day is an opportunity for 2.4 billion people across the 54 Commonwealth countries to celebrate their shared Commonwealth values.

Public engagement is crucial for Parliaments and Legislatures. The CPA's Commonwealth Day Youth Engagement Handbook serves as a toolkit on how CPA Branches can use Commonwealth Day as a means of public outreach and engagement for young people.

The handbook is broken down on the basis of the different areas in which Parliaments can execute their public outreach programme. The sections
fall into three categories; hosting young people in your Parliament, school visits, and organising inter-parliamentary events.

The Handbook also consists of a few useful tools that can be used to support the delivery of the programmes outlined in the Handbook. The tools include:

• Commonwealth Day quiz and fact sheet
• activity cards
• a wordsearch
• a map
• a dictionary exercise

These activities are designed to educate, engage and inspire young citizens of the Commonwealth.