Commonwealth Parliamentary Association celebrates Commonwealth Day 2024 across its 180 Parliaments and Legislatures
‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) celebrated Commonwealth Day 2024 on Monday 11 March 2024 across the CPA’s nine Regions and around 180 Parliaments and Legislatures.
The theme for Commonwealth Day 2024, and the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa in October 2024, is ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’. The theme highlights how the 56 member countries must harness their strengths by building resilience, unlocking potential, leveraging the 'Commonwealth Advantage' and fostering a connected, digital Commonwealth. This transformation is vital to ensure a resilient common future where no one is left behind.
As the Head of the Commonwealth, His Majesty King Charles III released a special video message, in which he said:
“The seventy-fifth anniversary of The Commonwealth is a moment to reflect on the remarkable journey that our unique family of free and independent nations has made since 1949. And the Commonwealth’s growth, with new members continuing to join our family of nations, demonstrates clearly that whilst we may not all have a shared history, we have common ambitions for a better future – working together to build resilience and respond to global challenges.
The Commonwealth family is strongest when we are connected, through friendship. We recognise today that our diversity is our greatest strength. The Commonwealth represents a third of humanity, from all regions of the world, with all the different experiences, knowledge, and aspirations that this brings.
I cannot say often enough that it is by coming together that we create the best chances to improve our world and the lives of people everywhere. Indeed, over the years countless people across the Commonwealth have been inspired to form their own Commonwealth Associations, from lawyers and accountants, to business and trade networks, and many more besides. The work they do is absolutely vital, sharing professional knowledge, experience, and expertise across the Continents for the betterment of each one of us.”
Read the King's message click here or view below.
The traditional multi-faith Commonwealth Service was be held at Westminster Abbey in London where Queen Camilla and The Prince of Wales joined other Members of the Royal Family, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, representatives of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, High Commissioners, dignitaries and over 600 schoolchildren.
Commonwealth Day 2024 also marks the 75th anniversary of the ‘modern’ Commonwealth. Commonwealth Day will be marked in Parliaments across the world.
The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg also attended the raising of the Commonwealth flag and commemorative event at the UK Parliament hosted by the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP along with more than 30 Commonwealth Speakers in attendance.
The UK Speaker hosted a special Commonwealth 75 Speakers Summit to coincide with Commonwealth Day with Speakers and Presiding Officers attending from Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Canada, Grenada, Isle of Man, Kenya, Kiribati, Malawi, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, Tanzania, The Gambia, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Wales and Zambia.
To read the official Communique from the Commonwealth 75 Speakers Summit please click here.
Above: The UK Speaker and Deputy Speakers are pictured in the UK House of Commons Chamber with visiting Speakers and Presiding Officers for the Commonwealth Speakers Summit 2024. Image copyright: UK Parliament.
The CPA Headquarters also held a special meeting of the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers after their involvement in the Commonwealth Day Summit at the UK Parliament.
The CPA Secretary-General said:
“As we celebrate Commonwealth Day 2024, we recognise the work of Commonwealth Parliaments and Parliamentarians in promoting our democratic values and principles. 2024 is set to be a busy and important year for the CPA and the wider Commonwealth with the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC). In addition, the CPA will host the 12th Commonwealth Youth Parliament (CYP) which will be an important part of the CPA’s contribution to the ‘Commonwealth Year of Youth’ which continues this year.”
2024 continues the ‘Commonwealth Year of Youth’ and so this Commonwealth Day, many CPA Branches have used Commonwealth Day as an opportunity to engage with young people through their wider public outreach and have utilised CPA resources like the Commonwealth Day Youth Engagement Handbook and the CPA’s Engagement, Education and Outreach Handbook for Commonwealth Parliaments Transparent Institutions.
Commonwealth Day is celebrated annually on the second Monday of March.
CPA Branches hosted a wide range of in-person and virtual events for Commonwealth Day 2024. Reports on these events will feature in the next issue of The Parliamentarian.
