‘Together We Thrive’: Activities from Commonwealth Parliaments during Commonwealth Day 2025 

Commonwealth Day 2025 was marked on 10 March. CPA Branches in Commonwealth Parliaments worldwide hosted various activities to commemorate the occasion, bringing together Parliamentarians, young leaders and community members. They highlighted this year’s theme, 'Together We Thrive', by celebrating unity, diversity and the shared values and principles of the Commonwealth.  

You can read more about these activities below.

You can also read here about the activities of the CPA’s Chairperson, Hon. Dr Christopher Kalila, MP (Zambia) during his visit to London for Commonwealth Day this year.

The CPA Northern Ireland Branch marked the occasion with a formal affirmation ceremony at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Prior to this, the Northern Ireland Assembly’s CPA Branch held an event to mark its 50th meeting earlier in the year, followed by a cultural event to mark Commonwealth Day 2025. Both events were attended by CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg. You can read more about his visit here.

Above: The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly Hon. Edwin Poots MLA, the CPA Northern Ireland Branch Chairperson, Hon. Jonathan Buckley, MLA and CPA Secretary-General Stephen Twigg at Northern Ireland's Commonwealth Day celebrations.

In Namibia, celebrations for Commonwealth Day 2025 took place in the Parliament Gardens in Windhoek. The British High Commissioner to Namibia, H.E. Charles Moore, extended his best wishes to the Speaker of the Parliament of Namibia, Hon. Professor Peter Katjavivi ahead of his retirement, and noted his significant contributions to promoting the Commonwealth in Namibia. The event included the reading of the Commonwealth Day 2025 message from the Head of the Commonwealth, His Majesty King Charles III and reflections on the importance of collaboration in addressing global challenges.

The Fiji Parliament hosted a special session to commemorate Commonwealth Day 2025. The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Filimone Jitoko said: 

“Today as you all are aware marks Commonwealth Day and this year’s theme, 'Together We Thrive', resonates profoundly with us, especially as a small island nation committed to fostering unity, peace and progress."   

"As we celebrate Commonwealth Day, let us reaffirm our dedication to the principles of family, unity and peace. Together, we can build a future where every member of our society thrives, and our communities are empowered to achieve meaningful progress." 

Above: Members of Parliament and Parliamentary staff celebrating Commonwealth Day 2025 in Fiji.

Vanuatu’s National Parliament observed Commonwealth Day 2025 with a formal devotion in the Chamber, followed by a commemorative photo with the Speaker and the Clerk. Staff members also communicated in English throughout the day. Debates in the National Parliament are usually conducted in Bislama with Bills subsequently being published in English and French.

Read our blog on Bilingual Parliaments in Multilingual Jurisdictions here. 

Above: A formal devotion in the Parliament of Vanuatu for Commonwealth Day 2025.

The Cayman Islands Parliament celebrated Commonwealth Day 2025 with the annual hosting of its youth event, 18th Youth Parliament Debate, where young leaders tackled pressing national issues. The debate featured two key motions: one on economic relief measures, which did not pass, and another on implementing a sex offender registry, which was approved. The event concluded with a reception and awards ceremony attended by the Speaker and Members of Parliament.

The New Zealand Parliament marked Commonwealth Day 2025 by welcoming the Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro, to a ceremony at Parliament, where she delivered a message from His Majesty King Charles III, Head of the Commonwealth. The event featured cultural performances from Wellington East Girls’ College Pacific Group and the Natraj School of Dance. 

Above: The Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro, is welcomed to Parliament with a traditional Māori greeting known as the hongi. 

To mark Commonwealth Day 2025, the New South Wales Parliament raised the flags of all 56 Commonwealth nations outside Parliament House in Sydney. The Governor of New South Wales, H.E Margaret Beazley AC KC, delivered the King’s Commonwealth Day message, emphasising the importance of democratic participation and international cooperation at a special event at Parliament House attended by MPs, young people and members of the Commonwealth Day Council.

Ghana’s CPA Branch organised a virtual youth forum and panel discussion to mark Commonwealth Day 2025 engaging young leaders in conversations about democracy and governance. The event allowed participants to discuss the importance of Commonwealth collaboration in addressing global challenges.

The Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands marked Commonwealth Day 2025 with a flag-raising ceremony at Victory Green, where the flag of the United Kingdom was raised alongside that of the Falkland Islands. Acting Governor Dave Morgan and Members of the Legislative Assembly were in attendance, and reaffirmed the Falkland Islands’ commitment to Commonwealth values of democracy, peace and cooperation.

To mark Commonwealth Day 2025 on 10 March, the Provincial Legislature of Gauteng in South Africa held a dialogue with young people to discuss global collaboration and challenges. The event was held at the Soshanguve Giants Stadium in the City of Tshwane.   

The Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and CPA Gauteng Branch President, Hon. Morakane Mosupyoe, MPL, opened the proceedings highlighting the role of the Legislature and the importance of engaging with young people in the Commonwealth. Participants also heard from the CPA Gauteng Chairperson, Hon. Thulani Ndlovu, MPL about the importance of open dialogue; Hon. Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi, MPL, spoke about gender equality in her role as Branch Chair for the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP); and Nancy Mopipi, a distinguished researcher from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) gave a global perspective.  

Above: The teams of students from Tshwane University of Technology.

Students from Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) attended the event and participated in a Q&A session. The discussions were followed by sporting activities including soccer and netball matches between all participants, with the aim of fostering camaraderie and wellness for the two institutions. 

The CPA Isle of Man Branch hosted a Commonwealth Day 2025 dinner, featuring guest speaker Dame Meg Hillier, MP from the UK House of Commons. She said:  

“The Commonwealth is a huge asset and, for those Parliamentarians who sit on Public Accounts Committees, the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committees (CAPAC) provides a vital international network for sharing information and learning from each other. Very often it’s less about what is value for money, rather it’s about how do we go about achieving value for money? To be able to share that kind of workload across the organisation is invaluable. In short, the connections and alliances the Commonwealth creates are enormously powerful.” 

In 2024 the Speaker of the House of Keys, the Hon Juan Watterson SHK, was appointed CAPAC Chair. He said:

“It’s a great honour to follow such illustrious company as Dame Meg Hillier. The Isle of Man can be rightly proud of the role we have played over many years in supporting and developing the Commonwealth family.” 

The two chambers of Parliament in Lesotho celebrated Commonwealth Day 2025 alongside Moshoeshoe's Day, which marks the birth of Lesotho’s first King.

Above: Participants outside the Parliament of Lesotho during Commonwealth Day 2025 celebrations.

The Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago held a cultural exchange celebration to mark the Commonwealth Day 2025 theme of ‘Together we Thrive’. The event highlighted the unity, peace, and progress shared among the 56 Commonwealth member states as well as Trinidad and Tobago’s multicultural heritage and diversity.

Many young people from six schools attended the event which featured interactive activities and learning. Representatives from the Australian, Canadian, Jamaican and United Kingdom High Commissions along with representatives from the Grenada, Guyana and The Bahamas Consulates also attended the event along with MPs and parliamentary staff.

A report from the Trinidad and Tobago Parliament said:

“The Cultural Exchange event in celebration of Commonwealth Day 2025 successfully embraced the theme of ‘Together We Thrive’, celebrating the diverse ethnic identities that make up Trinidad and Tobago. It was an enriching experience for all attendees, promoting peace, inclusivity, and unity. The event not only educated participants but also strengthened bonds across communities, reinforcing the values of the Commonwealth in a meaningful and impactful way.”

The National Parliament of the Solomon Islands joined Commonwealth Day 2025 celebrations and recognised the day through their social media platforms. In addition, the Honiara Commonwealth Walkway was officially unveiled in celebration of Commonwealth Day 2025, featuring new medal plinths along the route. The British High Commissioner, H.E. Paul Turner, led a flag-raising ceremony and Hugo Vickers DL, Chairman of the Commonwealth Walkway initiative, who has been a champion of city walkways since 1977, said:  

“We are excited to welcome this latest Commonwealth Walkway in the Solomon Islands and hope that many will enjoy walking it in the years to come, as other have in so many other Commonwealth countries and Overseas Territories.”