Commonwealth Day is celebrated every year on the second Monday in March. The theme this year is ‘Together We Thrive’. It is a chance for people across the 56 member countries to celebrate their shared values which are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.
Commonwealth Day was originally known as Empire Day and was first celebrated on the 24th May 1898 to honour the British Empire. The name was changed to Commonwealth Day in 1958.
His Majesty King Charles 111 is the Head of the Commonwealth. There will be a special service in Westminster Abbey to commemorate the day which will be broadcast live from Westminster Abbey on BBC One from 2:30pm and on the BBC YouTube channel from 2:50pm.
According to the Westminster Abbey webpage ‘the service is among the most colourful held at the Abbey, and begins with a procession of the flags of all 56 member states, proudly carried through the church by young citizens from each country. Performers from across the Commonwealth share their traditions of music and dance, with congregations in recent years enjoying displays as diverse as Scottish dancing, Indian drumming, steel orchestras and didgeridoo playing.’
Below is the Commonwealth Day message from His Majesty The King
Last October, leaders from across the Commonwealth came together in Samoa to reaffirm their ‘belief in the value of the Commonwealth as a trusted forum where diverse voices of our member states, the large and the small, the young and the old, come together as one family’.
These gatherings are important for helping all Commonwealth nations to tackle the challenges of the day, yet they also play another vital role. In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship.
This year, the world reflects on the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War 2. More than one-and-a-half million men and women who served during the War came from across the Commonwealth to support the United Kingdom and its allies. On this special anniversary, we remember with particular pride and everlasting gratitude the untold sacrifice and selflessness of so many from around our Family of Nations who gave their lives in that dreadful conflict. The Commonwealth’s ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today. Leaders recently reiterated the importance of collaboration for peace and human rights, as well as for the restoration of Nature both on land and in the oceans.
As we mark this Commonwealth Day together, there is no more important task than to restore the disrupted harmony of our entire planet. For the sake of our younger generations’ threatened future, I can only hope that the Commonwealth will continue its vital work to restore that harmony.
The Commonwealth Charter expresses the commitment of member states to the development of free and democratic societies and the promotion of peace and prosperity to improve the lives of all the people of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Charter can be read here.
In the past Seaford has hosted many service personnel from the Commonwealth Nations during both the first and second world wars. On 12th March 2018 a blue plaque was unveiled at Seaford Station dedicated to the regiment of soldiers from the West Indies who were posted to Seaford during World War One.
Kevin Gordon, local historian, has published a fascinating article on his blog telling the story of the West Indian soldiers buried in the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Seaford. The article can be found here.
Celebrating Seaford 