Photo: Collected
Commonwealth Day is an annual celebration on the second Monday in March each year by people from all the Commonwealth nations and this year the event will take place today (March 11).
It will also mark the beginning of a week-long series of events and activities happening around the globe, also in Bangladesh – including faith and civic gatherings, debates, school assemblies, flag-raising ceremonies, and cultural events.
The theme for Commonwealth Day 2024, and the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, is ‘One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’.
The day will begin with observation with a service held at Westminster Abbey, faith and civic gatherings.
The Commonwealth brings together 56 independent countries and is home to 2.5 billion citizens in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, the Pacific, and Europe.
Commonwealth Day is an opportunity to promote the strong unity, diversity, and shared values of the Commonwealth family.
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.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has announced the theme for Commonwealth Day 2024 as 'One Resilient Common Future'.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General said: "Each year, we observe Commonwealth Day to recognize, celebrate, and invigorate our 56 member states, all of whom are committed to the Commonwealth Charter. This year's theme underscores the collective strength that enables us to confront and overcome present challenges, emerging with resilience. This paves the way for a future where wealth isn't just widespread but genuinely equitable."
"We have countries which are amongst both the smallest and largest in the world. What binds us together is our shared values, and those include a commitment to ensuring stronger and stable governance, a more sustainable environment, robust economies, and societies that empower Commonwealth citizens."
Each year, Commonwealth Day is commemorated to inspire and foster a dynamic and united community of our 56 member states.
2024 is a CHOGM year
This year's Commonwealth Day theme reflects the focus of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which will be held in Samoa, in October 2024.
When announcing the CHOGM theme in 2023, Samoa's Prime Minister, Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, said: "We look forward to sharing our unique Samoan communal culture and traditions as we come together to transform our one resilient family into a commonwealth."
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