This Commonwealth Day, a baton will set out from Buckingham Palace and begin a long and extraordinary journey. Over the next twelve months, the Baton will visit people living in the nations and territories of our Commonwealth family in every continent and ocean.
Carried on its way by thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, by the time it reaches its final destination, The Queen’s Baton will have brought together through its route and symbolism, almost 2.5 billion people who share the special connection of being Commonwealth citizens.
Contained within the Baton will be a written message that will be opened and read at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next year. However, there is an even more powerful message to be seen and experienced as the Baton passes from hand to hand, from seashore to mountaintop, through cities, towns, and villages. It is the message of a peace-building Commonwealth.
The cornerstones on which peace is founded are, quite simply, respect and understanding for one another. Working together, we build peace by defending the dignity of every individual and community.
By upholding justice and the rule of law, and by striving for societies that are fair and offer opportunities for all, we overcome division and find reconciliation, so that the benefits of progress and prosperity may be multiplied and shared.
As members of the Commonwealth family we can find much to be thankful for in the inheritances we have received from those who came before us. Through consensus and cooperation great things have been achieved.
We can find further reward and fulfilment by continuing to collaborate with others in a spirit of goodwill to build a peaceful and abundant future for all Commonwealth citizens.
This Commonwealth Day, I near the completion of my first year in office as Secretary-General, serving the governments and people of more than fifty Commonwealth member states.
During this time, it has been uplifting to see – in a remarkable range of circumstances and contexts – the strength of Commonwealth connection flourishing and in action for the benefit of all.
Our shared values and language, similar institutions of democratic governance and administration, and the Common Law, make it easy for us to understand one another, to discuss obstacles and opportunities, and to work together for the common good.
This results in what we call ‘Commonwealth Advantage’, with the interoperability of our systems facilitating mutual support and cooperation, and boosting levels of trade and commerce among our member states.
Most importantly, in times of promise and of peril, it raises awareness and appreciation of our interdependence, and the need for exchange and reciprocity.
Deep-rooted and resilient, Commonwealth solidarity bears us up individually and collectively. It helps us in troubled and troubling times to make the world a safer place. That is why this year we are celebrating ‘A Peace-building Commonwealth’.
By linking governments and institutions – both public and private – and bringing together in a spirit of goodwill people of all ages and from all walks of life, Commonwealth gatherings and networks lay foundations of respect and understanding that enable lasting peace to be built.
In working to find ways of eliminating violence, we draw on wisdom and traditions from a wide range of cultural inheritances in our member states to develop inclusive approaches to peace-building.
A special area of focus is on ending all forms of domestic violence, because unless there is fairness and peace in our homes we cannot expect to enjoy good community relations, or peace at national and regional level.
Every single one of us has a contribution to make. Imagine the impact we can make as a Commonwealth of 2.4 billion people in over fifty countries by saying no to abuse or violence in our homes; taking action against all forms of violence against women, men and children; making bullying unacceptable in our school or workplace; and ensuring that senior citizens are safe from intimidation.
‘Commonwealth’ is another way of saying ‘common good’. ‘A Peace-building Commonwealth’ starts with each one of us taking individual responsibility, then joining with others so that with mutual support and encouragement we share the good from home to community, then ever more widely to the world.
This Commonwealth Day, as we share our joy in belonging to this great global family – wherever we are and whatever our position – let us commit ourselves afresh through its opportunities and immense potential, and through our own friendships and networks, to thinking and acting as proud and active members of ‘A Peace-building Commonwealth’.
This year we celebrated the Commonwealth Day at the City Montessori School on the theme 'A Peace-building Commonwealth'. This year's theme is a natural follow-on from 2016's theme of 'An Inclusive Commonwealth', and reaffirms the Commonwealth Charter principle that 'international peace and security, sustainable economic growth and development and the rule of law are essential to the progress and prosperity of all.'
This year's theme reflects the fact that in an environment of increasing instability and uncertainty in the world, the Commonwealth family of nations in its rich diversity becomes a much needed source of strength and hope for all its members.
Teamwork is central to the modern Commonwealth. It is what makes it a truly unique institution; it is what gives its members a competitive advantage; and it is what will ensure the Commonwealth's increasing relevance throughout the 21st century.
The Commonwealth unites 52 countries with diverse cultures around shared values and vision. We celebrate the Commonwealth, a global community of over two billion people of differing beliefs and traditions. It is a vibrant means of identity and exchange. The Commonwealth provides a unique opportunity to promote understanding on global issues and to foster international co-operation.
On 6th March we celebrated Commonwealth Day 2017 at City Montessori School with great zeal and enthusiasm, on the theme ‘A Peace-Building Commonwealth’. CMS joins the 52 countries of the Commonwealth in commemorating and celebrating the intergovernmental organisation.
The objectives of the Commonwealth — as outlined in the 1971 Singapore Declaration — consist of commitments to a number of ideals including world peace, representative democracy, individual liberty, equality, and human rights. At CMS, we share a commitment to these noble aims.
This year's theme is a natural follow-on from 2016’s theme of ‘An Inclusive Commonwealth’, and reaffirms the Commonwealth Charter principle that ‘international peace and security, sustainable economic growth and development and the rule of law are essential to the progress and prosperity of all.'
Commonwealth Day is an opportunity to promote the Commonwealth’s shared values of peace, democracy and equality, and to celebrate the rich diversity of the Commonwealth’s 52 member countries. The year 2017 marks 40 years since Commonwealth Day became a global celebration marked on the same day every year: on the second Monday in March.
Commonwealth Day is an opportunity for us at CMS to demonstrate how we put the ideals of peace and unity which we promote into practice, through celebrating how the Commonwealth’s aims overlap with our own.
Today's Commonwealth, with its 52 member countries stretching across continents with large and small states, developed and developing nations, provides us with a unique international network of the utmost relevance to the global demands of the 21st Century. The Commonwealth is an organization of values, and we journey together - as a family of nations and of peoples - to see those values practiced in our lives.
In the year 2017, we are celebrating the Commonwealth Day and Commonwealth Youth Conference & Group Discussion at City Montessori School on the theme: 'A Peace-building Commonwealth'.
Commonwealth Youth Conference and Group Discussion will promote understanding on global issues, international co-operation and the work of the Commonwealth, which aims to improve the lives of its 2 billion citizens. To mark the annual celebrations of the Commonwealth Association and its members, CMS Gomti Nagar Campus organizes Commonwealth Youth Conference and Group Discussion each year.
On this Commonwealth Day, let us all rededicate ourselves to the Commonwealth family.
The aim of commemorating Commonwealth Day is to promote understanding on global issues, international co-operation and the work of the Commonwealth to improve the lives of its two billion citizens. Within the Commonwealth community, there are 52 members, and a great diversity of cultures, voices and opinions. We are of different nationalities, ethnicity, faiths and political beliefs. But we share common values such as democracy, just and honest government, advancing the cause of peace and prosperity.
This year, we celebrated the Commonwealth Day with great zeal and enthusiasm. Students participated in Group Discussion on "A Peace-building Commonwealth" as the topic at City Montessori School, Gomti Nagar Campus I. Students drew and identified flags of the member nations. They created a "Commonwealth room" and shared their work with others. A commonwealth song too was composed and sung. A fashion-parade was also held. Students of Kindergarten dressed up as citizens of Commonwealth nations and prayed for unity and peace in the whole world.
This year theme "A Peace-building Commonwealth" is a natural follow-on from 2016’s theme of ‘An Inclusive Commonwealth’, and reaffirms the Commonwealth Charter principle that ‘international peace and security, sustainable economic growth and development and the rule of law are essential to the progress and prosperity of all.
On this day, let us unite and commit our actions for the welfare of the Commonwealth Nations.
City Montessori School joins the 53 countries of the Commonwealth in commemorating it with this year's theme 'A Peace-building Commonwealth'. This year the theme recognizes the values and diversity of the Commonwealth. "In changing times, the need for the Commonwealth to act as an inclusive network for mutual support, development and growth of opportunity and rights for all is as great as ever".
This year's theme reaffirms the Commonwealth Charter principle that 'international peace and security, sustainable economic growth and development and the rule of law are essential to the progress and prosperity of all. Through the theme 'A Peace-building Commonwealth' the Commonwealth family of nations in its rich diversity becomes an ever more-needed source of strength and hope for all its members.
We believe that the youth of commonwealth has the capability of uniting the world by focusing on the common requirements and aspirations since all human beings have similar qualities or frailties. It would be a futile exercise to keep them dismembered or the nations to exist as separate nations. We believe in the unity of mankind. For us the world is but one country.
We celebrate this year's theme 'A Peace-building' and join the Commonwealth community, a global community of over two billion people of different beliefs and traditions in which the cultural expression is similar without much importance to seemingly different cultures due to being separated by long distances or languages.
The language of all people on earth is one in terms of inner soul and belief in one and same God. The whole world is a progeny of one couple which came to earth for first time millions or billions of years ago. All paths lead to God, unity and peace in the world. The need is of unity in all system of democracies or systems of governments. The commonwealth presents that opportunity.