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What is the purpose of Commonwealth Day?

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What is the purpose of Commonwealth Day?

Also known as the Empire Day, the Commonwealth Day commemorates the formation of the British Empire in India and other colonies of Britain. This year the theme is: Delivering a Common Future. The Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in the month of March every year.

Why Commonwealth was formed?

The Commonwealth of Nations was formed in 1949 to maintain an association between countries that had once been part of the British colonies, but which were considered ‘free and equal’. Commonwealth countries span the globe and, with a combined population of 2.2 billion, include almost a third of the world’s population.

What happens on Commonwealth Day?

Commonwealth Day is famously celebrated by a sermon at Westminster Abbey attended by the Queen of England. It’s televised, and followed by an address by the Queen to the various states, as she is the Head of the Commonwealth.

When did Empire day change to Commonwealth Day?

1958
Political correctness appears to have ‘won the day’ when in 1958 Empire Day was re-badged as British Commonwealth Day, and still later in 1966 when it became known as Commonwealth Day. The date of Commonwealth Day was also changed to 10th June, the official birthday of the present Queen Elizabeth II.

Is Commonwealth Day a holiday in UK?

Commonwealth Day (formerly Empire Day) is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, since 1977 often held on the second Monday in March. Commonwealth Day is a public holiday in some parts of the Commonwealth, but not currently in Britain.

Why was the British Commonwealth created?

The British Commonwealth of Nations was the result of the 1926 Balfour Declaration which stipulated that the relationship between Britain and her Dominions was equal in status. The main effect of the Statute was the establishment of legislative equality between these dominions and the United Kingdom.

What is the smallest country in the Commonwealth?

Fast Facts on the Commonwealth

  • Pacific (11)
  • 32 small states, usually with a population under 1.5 million.
  • 25 small island developing states.
  • The Pacific nation of Nauru is the smallest Commonwealth member country with a population of about 10,000.
  • India is the most populous member country is with over 1.4 billion people.

What does the Commonwealth represent?

The Commonwealth is an association of countries across the world. Although historically connected to the British Empire, any country can apply to be a member of the Commonwealth, regardless of its intersection with Britain’s colonial past. The Commonwealth consists of 54 countries, including the United Kingdom.

When is the Commonwealth Day in the UK?

Commonwealth Day, this year on March 8, is an annual moveable holiday that falls regularly on the second Monday in March. The day is marked with a service attended by the British royal family at Westminster Abbey, and much celebration occurs globally in Commonwealth states!

Why was March chosen as the Commonwealth Day?

This is because all of the Commonwealth shares history, legal systems, culture, and more. In 1973, the Royal Commonwealth Society proposed the day be changed, and the second Monday in March was selected by the Commonwealth Secretariat as the observance day.

Where did the idea of the Commonwealth come from?

The Commonwealth is one of the world’s oldest political associations of states. Its roots go back to the British Empire, when countries around the world were ruled by Britain. Over time different countries of the British Empire gained different levels of freedom from Britain. Semi-independent countries were called Dominions.

Why was Empire Day changed to Commonwealth Day?

In 1958, the then-Prime Minister, Harold MacMillan, rebranded Empire Day as Commonwealth Day. This is because all of the Commonwealth shares history, legal systems, culture, and more.