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Commonwealth Day 2022: History and significance

Every year on the second Monday in March, Commonwealth Day is commemorated all around the world. Commonwealth Day, also known as Empire Day, is held on May 24 in India and a few other nations to commemorate the formation of the British Empire in India.

The Commonwealth is a group of 54 sovereign countries that have come together to pursue shared goals such as trade and economic development. Among the many goals of commemorating this day, some of the most significant is to aid each other in the development of education, health, sports, and environmental protection.

The Queen of England is the ceremonial leader who presides over the Commonwealth states, despite the fact that the Commonwealth countries are largely sovereign.

Theme

Every year, Commonwealth representatives choose a topic that is approved by the Queen of England. The Commonwealth states’ yearly festivities are centred on that subject. ‘Delivering a Common Future’ is the subject chosen for Commonwealth Day this year. The topic emphasises the need of inventing, connecting, and changing to achieve common goals such as combating climate change, lowering global warming, and enhancing international economic understanding.

History

Following the death of Queen Victoria on January 22, 1901, Empire Day was first observed. The inaugural Empire Day was marked on May 24, 1902, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s birthday. Even before it was formally named an annual event, many institutions around the British Empire were commemorating the day.

Empire Day was established as an annual celebration in 1916. According to Historic UK, Empire Day was commemorated in a New Zealand school newspaper in 1910.

Significance

On Commonwealth Day, the Commonwealth states unilaterally reaffirm their commitment to peace, fairness, and democracy for all of the organization members. In general, the day is held to promote international solidarity and humanity, as well as to give a chance for countries to address their concerns, find solutions, and support one another.

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