Commonwealth

Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day is an annual moveable holiday that falls regularly on the second Monday in March, and which takes place on March 13 this year. The day is marked with a service attended by the British royal family at Westminster Abbey, and much celebration occurs globally in Commonwealth states! The historic event is a public holiday in some of its states and honors the history of the group. It promotes a peaceful global environment and hopes to inspire the Commonwealth states for their future with a yearly address by Queen Elizabeth.

HISTORY OF COMMONWEALTH DAY Though Commonwealth Day today is a well-established holiday celebrated by an estimated 2 billion people worldwide, it wasn’t always called Commonwealth Day, and it had a smaller start. It was originally known as “Empire Day,” which was established in 1902 to honor Queen Victoria. After Queen Victoria died the year before, the idea was put forth to establish a holiday that honored England, the unity between nations of the Commonwealth, and its ideals of freedom, tolerance, and justice. Empire Day actually wasn’t officially recognized until 1916, after having been celebrated unofficially in Canada for 14 years. It took another 10 years for it to truly reach a level of popularity – in 1925, an Empire Day Thanksgiving celebration at Wembley Stadium drew around 90,000 in attendance. 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. 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.

In today’s postcolonial world, there is much debate over the morality of the Commonwealth. While some countries still find it an important and honorable piece of history, and others even still identify the Queen of England as their monarch, more and more discourse is emerging on whether or not it is a problematic holiday. Many countries in the Commonwealth were, at one time or another, prevented from gaining independence, and some find it a reminder of brutal colonization.

Nonetheless, Commonwealth Day is still celebrated by many countries with much fervor. Several countries in the Commonwealth – though notably not Britain – celebrate Commonwealth Day as a public holiday. Parties and other festivities are held, good food is cooked, and flags are raised. Many tune in on Commonwealth Day to watch the service at Westminster Abbey, hear the Queen’s address and feel a great sense of pride in the historic alliance that is the Commonwealth.

COMMONWEALTH DAY TIMELINE

1925 Empire Day Grows in Popularity After an Empire Day Thanksgiving service held at Wembley Stadium attracted 90,000 people, the day began to really take off in popularity.

1916 Empire Day Recognized Though it had been celebrated informally since 1902, Empire Day - the precursor to Commonwealth Day - was not officially recognized as a holiday until 1916.

1902 Empire Day Honors Queen Victoria and England To honor Queen Victoria after her passing in 1901, patriotic Empire Day was established the next year on her birthday, May 24.

1958 The First Commonwealth Day Prime Minister Harold MacMillan announced that Empire Day would come to be known as Commonwealth Day.

COMMONWEALTH DAY FAQS

What is the purpose of Commonwealth Day? In recent years, there has been a shift away from celebrating a single day towards celebrating a full week, with Commonwealth Day at its focus and first day. The aim is to celebrate the unity, diversity and links of the modern Commonwealth and to foster a greater understanding of the Commonwealth’s achievements and role.

What is British Commonwealth Day? The day marks Commonwealth Day in more than 50 countries around the world. Once known as Empire Day, it is envisioned as a celebration of the cultural exchange and shared values of former Empire states. Of course, today the notion of celebrating Britain’s colonial past is a topic of some debate.

Who is the head of Commonwealth Nations? His Majesty King Charles III is Head of the Commonwealth. His role is an important symbolic one.

HOW TO OBSERVE COMMONWEALTH DAY Watch the Westminster Abbey service. 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 King to the various states, as she is the Head of the Commonwealth. Learn its history Commonwealth Day is of massive historical importance to a significant segment of the global population. However, if you’re just hearing of it, it’s worth reading up on! Check out its history as Empire Day, and understand just why so many countries are proud to be included in such an alliance. Attend a street party or parade There are Commonwealth festivities worldwide, so as long as it’s safe where you are, head out and find a place to celebrate! Many celebrate by eating good food, partying, and raising flags to show their pride.

5 FUN FACTS ABOUT COMMONWEALTH DAY The Commonwealth of nations includes 53 countries, though only 16 still recognize the British King as their monarch.. It’s celebrated by a significant portion of the world. Nearly ⅓ of the globe celebrates Commonwealth Day - that’s around 2 billion people. It’s not a public holiday everywhere Though it honors the British Empire and all the states it contained, it’s actually not a British public holiday! However, other states of the Commonwealth, like Gibraltar, recognize it as such. Some are now grappling with its ties to colonialism Today, many are rethinking Britain’s history of colonialism and imperialism, and a new reality of the Commonwealth states and Commonwealth Day is increasingly being understood. There is a current push towards the moral reckoning of the holiday. The Commonwealth has a massive GDP The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Commonwealth tops that of even the European Union (EU) - and is only expected to grow.

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