The Queen’s Baton on its way to Brunei

Yesterday, I watched snippets from Buckingham Palace of the launch of The Queen’s Baton Relay on the news. This is a much enjoyed tradition in the run up to every Commonwealth Games where Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II places inside the baton a message to the Commonwealth.

The baton will now travel 190,000 kilometres to some 70 Commonwealth countries and territories around the world carrying a message from The Queen. The baton will then return to Glasgow and The Queen will read out Her message at the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

I watched the news with particular interest because the baton will be arriving here in Brunei at the end of October. We are joining with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports on a welcome event for the baton’s arrival and a road relay in Bandar Seri Begawan, linking a number of schools. This fits well with our own plans to connect schools in Scotland with schools in Brunei through the Support a 2nd Team Programme. We have already had a visit to Bandar by a teacher from the Shetland Islands to help set up contacts. She promised us that Shetlanders at the Games in Glasgow would be cheering on the Brunei national team!

Find out more about the Queen’s Baton relay and follow the baton as it travels to Commonwealth nations and territories around the world here.