The Commonwealth: Shared past, bright future

The second Monday in March has a dual significance in Canberra. On the one hand it is a local public holiday (Canberra Day), and on the other it is Commonwealth Day.

For most of us, the significance of the latter is often masked by the opportunity offered by the former to enjoy a well-earned break with friends and family. In that sense, Commonwealth Day here is reminiscent of the situation in which the organisation can find itself. The Commonwealth has a very high profile around the brief but frequently brilliant success of the Commonwealth Games (the most recent ones were superbly organised in Glasgow last year – the next ones will be on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018). For those of us in the diplomatic community, there’s also the highly important and influential Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (there’s one later this year, in Malta). But in between these two major spectacles the work of the Commonwealth receives relatively little attention.

That is all the more surprising when you consider that it is an organisation with 53 member states and a total population greater than two billion – one third of the world’s population. Intra-Commonwealth trade in 2013 was around £260 billion. And Commonwealth GDP is around $9 trillion. By any measure it is a significant organisation, and one whose members share a commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It combines people from across the globe, covering developed and developing countries, ranging from small island states to great sub-continents.

This year I was not in Canberra for the multi-faith service to celebrate Commonwealth Day which takes place here every year. I was sad to miss it, as it is a joyous, ebullient occasion which demonstrates the diversity of the peoples of the Commonwealth (as well as showing the diversity of the population of Canberra).

However, this does not mean that I missed out on Commonwealth Day altogether. I was fortunate enough to attend a dinner to mark the day later in the week, where the focus was on the Commonwealth’s contribution during the First World War, when representatives of many Commonwealth countries fought alongside each other. It was a timely reminder that when we focus on the centenaries of the epoch-making events of 100 years ago in the months to come, we should remember the sacrifices of the soldiers from all these countries.

But the Commonwealth is more than a group of countries with a shared past – if it is to mean anything in the years to come it must focus on creating better futures for its citizens. And those best placed to take that mission forward are the 60 per cent of Commonwealth citizens under 30. That’s why the theme of this year’s Commonwealth Day was “A Young Commonwealth” and why I was so pleased to have the opportunity to meet the remarkable young people who are the driving force behind CommonYouth, a new Commonwealth youth organisation which recently launched in Canberra. It was inspiring to hear about the plans of this group of bright, enthusiastic young people to engage on the Commonwealth’s values of democracy and human rights. I wish them the very best of luck.