Building a Commonwealth of freedom

With 53 member countries the Commonwealth is a 
colourful mix of race and culture, as presented by the 
students of George Town Primary School

"The Jamaicans" from Cayman Prep & High School. 
Students picked commonwealth countries to depict 
as part of the celebrations there

Miss Australia, Emily Delay, and Miss United Kingdom, 
Gabriella Jackson, from Savannah Primary School, 
attended their Commonwealth celebrations

Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Building a Commonwealth of freedom was the theme of Commonwealth Day celebrated earlier this month.

HE the Governor Bruce Dinwiddy, accompanied by the honorary representative of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Charles Quin, visited Savannah Primary School and Cayman Prep & High School where he attended celebrations and read the Queen's Commonwealth message.

In her message the Queen said democracy, national self-determination, individual liberty and human rights were fundamentals which bind the Commonwealth together. The Queen said, "Nowhere is freedom perfectly realised, and its enemies are not only those who terrorise and torture. They are also hunger, poverty, disease and ignorance. 

"That is why it is important for the Commonwealth to do all it can to tackle these challenges directly, whether in alleviating poverty or in promoting education and health. It is also essential to strengthen the rule of law, protect democratic freedoms and build strong civil societies." 

Several schools in the Islands celebrated Commonwealth Day with flag parades, storytelling from around the Commonwealth and students dressing up as their counterparts from other Commonwealth countries.

At George Town Primary School, students were asked to express their personal views on freedom. For Ronella Douglas that meant, "the right to do anything we want, but not to do anything illegal." 

For Kendra Ebanks freedom is, "the right to say what we believe in and to live in peace no matter what colour we are."

East End Primary School went on a virtual safari with a tour to Nigeria and India.

North Side Primary School launched a message in a bottle. Students wrote a message of freedom to put it in the bottle with the hope of spreading the idea of freedom throughout the Caribbean. 

The Commonwealth has 53 members. Together these countries have a population of 1.8 billion people. Commonwealth countries in the region include Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago.

Back...