Commonwealth Day

From Free net encyclopedia

Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations held on the second Monday in March, and which is marked by a multi-faith service in Westminster Abbey normally attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Secretary-General and the Commonwealth High Commissioners in London. The Queen delivers an address to the Commonwealth which is broadcast throughout the world on the BBC.

While it has a certain official status, Commonwealth Day is not a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries and there is very little public awareness of it.

1 History
2 Other holidays
3 Commonwealth Day on Stamps
4 External links

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History

After the death in 1901 of Queen Victoria, the first British Monarch who used the style Emperor/Empress of India (in the British position as Paramount ruler) in addition to the royal title of the UK, her birthday, May 24, was made an annual commemoration under the name Empire Day. This day was celebrated with families lighting fireworks in their backyards or attending community bonfires. It was a day that gave Australians a chance to show their pride in being part of the British Empire.

In 1958 Empire Day was renamed Commonwealth Day, in accordance with the new post-colonial form of the forum of nations bound by the (former or continuing) rule of the British crown, and from 1977 it has been celebrated on the second Monday in March rather than in May.

In 2006 Queen Elizabeth II delivered her Commonwealth Day address from St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, Australia.

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Other holidays

Although Commonwealth Day is not widely known, many Commonwealth countries do have at least one public holiday that celebrates the Queen's birthday.

In Australia and New Zealand and some other countries, there is a Queen's Birthday holiday.

In Canada, the Monday on or before May 24 is still a public holiday known as Victoria Day.

In various other member states of the Commonwealth, Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in March. In 2006, this is March 13. In some countries, such as Belize, it is a public holiday.

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