The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an international associationof 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of its predecessor, the British Empire.
It is a free association of sovereign states comprising the United Kingdom and a number of its former dependencies who have chosen to maintain ties of friendship and practical cooperation and who acknowledge the British monarch as symbolic head of their association.
The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century, with the decolonization of the Empire through the increased self-governance of its territories. It was created as the British Commonwealth of Nations.
The Head of the Commonwealth is Charles III. He is king of 15 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 36 other members are republics, and five have different monarchs. Although he became head upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, the position is not technically hereditary. A majority of Commonwealth countries are small states, with small island developing states constituting almost half its membership.
The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965, is the main intergovernmental agency of the Commonwealth, facilitating consultation and co-operation among member governments and countries.[75] It is responsible to member governments collectively. The Commonwealth of Nations is represented in the United Nations General Assembly by the Secretariat as an observer.
The present secretary-general is Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, from Ghana.
Secretary Botchway proclaimed:
“Commonwealth Day is an occasion to reflect on the strength of our connection and how it can shape our well-being as citizens of the Commonwealth.
This year, Commonwealth Day calls us to action, to rally together to face today’s challenges and unlock opportunities that can deliver shared and lasting prosperity for all our people.
Opportunity must reach people everywhere — from the smallest, most remote communities to the biggest cities. We are a family of nations whose endowments and common values position us to deliver the extraordinary benefits of a more prosperous and connected Commonwealth, if we work together.”
The original design featured a globe surrounded by 64 radiating, approximately quadrilateral, sunrays, which form a ‘C’ for ‘Commonwealth’. The number of sunrays did not represent the number of member states (there have never been 64 members); instead, the large number represented the many ways in which the Commonwealth cooperates around the world.
In 2013, the globe was tilted, and the number of sunrays reduced to 34. The colourings used in the flag were also slightly modified.
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