Commonwealth Day takes place on the second Monday in March and is celebrated in Commonwealth countries across the world through a range of faith and civic gatherings, school assemblies, flag-raising ceremonies and cultural events.
It is an invitation to celebrate the Commonwealth’s diversity and shared heritage, recognising how cultural exchange and mutual understanding foster peace and stability.
In the UK, the centrepiece is the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey in London. This brings together Commonwealth youth, civil society, and High Commissioners in London. On 9 March, a special church service was held at the Centenary Chapel of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga in Nuku’alofa. The service was presided by the President of the Church The Right Honourable Reverend Dr Tevita Koloa’ia Havea and was graced by the royal presence of Her Majesty Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho and the Guest of Honour His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala.
The Commonwealth Day theme for 2025 is ‘Together We Thrive’ and celebrates the collective strength and resilience of the Commonwealth Family, uniting its people through shared values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.
The Commonwealth plays an important role in tackling global challenges for its 56 member countries and 2.7 billion citizens. Working together, Commonwealth countries can boost economic transformation, tackle the climate and nature crisis and create opportunities for future generations.
The UK continues to support a wide range of Commonwealth initiatives, as the largest donor to many of the Commonwealth inter-governmental organisations and programmes.
Last year, in its 75th anniversary year, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit meeting took place for the first time in the Pacific, hosted by the Government of Samoa. This was an historic milestone for the Commonwealth and enabled an important focus on the issues of most importance to Pacific Island states
This year, the Commonwealth enters the next phase of its development with a new Secretary-General, Shirley Botchwey, until recently Foreign Minister of Ghana and selected by Commonwealth leaders in Samoa. She will take office on 1 April and the UK, as other Commonwealth countries, look forward to working together with the new Secretary-General to continue building a modern Commonwealth.
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