Commonwealth Day facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Commonwealth Day
Flags of the Commonwealth flying in Horse Guards, London; Monday, 10 March 2014
Observed by	Commonwealth of Nations
Celebrations	Multi-faith service in Westminster Abbey
Date	Second Monday in March
2024 date	March 11  (2024-03-11)
2025 date	March 10  (2025-03-10)
2026 date	March 9  (2026-03-09)
2027 date	March 8  (2027-03-08)
Frequency	annual
Related to	Commonwealth Games (every four years)

Commonwealth Day is a special day when people celebrate the Commonwealth of Nations. This is a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire. Commonwealth Day is usually held on the second Monday in March each year.

On this day, a special service takes place at Westminster Abbey in London. The Queen, who is the Head of the Commonwealth, often attends. Important leaders from Commonwealth countries also come. The Queen usually gives a speech to the Commonwealth, which is shared around the world.

Commonwealth Day is a public holiday in some Commonwealth countries. However, it is not a public holiday in Britain.

History of Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day has an interesting past. It used to be called Empire Day.

From Empire Day to Commonwealth Day

After Queen Victoria passed away in 1901, people started celebrating her birthday, May 24th, as Empire Day. This began in 1902. It became an official yearly event in 1916.

Lord Meath started Empire Day in the United Kingdom in 1905. The idea was to show the unity and shared values of the British Empire. These values included freedom, justice, and tolerance.

Empire Day became a very big event. Schools held parades, and the BBC helped celebrate. In 1925, 90,000 people went to a special service for Empire Day at Wembley Stadium. This was part of a big exhibition about the British Empire.

The idea for this day was to remind children that they were part of the British Empire. It taught them to think about what it meant to be part of such a "glorious Empire." It also told them that the strength of the Empire depended on them.

In 1898, a Canadian named Clementina Trenholme started Empire Day in schools in Ontario. It was held on the last school day before May 24th. Empire Day was also celebrated in the Cape Colony and later across South Africa.

The British Empire League helped make Empire Day a popular patriotic holiday. After World War I, it continued to be an important day. It combined serious remembrance with joyful celebrations of the Empire.

In 1958, Harold Macmillan, a leader in the UK Parliament, announced a change. Empire Day would now be called Commonwealth Day.

The Commonwealth countries and Britain share a history. They have cultural links, similar legal systems, and business practices. In 1973, the Royal Commonwealth Society suggested a new date. The Commonwealth Secretariat then chose the second Monday in March for Commonwealth Day. This is now observed in all Commonwealth countries.

How Commonwealth Day is Celebrated

Commonwealth Day is not a required public holiday everywhere. Instead, it is a day for about one billion people to remember their shared connections. It also celebrates how the Commonwealth of Nations helps create a peaceful world.

United Kingdom

In the UK, the Union Flag is flown from public buildings on the second Monday in March. This marks Commonwealth Day. The Scottish Parliament Building also flies the Commonwealth flag.

The Queen and other members of the Royal family attend a special service at Westminster Abbey. A wreath is placed at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates in London. This remembers the sacrifices of Commonwealth soldiers. The Commonwealth Secretary General usually lays the wreath. Other events, like the Commonwealth Africa Summit, also happen around the United Kingdom.

Australia

Commonwealth Day is not a public holiday in Australia. However, some regional public holidays happen on the same day. These include Canberra Day in the Australian Capital Territory, Labour Day in Victoria, Adelaide Cup Day in South Australia, and Eight-hour Day in Tasmania.

In 2006, Queen Elizabeth II gave her Commonwealth Day speech from St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney. This was before the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Canada

In Canada, the Royal Union Flag (also known as the Union Jack) is flown alongside the Canadian national flag. This happens from sunrise to sunset at federal buildings, airports, military bases, and other places. This marks Commonwealth Day.

The Maple Leaf flag was created in 1964. At the same time, the Royal Union Flag was kept as a symbol. It shows Canada's membership in the Commonwealth and its allegiance to the Crown.

The original Empire Day date in May is still celebrated in Canada as Victoria Day.

Gibraltar

Commonwealth Day is a public holiday in Gibraltar.

Other Commonwealth Countries

In Belize and The Bahamas, schools officially mark Commonwealth Day. They have special programs and assemblies. These often include flag-raising ceremonies. The Queen's Commonwealth Day message is often read aloud at these events. In Belize, Commonwealth Day is still celebrated on May 24th.

Before 1997, Commonwealth Day was a school holiday in Hong Kong.

Commonwealth Day Themes

Each year, Commonwealth Day has a special theme. This helps focus on different aspects of the Commonwealth.

Images for kids

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  King George VI delivering a radio broadcast to the British Empire on Empire Day 1939, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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  Harold Macmillan announced the renaming of Empire Day to Commonwealth Day in 1958.

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  The Commonwealth flag flying on the Foreign Office building in London, on Commonwealth Day 2019

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  Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, speaking at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day 2020

See also

In Spanish: Día de la Mancomunidad para niños