Africa-Press – Lesotho. Last Wednesday saw commemoration of the Commonwealth Day by the British High Commission in Lesotho in collaboration with the National Assembly. Speaking at the event, the British
High Commissioner to Lesotho Her Excellency Anne Macro disclosed that although Commonwealth Day is celebrated on March 14, the early celebration was to share the
event with special guests, the Rt Hon David Mundell, Ruth Cadbury, the Lord German, the Rt Hon Baroness Blackstone and staff from the United Kingdom (UK)
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. “Their visit is part of an ongoing programme of cooperation between the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association of the UK and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lesotho,”
she highlighted. She further revealed that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is one of nearly 90 Commonwealth wide governmental, professional and civil society organizations sharing knowledge
and support on everything from sport, education and governance, to climate change, tax and telecommunications. Moreover, Her Excellency said Commonwealth brings together a third of the world’s population, 2.4 billion
people from 54 different states in an organization of equals. “Although we come from different countries with a huge diversity of culture, ethnicities and
religions, the special strength of the Commonwealth is that amongst this diversity we hold fast to our shared values and aspirations, as set out in the
Commonwealth Charter – of democracy; respect for all states and peoples; promotion and protection of human rights; and support for full social, economic, and political participation by all.
” She further said “Particularly as Lesotho heads towards elections later this year, I think it is worth reminding
ourselves of the importance of these values, and the particular responsibility of elected representatives to work for the interests of the people of the
country, over and above, narrow political groups and affiliations. ” Her Excellency concluded by indicating that one person who particularly exemplifies this concept of service
to the people is of course the Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Last month she became the first British Monarch to celebrate a
Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. For his part, Speaker of the National Assembly Sephiri Motanyane pointed out that in Lesotho, this was the
second opportunity to observe the celebration as last year it could not be held due to Covid-19 restrictions. He congratulated Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for celebrating the Platinum Jubilee.
Motanyane further commended women as they had celebrated International Women’s Day the previous day. He expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom for its unwavering
ongoing support to Lesotho. In her annual message, in this case a message of hope amid global challenges, the Commonwealth Secretary General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland underlined the significance of Commonwealth
solidarity during this time of global uncertainty. She called for all Commonwealth Nations to “stand together” in the face of multiple global crises including the
Covid-19 pandemic which has claimed nearly one million lives in the Commonwealth, climate change and ongoing insecurity. “In an uncertain world with multilateralism
under strain, the Commonwealth shines as a beacon of hope and promise, inspiring confidence in the benefits of international co-operation and collective action.
We celebrate the diversity that enriches us and the similarities that enable us to work together. Our points of unity make the Commonwealth unique in our world.
Drawing from the deep wells of our unique history, they enable us to face the challenges of the 21st century with clarity, unity and purpose,” she said.
Commonwealth Day was commemorated by 54 countries across the world yesterday (March 14th) honouring their shared values and rich diversity as members of Commonwealth.
Every year people in Commonwealth countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and America, the Pacific and Europe observe the day with a range of activities including faith and civic
gatherings, flag rising ceremonies and cultural events. This year’s celebrations were held under the theme “Delivering a common future,” and were historic, marking 70 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and her role as
Head of the Commonwealth. The British High Commission in Lesotho disclosed that Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee events are already underway, including the planting of trees for the Queen’s Green Canopy and competitions
for a Platinum Pudding and a Song for the Commonwealth. But the main celebrations will be in early June and will include the lighting of beacons across the UK and in Commonwealth capital cities.
The Jubilee weekend will be closely followed in by another exciting Commonwealth event, the Commonwealth Games, which this year will be held in Birmingham in the UK.
The Lesotho Commonwealth Games Federation organized an exciting two days of activities for the Queen’s Baton relay as it passed through Lesotho last December on its way around the world in advance of the Games opening ceremony. Lesotho’s athletes and para-athletes are expected to take part in the games in Birmingham in July.
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