London’s 2020 Commonwealth Day Event

Each year on Commonwealth Day, a ceremony is held in London’s Westminster Abbey to celebrate Commonwealth values, traditions and cultures under one roof.  Representatives from all global Commonwealth nations attend the prestigious event in honor of their membership to the Commonwealth and their relationships with other Commonwealth nations.  This year, RCS Wales’ director of Youth Engagement, Debbie Field, attended the ceremony with her daughter, Lucy.

Debbie’s experience, she notes, was at once moving and awe-inspiring as international citizens of the Commonwealth were able to gather together under a common interest and honor the community of which they are a part.  A multi-denominational interfaith service, the ceremony highlighted the many faiths and traditions practiced across the Commonwealth’s community of nations.  The ceremony began with youth representatives from all over the Commonwealth parading their national flags down the Abbey’s centre aisle.  Clad in national dress, each nation’s youth representatives gave attendees the opportunity to truly appreciate the wealth of culture and tradition present in the Commonwealth across the globe.  Drummers, trumpeters and gospel choirs filled the Abbey with music and the sounds of the Commonwealth throughout the event.

Debbie says that it was an honour to represent Wales in the Commonwealth, and the chance to meet people from all over the world was one of the highlights of her experience.  Her standout take away from the day, she said, was the feeling that the Commonwealth represents such a huge part of the world, transcends conflict and celebrates as one single voice.

Subsequent to the 2020 Commonwealth Day event, the Abergavenny Chronicle published an article delineating Debbie and Lucy’s experience at the ceremony.  To read, visit https://www.abergavennychronicle.com/article.cfm?id=117442&headline=A%20right%20royal%20affair!&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2020.

By Hannah E.