Every year, on the second Monday in March, people all around the Commonwealth get together to celebrate the special partnership of nations, peoples and ideals which makes the Commonwealth unique.
On Commonwealth Day, the Head of the Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth II, delivers her Commonwealth Day message and leads a multi-faith observance at Westminster Abbey in London. This is attended by representatives of Commonwealth countries and children offer the flags of member nations for blessing. Flags also fly in Parliament Square and at Marlborough House in London, where the Commonwealth Secretariat is housed.
Once again this year, pupils from King Edward and Queen Mary Junior School, Lytham, were invited to attend this prestigious event.
The multi-faith observance held at Westminster Abbey is replicated in the cathedrals, temples, mosques and churches of other member countries. As with the London ceremony, these include readings from the sacred texts of the Commonwealth's major religions of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and others.
The Commonwealth Day message is addressed to the people of the Commonwealth, not to governments, and each year The Queen takes as her theme an issue of importance to the Commonwealth on which she thinks the people can have an impact. This year it is Science, Technology and Society.
The pupils had an early start, catching the train to London and fitting in a bit of sight-seeing before taking their places in the Abbey. It was a cold day as the pictures of the frozen fountains in Trafalgar Square show,and after watching the Changing of the Guard the pupils were pleased to take their seats in the warmth of the Abbey before the service started. After some very illuminating speeches the pupils left the Abbey and made their long way home. They will, no doubt, have some good memories of the day they saw the Queen.
