Council Marks Commonwealth Day 2019

March 11, 2019

The Commonwealth Flag flew over Lisburn this week as Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council officially celebrated Commonwealth Day on Monday 11th March 2019.

2019 marks 42 years since Commonwealth Day became a global celebration, which is marked annually by the 52 members of the Commonwealth.

The theme of this Commonwealth Day Celebration is ‘A Connected Commonwealth’, which offers opportunities for the people, governments and institutions of this richly diverse family of nations to connect and work together at many levels through far-reaching and deep-rooted networks of friendship and goodwill.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP read the Commonwealth Day Message from Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Nations, The Right Honourable Patricia Scotland QC, which, said: “Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth provides a splendid opportunity every year for people from all walks of life to join with others in their local community to celebrate Commonwealth Day in association with fellow citizens throughout our worldwide family.

“Our theme this year has particular significance as we mark the 70th anniversary of the 1949 London Declaration, which brought into being the Commonwealth we know today – a family of nations ‘freely co-operating in the pursuit of peace, liberty and progress.

“It is an occasion to acknowledge publicly and collectively the continuing aspiration of the Commonwealth to build on common traditions and uphold our shared values of democracy, inclusive development and respect for diversity.”

Raising the flag, the Mayor, Councillor Uel Mackin, said:  “Joining together as members of one worldwide Commonwealth community, and valuing the personal dignity and worth of every citizen, we raise this flag as a symbol of the ties of kinship and affinity that we cherish.”