The Cayman Islands joined with countries around the world on Monday to commemorate Commonwealth Day, with a flag-raising ceremony at the Government Administration Building.
Commonwealth Day, which is being observed under the theme, ‘One Resilient Future: Transforming our Common Wealth’, forms part of a week-long series of global events to mark the day, according to a government press release.
“This year’s theme is significant as it encourages the 56 Commonwealth member countries to harness their strengths and combine efforts to create a resilient future,” the release said.
Among those attending Monday’s ceremony were Governor Jane Owen, Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Cabinet ministers, and members of Parliament, the uniformed services and the civil and public service.
Celebrations were also held in London on Monday at the Palace of Westminster.
Speaker of the House of Parliament Sir Alden McLaughlin represented the Cayman Islands at those celebrations.
King Charles III, in his Commonwealth Day message, said 75th anniversary of The Commonwealth “is a moment to reflect on the remarkable journey” that the unique family of free and independent nations has made since 1949.
“The Commonwealth family is strongest when we are connected, through friendship,” the King said, adding that “together and individually, we are strengthened by sharing perspectives and experiences, and by offering and borrowing the myriad ways we have each tackled the challenges of our time. This is true both at the level of nations and, indeed, at the local level”.
The Commonwealth’s growth with new members continuing to join, he said, demonstrates clearly that “whilst we may not all have a shared history, we have common ambitions for a better future – working together to build resilience and respond to global challenges”.
“Wherever we live, we are united by the many challenges we face – whether it be climate change, the loss of Nature, or the social and economic changes that new technologies are bringing. Our diversity means that these challenges affect us all differently and that we experience their impacts in different ways. Their seriousness, however, is common to each one of us,” he said.
Lemuel Hurlston, president of the Cayman Islands Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society Commonwealth Society, delivered a message from Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland during Monday’s ceremony.
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