Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth is a

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development. The Commonwealth is home to two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities and includes some of the world's largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries. Over half of its citizens are 25 or under. Member countries come from six regions: Africa (19); Asia (8); the Americas (3); the Caribbean (10); Europe (3); and the South Pacific (11). Most recent members are: Rwanda - admitted at the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting; Cameroon; and Mozambique - the first country with no historical or administrative association to the Commonwealth to join.

History Though the modern Commonwealth is just 60 years old, the idea took root in the 19 th century. In 1867, Canada became the first colony to be transformed into a self-governing 'Dominion', a newly constituted status that implied equality with Britain. The empire was gradually changing and Lord Rosebury, a British politician, described it in Australia in 1884 as a "Commonwealth of Nations". Other parts of the empire became Dominions too: Australia (1901), New Zealand (1907), South Africa (1910) and the Irish Free State (1922). All except the Irish Free State (that did not exist at the time) participated as separate entities in the First World War and were separate The prime ministers of five members of the signatories to the Treaty of Versailles in Commonwealth at the 1944 1919. Subsequently, they became members of the League of Nations.

After the end of the First World War, the Dominions began seeking a new constitutional definition and reshaping their relationship with Britain. At the Imperial Conference in 1926, the prime ministers of the participating countries adopted the Balfour Report which defined the Dominions as autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. This definition was incorporated into British law in 1931 as the Statute of Westminster. It was adopted immediately in Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland (which joined Canada in 1949) and South Africa. Australia and New Zealand followed. India, Britain's largest colony at the time, became a Dominion at independence in 1947 and remained so until January 1950, when the Indian Republic was born.

Commonwealth Symbol The Commonwealth symbol was originally designed by the Gemini News Service, London in 1972 and approved by the first Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr Arnold Smith C. H. In 1989 a second logo was introduced to appear on official Commonwealth Secretariat publications, and in 1999 a special commemorative logo was produced to mark the 50 th Anniversary of the modern Commonwealth. In 2000 Secretary-General Rt. Hon Don Mc. Kinnon, approved a new design that is now in use in place of the original designs. This design incorporates the image of the globe used in the original logo and the spears that make up the letter "C" from the 1989 design. The radiating spears do not represent the number of countries in the Commonwealth but symbolise the many facets of Commonwealth cooperation around the world. The symbol is used on all official documentation and, sometimes in association with other specially developed logos, for the documents and logos of all Commonwealth Meetings. There is no fixed size or colour for the symbol but because of its frequent appearance on Commonwealth documentation, the black on white and gold on blue versions are commonly used.

Commonwealth Flag The Commonwealth Flag consists of the Commonwealth symbol in gold on a blue background centred on a rectangle. The flag developed from the car pennants produced for the first time at the Ottawa Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1973. It is flown at Marlborough House, London, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, throughout the year and for a limited period at other venues where Commonwealth Meetings are held or when other Commonwealth events / visits are taking place for example Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.

Structure Head of the Commonwealth Under that formula of the London Declaration, Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Commonwealth, a title that is currently individually shared with that of Commonwealth realms. However, when the monarch dies the successor to the crown does not automatically become Head of the Commonwealth. The position is symbolic, representing the free association of independent members. Sixteen members of the Commonwealth, known as Commonwealth realms, recognise the Queen as their head of state. [citation needed] The majority of members (33) are republics, and five have monarchs of different royal houses.

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting The main decisionmaking forum of the organisation is the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), where Commonwealth Heads of Government, including (amongst others) Prime Ministers and Presidents, assemble for several days to discuss matters of mutual interest. There also regular meetings of finance ministers, law ministers, health ministers, etc. After the most recent CHOGM, in Perth in October 2011, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard became Chairperson-in-Office. Commonwealth Secretariat The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965, is the main intergovernmental agency of the Commonwealth, facilitating consultation and cooperation among member governments and countries. It is responsible to member governments collectively. The Commonwealth of Nations is represented in the United Nations General Assembly by the Secretariat, as an observer. The Secretariat organises Commonwealth summits, meetings of ministers, consultative meetings and technical discussions, It also provides technical assistance to help governments in the social and economic development of their countries and in support of the Marlborough House, London, is the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat

Flags of the members of the Commonwealth in Horse Guards Road, next to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London. The Commonwealth flag flies at the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa.