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Commonwealth Day

What is the Commonwealth of Nations?

The Commonwealth of Nations  is an association of nations and territories that are linked by their historical ties to Great Britain and their allegiance to the British Crown.  It is an international organization in which no one country is superior to any others, not even Great Britain, and the nations come together with a common goal of cooperation.  The organization is headed by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the current Secretary General is Mr. Kamalesh Sharma of India.

What is Commonwealth Day?

Although not a public holiday, Commonwealth Day is a celebration held annually to honour the Commonwealth of Nations.  The holiday was started in Canada as the Empire Day and wasn't changed to Commonwealth Day until 1958.

Where is Commonwealth Day Celebrated?

There are 53 states in the Commonwealth of Nations, but the holiday is only celebrated in the UK, Canada, and Australia.  The other nations of the Commonwealth of Nations do have similar holidays, but under different names.

When is Commonwealth Day?

There is no one sanctioned Commonwealth Day; each country has its own designated day.  In the UK, it is celebrated on the second Monday in March.

The Commonwealth Games

Like the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games  are held every four years and are attended by the athletes of the member nations.  The Games first began in 1930 under a different name, and Australia currently leads in the number of accumulated medals.  The next Commonwealth Games will be held in India in 2010. 

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