March 2005

"Education -- Creating Opportunity, Realizing Potential" is this year's theme for Commonwealth Day, being celebrated on Monday, March 14th in 53 Commonwealth countries around the world. This is an ideal time for Canadians, as members of the Commonwealth, to reflect on this year's theme, and the Commonwealth's commitment to education for development.

Commonwealth nations work together to enhance the lives of 1.8 billion people, or about 30% of the world's population.

Two free-admission public events to celebrate Commonwealth Day will be held in Vancouver:

A festivity of music, words and food from around the world will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, Georgia and Burrard, on Sunday, March 13, 2005, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. (already Commonwealth Day in many parts of the world!). This family event will include musical entertainment -- didgeridoo, jazz chamber choir, piper -- a parade of flags, a multifaith observance and a reception.

A Commonwealth Day Gala Reception will be held at the UBC Museum of Anthropology, 6393 N.W. Marine Drive on Monday, March 14, 2005 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Her Honour, The Honourable Iona Campagnolo, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, will read the Queen's Commonwealth Day Message and the keynote speaker will be Sir John Daniel, President and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning. Performances by musicians and dancers from Commonwealth countries will be followed by a reception. (Business attire or national dress)

The events are sponsored by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Commonwealth of Learning and the UBC Museum of Anthropology. "Education", this year's theme, is a central to the work of all three organizations.

The Vancouver Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society is one of ten in Canada and seeks to promote the increase of knowledge regarding the peoples and countries of the Commonwealth through educational programs in schools and elsewhere. The Society also promotes the ideals and principles agreed by the association of free, sovereign and independent nations which together constitute the modern Commonwealth.

Internationally headquartered in Vancouver, the Commonwealth of Learning is the only official Commonwealth agency located outside Britain and the world's only intergovernmental organization solely concerned with the promotion and development of distance education and open learning.

The mission of UBC's Museum of Anthropology is to investigate, preserve, and present objects and expressions of human creativity in order to promote understanding of and respect for world cultures.