For other uses, see Commonwealth Day (disambiguation).
Commonwealth Day
Flags of member states of the Commonwealth of Nations flying at Parliament Square in London on Commonwealth Day, 2009
Observed by
Commonwealth of Nations
Celebrations
Varies
Date
Second Monday in March
2023 date
March 13 (2023-03-13)
2024 date
March 11 (2024-03-11)
2025 date
March 10 (2025-03-10)
2026 date
March 9 (2026-03-09)
Frequency
Annual
Related to
Victoria Day/Sovereign's Day[note 1]
Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, held on the second Monday in March. While the date holds some official status in select member states of the Commonwealth, observances of the date are not uniform across the Commonwealth, and the date is not celebrated as a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries.[note 2]
The event traces its origins to Empire Day, an event initially conceived to celebrate the British Empire. It was originally observed on Queen Victoria's birthdate, May 24th, or the last weekday before it. In the latter half of the 20th century, the celebration's focus shifted towards emphasising the modern Commonwealth of Nations, with the event being renamed Commonwealth Day in 1958, and its date moved to the second Monday in March in 1977.
Commonwealth Day is typically marked by a Commonwealth Day message made by the Head of the Commonwealth, as well as additional statements from the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Inter-denominational observances are also held in cities across the Commonwealth, including one led by the Head of the Commonwealth at Westminster Abbey in London and attended by the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Flag-raising ceremonies for the flag of the Commonwealth of Nations are also held in Commonwealth countries. The flags of Commonwealth member states are flown at select locations in the United Kingdom, while the Royal Union Flag is flown at federal installations in Canada.
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
CommonwealthDay is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, held on the second Monday in March. While the date holds some official status...
The Commonwealth of Nations, often simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which...
The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which mostly consists of territories...
Head of the Commonwealth is the ceremonial leader who symbolises "the free association of independent member nations" of the Commonwealth of Nations,...
decree in 1904, made Empire Day throughout the British Empire. In 1958, Empire Day was renamed CommonwealthDay. In 1977, the day was moved to the second...
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states...
The flag of the Commonwealth of Nations is the official flag used by and representing the Commonwealth of Nations. Its current design dates to 2013, a...
choosing to shop for deals on Boxing Day. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in several Commonwealth nations. The attached bank holiday...
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state that has Charles III as its monarch and head of state. All the realms are equal with and independent of the others...
This is a list of the prime ministers of the Commonwealth of Nations in order of appointment. List of prime ministers of Elizabeth II List of prime ministers...
Easter Monday 2 May Monday: Labour Day Holiday 23 May, Monday: CommonwealthDay 10 October, Monday: Pan America Day 2023 2 January, Monday: New Year Holiday...
A Commonwealth citizen is a citizen or qualified national of a Commonwealth of Nations member state. Most member countries do not treat citizens of other...
the Commonwealth of Nations was largely inherited from British colonization, with some exceptions. English serves as the medium of inter-Commonwealth relations...
joining the Commonwealth. ^ B. Not a member of the Commonwealth Foundation. ^ C. Though Pakistan celebrates 14 August 1947 as its independence day, independence...
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating...
A national day is a day on which celebrations mark the statehood or nationhood of a state or its people. It may be the date of independence, of becoming...
signed by Queen Elizabeth II at Marlborough House, London, on the CommonwealthDay on 11 March 2013. A total of sixteen core beliefs are drawn up in the...
Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada, [faɛ̯t dzy kanadɑ]), formerly known as Dominion Day (French: Fête du Dominion), is the national day of Canada. A federal...
The republics in the Commonwealth of Nations are the sovereign states in the organisation with a republican form of government. As of June 2022[update]...
Royal Family, the wedding anniversary of the Monarch, CommonwealthDay, Accession Day, Coronation Day, The King's Official Birthday, Remembrance Sunday and...
four-day Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend from Thursday, 2 June, to Sunday, 5 June. Commemorative stamps and coins were issued by several Commonwealth nations...
royal family, the wedding anniversary of the monarch, CommonwealthDay, Accession Day, Coronation Day, the monarch's official birthday, Remembrance Sunday...
Berlin, ending World War II in Europe. CommonwealthDay United Nations Day Africa Day Mediterranean Day "Europe Day". European Union. 16 June 2016. Archived...
Ontario, such as Simcoe Day in Toronto, John Galt Day in Guelph, and Colonel By Day in Ottawa. Despite its special designations, the day is not a statutory...
The criteria for membership in the Commonwealth of Nations, which apply to current and prospective member states, have been altered by a series of documents...
Week Baron Bliss Day (Belize) Canberra Day (Australia) CommonwealthDay (Commonwealth of Nations) Decoration Day (Liberia) No Smoking Day (United Kingdom)...
Global Information