Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day message from United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown

I am pleased to be providing this message for Commonwealth Day, an occasion which brings together all members of the Commonwealth to reflect on our shared heritage, promote our shared values and look ahead to the pressing challenges facing us and our fellow member states in the coming year.

This year’s theme of Science, Technology and Society has been chosen to help address those challenges by raising awareness of the essential role science plays in all areas of society and its fundamental importance to development throughout the Commonwealth. It plays a role in everything from sanitation and health to digital communications and climate change. Crucial issues which are currently affecting the two billion citizens of the Commonwealth.

I was delighted to be part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain last year. We took vital decisions which will affect our shared future and proved that the Commonwealth - with the shared values of fairness, human rights and good governance at its core - remains a unique international institution.

I am proud to be Prime Minister of a Commonwealth country and to wish you all a very happy Commonwealth Day.