Commonwealth of nations simple english wikipedia, the. The foreign affairs committee is appoi nted by the house of commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the foreign and commonwealth office and i ts associated agencies. Here is the charter of the commonwealth of nations which sets out its main aims. History years ago the first europeans discovered canada. Current membership richard ottaway conservative, croydo n south chair rt hon bob ainsworth labour, coventry north east. Mozambique is an exception although english is widely spoken there, it is a former portuguese. The term commonwealth of nations was first used in 1884 to describe the changing british empire.
The commonwealth of nations is a collection of countries that used to be in the british empire. Most are former british colonies or dependencies of these colonies no one government in the commonwealth exercises power over the others as is the case in a singapore declaration issued in 1971. It has a few differences from the empire, chief of which being that its members are independent states. In part they stem from the nature of the two institutions. Just as the flag of great britain gives visible expression to the union between england, scotland and northern ireland so do the flags of some of these independent nations. It should help to support democracy, world peace, human rights, racial equality, economic and social development. The simple commonwealth became known as the commonwealth of nations, with its composition changed. Since the london declaration of 1949, which established the modern. The history of the british commonwealth the reason that the british commonwealth altered the name was that the member countries started to include territories under the rule of the british empire, but. At present, the commonwealth is an association of 53 independent states, consulting and cooperating in the common interests of their peoples commonwealth secretariatand in the promotion of international understanding and world peace. Nor are the reasons for the crises so very different. Commonwealth secretarygeneral simple english wikipedia. A brief history of the commonwealth to some, the commonwealth is an outdated remnant of the british empire although it would be impolite to say so at the biannual commonwealth heads of government meeting in edinburgh november 2325.
Thus, in 1931, the british commonwealth of nations was founded under the statute of westminster with five initial members the united kingdom, canada, the irish free state, newfoundland, and the union of south africa. Burma in 1947, and the republic of ireland in 1949. Royal commonwealth society and commonwealth exchange, saved by the bell uk school childrens understanding of the commonwealth. The commonwealth of nations, often called just the commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent nations, all but one of which are former british colonies or related dependencies. Member states of the commonwealth of nations project. The commonwealth of nations is a confederation of countries. Commonwealth nations explained commonwealth of nations russian commonwealth. Commonwealth of nations wikipedia republished wiki 2.
Now, there are 53 member countries of the commonwealth. History of the commonwealth of nations origins of the concept and establishment of the term. At a commonwealth prime ministers meeting in london in 1949, the london declaration said that republics and other countries could be part of the commonwealth. The commonwealth secretarygeneral is the head of the commonwealth secretariat, the central body which has served the commonwealth of nations since its establishment in 1965. The commonwealth of nations is a voluntary association of 53 independent and sovereign states. Current governance of the commonwealth of nations the commonwealth of nations has a twotier hierarchy, with the queen as its symbolic head at the top and the commonwealth secretariat and commonwealth foundation just below it. The commonwealth was created in the early 1900s when nations that were formerly a part of the british empire began to secede.
History of the commonwealth of nations international. The 1949 london declaration, which created the commonwealth in its current form, declared the monarch pdf, then king george vi, the symbol of. The commonwealth of nations, generally known simply as the commonwealth, 3 is a political association of 54 member states, mostly former territories of the british empire. The heritage of the british empire is still alive till now, but in a blink of an eye the empire fell and was replaced at first, by a small organization that grew with time to be. Maldives has rejoined the commonwealth, bringing the total number of nations in the global organisation to 54, it has been announced the change came into. The organization was formerly known as the british commonwealth of nations. The origins of the commonwealth lie in the british empire. All but two of them mozambique 1954 and rwanda 2009 were at some stage, bound together in. The commonwealth and the united nations international. The husk of the old british empire, an accidental byproduct of history. The commonwealth of nations is represented in the united nations general assembly by the secretariat as an observer. There is no set term of office or term limit and the role itself involves no part in the daytoday governance of any of the member states within the. The commonwealth of nations, generally known simply as the commonwealth, is a political association of 54 member states, nearly all former territories of the british empire. About one third of the worlds population lives in the member countries of the commonwealth, or commonwealth of nations.
This pack has been designed to help further your pupils understanding of the commonwealth and its values. The number of spearheads has been reduced from 64 to 34, the globe is slightly altered to make it more dynamic, and the field colour is now pantone 280, rather than 286. The commonwealth secretarygeneral should not be confused with the head of the commonwealth, who is currently elizabeth ii. They are responsible for representing the commonwealth publicly. Ireland permanently left the commonwealth in 1949, newfoundland became part of canada in 1949, and south africa left in 1961 due to apartheid but rejoined in 1994 as. The chief institutions of the organisation are the commonwealth secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the commonwealth foundation, which focuses on nongovernmental relations between member states. From there, the british commonwealth started going by the commonwealth of nations, and you will commonly see it shortened as the commonwealth. It is responsible to member governments collectively. There is a pdf sheet showing the redesigned flag for the commonwealth of nations flag. The current commonwealth of nations was formally constituted by the london declaration in 1949, which modernised the community, and established the. What are the main aims of the commonwealth organization.
It replaced the insular government, a united states territorial government, and was established by the tydingsmcduffie act. Current commonwealth members dark blue, former members orange, and british overseas territories and crown dependencies light blue the use of the english language in most current and former member countries of the commonwealth of nations was inherited from british colonisation. Starting in the 16th century, britain invaded other lands. The commonwealth secretariat is the central body which has served the commonwealth of nations since its establishment in 1965, and responsible for representing the commonwealth. Commonwealth of nations the commonwealth is a free association of former british colonies and dominions. Such common values and goals include the promotion of democracy, human rights, good governance, the rule. The birth of the commonwealth of nations know britain.
The term the commonwealth of nations originated in 1884. King george vi was the first head of the commonwealth, and queen elizabeth ii became head when he died. Queen elizabeth ii, in her address to canada on dominion day in 1959, pointed out that the confederation of canada on 1 july 1867 had been the birth of the first independent country within the british empire. Originally, it was called the british commonwealth which was founded in 1926 when the british empire began to breakup. Commonwealth of nations wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. With their common heritage in language, culture, law, education and democratic traditions, among other things, commonwealth countries are able to work together in an atmosphere of greater trust and understanding than generally prevails among nations. Maldives rejoins commonwealth after evidence of reforms. Commonwealth declaration on investing in young people, affirming our core commonwealth principles of consensus and common action, mutual respect, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, legitimacy, and responsiveness, reaffirming the core values and principles of the commonwealth. Some nations have incorporated the union jack into their own national flag as a vexillogical symbol of their close relations with britain. Commonwealth, also called commonwealth of nations, formerly 193149 british commonwealth of nations, a free association of sovereign states comprising the united kingdom and a number of its former dependencies who have chosen to maintain ties of friendship and practical cooperation and who acknowledge the british monarch as symbolic head of. Its main goal was to ease the process of british decolonization. History of the commonwealth of nations general history. The commonwealth of nations is a worldwide political organization of independent nations with their dependencies, all of which recognize the british monarch as head of the commonwealth. Commonwealth of nations still retains a large degree of british influence and support in the modern day.
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