Indian Commonwealth Day - 24 May 2024

Tags: Important Days

Commonwealth Day, formerly known as Empire Day, is annually observed by people across the Commonwealth.

An Overview of the News

• The date of observance varies among Commonwealth nations. Majority of Commonwealth nations observe it on the 2nd Monday of March. However, India and certain other nations observe it on 24th May.

In 2024:

• Indian Commonwealth Day was observed on 24th May 2024.

• Commonwealth Day was observed on 11th March 2024.

Significance and Themes:

• Commonwealth Day honors shared values such as democracy, human rights, and sustainable development.

• The theme for Commonwealth Day 2024 is 'One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth'.

• This theme is also adopted for the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled in Samoa from 21-26 October 2024.

Head of the Commonwealth:

• The British monarch is considered the symbolic head of the Commonwealth of Nations.

• His Majesty King Charles III is the current Head of the Commonwealth.

Historical Background:

• Commonwealth Day was initially celebrated as Empire Day on 24 May 1902, in honor of Queen Victoria following her demise in 1901.

• It was officially recognized as an annual event in 1916.

• The choice of 24 May coincides with the birth anniversary of Queen Victoria on 24 May 1819.

• In 1958, the then-Prime Minister (PM) of the United Kingdom (UK), Harold Macmillan, rebranded Empire Day as British Commonwealth Day, which later in 1966 became known as Commonwealth Day.

Date Changes:

• The date of observance of Commonwealth Day was changed multiple times:

  • Initially on June 10 and later, it was changed to the second Monday of March in 1977.

  • Since then, Commonwealth Day has been celebrated on the 2nd Monday in March every year.