21 July 2011

Over 100 government representatives from over 30 Commonwealth countries attended a private dinner at the Royal Commonwealth Society on Friday 21 July 2011 in advance the centennial Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.

Claire Whitaker, Deputy Chairman of the Royal Commonwealth Society welcomed the distinguished guests, noting that the long distances delegates had travelled "serves to remind us all just how wonderfully diverse our Commonwealth family has become and just how far democracy has spread across this association of nations."

Guest of honour, UK Lord Speaker Baroness Hayman, emphasised the importance of the event and its 'Women as Agents of Change' theme, saying, "we all have this opportunity to do enormously important things for women... not just for women, but for families, communities, societies and for the world.'

Baroness Hayman, who is also President of CPA UK, spoke on the Commonwealth's 2011 theme, recognising that Commonwealth governments must do more to affect positive change in the lives of women and girls by recognising that issues affecting them 'are not just feminist issues… we are talking about development, economic prospects, public health and human rights. These are issues about everybody.'

11 July 2011

The Vice President of South Sudan, Riek Machar is leading a bid for the newly formed African nation to become the 55th member of the Commonwealth. Speaking to a conference of the Royal Commonwealth Society in Kuala Lumpur, he set out his country's "great enthusiasm for securing the recognition of the Commonwealth and membership of the association".

Following the referendum early this year which saw the people of South Sudan vote overwhelmingly to secede, Vice President Riek Machar travelled with a delegation of Ministers to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. There, he addressed an international audience of delegates gathered for the Royal Commonwealth Society's 2011 International Meeting.

Urging Commonwealth governments to recognise South Sudan as a sovereign nation, he expressed his country's determination to demonstrate the commitment to democratic ideals, rule of law and human rights required of all prospective Commonwealth member states.

Vice President of South Sudan, Riek Machar said:

"The Commonwealth is a forum for countries that respect democratic values. We are in transition…Our government is young; its institutions are weak and our economy is underdeveloped…Yet the expectations of our people are so high…Membership of the Commonwealth would assist us greatly in meeting all our goals and I hope that one day soon we will be welcomed into this family of nations."

Associate Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society and co-founder of Skills for Southern Sudan, Patrick Wintour said:

"The international community can contribute to the successful development of its newest member, and the Commonwealth is uniquely well-placed to assist South Sudan as it embarks upon this journey. I urge the Commonwealth to work with the people of South Sudan as they seek to build a nation that has been damaged by conflict. The Commonwealth must seize this opportunity to demonstrate its continued relevance by helping to facilitate stable, democratic governance in Africa's newest nation and to call for an immediate halt to the violence on its northern border."

See below for pictures of South Sudan Independence day on the 9th July ©UN Photo/Paul Banks

The Royal Commonwealth Society's Jubilee Time Capsule competition is well underway, but we still have thousands of entries to go to reach that magic number, 21,915 – the number of days since The Queen became head of the Commonwealth.

But the JTC isn't the only project seeking to compile personal histories from across the globe.

The Migration Museum Project is an exciting venture with aims to establish a new national Migration Museum in the UK.

In conjunction with the Guardian newspaper, it is running a "100 Images of Migration" competition. Participants are invited to upload images resonant of migration with a short explanation of what the image means to them. Images can feature something very personal like an object brought to the UK or something in the public domain like a bank note printed on Huguenot Portal family paper.Photographs, paintings, collages, or any other kinds of image are welcome. A selection of winning entries will feature in Guardian Weekend magazine.

The competition runs until 15th July 2011 and images can be uploaded via the Guardian article or via the Migration Museum Project website.

If you'd like to submit your stories, artwork or photographs to the Jubilee Time Capsule, please visit www.jubileetimecapsule.org

The Royal Commonwealth Society is delighted to announce the appointment of Patrick Wintour as Associate Director during Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah's secondment to the Commonwealth Foundation.

Patrick has a long association with both the RCS and the Commonwealth. He was a member of the RCS Council between 1998 and 2010 and chaired the RCS's Public Affairs Committee.

Since 2009 Patrick has been working with the Commonwealth Foundation on its Zimbabwe programme, an initiative designed to strengthen links with civil society and to help create the conditions that would enable Zimbabwe to return to the Commonwealth.

Patrick has worked previously with the Prince's Trust where he was responsible for international engagement. In this capacity, he worked with Commonwealth partners, including the RCS, to organise the People's Centre at the 1997 Edinburgh Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Following South Africa's return to the Commonwealth in 1994, Patrick helped to establish the Nations Trust in South Africa to support young people setting up in business. This keen interest in developing skills for post-conflict reconstruction is also reflected in his role as a founding trustee and Chairman of Skills for Southern Sudan and his work for the Southern African Advanced Education project.

In 2001, Patrick set up the Employability Forum to promote employment of refugees in the UK and developed the government's first strategy on refugee employment. He was also a member of the board advising government on the implementation of the new policy on citizenship, including English Language and knowledge of life in the UK. In 2004, he was awarded an OBE for services to refugee integration.

Patrick also had experience in senior management roles with The Industrial Society, Christie Tyler and Bowater.

Peter Kellner, Chairman of the RCS, said, "Patrick Wintour brings a wealth of experience to this role and I am delighted to be able to welcome him to this new position at the RCS. I very much look forward to working with him over the coming months and I am certain that he will make a hugely valuable contribution to the RCS."

Patrick Wintour, said, "I am delighted to be returning to the RCS as Associate Director. As the oldest and largest Commonwealth civil society organisation, during its long and proud history, the RCS has played a crucial role in promoting the Commonwealth and its founding values and principles. Today, it works to promote international understanding, particularly amongst young people and its diverse portfolio of activities touches the lives of thousands around the Commonwealth every year. I am looking forward to working with colleagues to strengthen this work programme and the RCS's already impressive reputation."

For further information, please contact Joanna Bennett, Head of External Affairs at the Royal Commonwealth Society on 020 7766 9230 / joanna.bennett@thercs.org 

Monday 14 March, Commonwealth Day, was marked with the annual multi-faith Commonwealth Day Observance at Westminster Abbey. This year's celebration saw Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh joined by a host of prominent Commonwealth personalities including the activist and singer Annie Lennox, the economist Dambisa Moyo and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Both The Queen and Annie Lennox focused their speeches on the Commonwealth theme of 'Women as Agents of Change'. Her Majesty encouraged the citizens of the Commonwealth to give thought to the practical ways in which they can provide support to girls and women. Annie Lennox focused on the importance of equipping and empowering women in turning the tide in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

The Observance was attended by 2000 guests, including over 1000 schoolchildren.

© Picture Partnerships:www.picturepartnership.co.uk

Commonwealth week was launched in style on Sunday 13 March, when High Commissioners from over 40 Commonwealth countries were joined by dignitaries and officials from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the High Commissioners' Banquet. Held at the Commonwealth Club, the Banquet was a glittering black-tie occasion featuring Commonwealth-influenced fine food and wine.

The Guest of Honour was the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago and Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office Ms. Kamla Persad-Bissessar MP, who gave an inspiring speech addressing the theme 'Women as Agents of Change'. Speeches were also made by Baroness Prashar, President of the Royal Commonwealth Society, and Lord Howell, Minister of State responsible for the Commonwealth at the FCO. The evening was sponsored by Jaguar and the British Institute of Technology and E-Commerce.

The RCS is delighted to announce the launch of the Jubilee Time Capsule, which officially opened to entries on Commonwealth Day, 14 March. The JTC is an innovative, ambitious project to build a 'people's history' of the past 60 years. People around the Commonwealth are asked to contribute written work, photographs or films depicting what happened in their family, community or country on any given day within the past sixty years. The best 21,915 entries- one per day- will be sealed into the Jubilee Time Capsule, to be presented to Her Majesty in her Diamond Jubilee year, 2012.

To find out more, visit the JTC website.

A new report published today by the RCS and Plan UK to mark the Commonwealth's 2011 theme, 'Women as Agents of Change', reveals that New Zealand is the best place in the Commonwealth to be born a girl, whilst Sierra Leone and Nigeria are among the worst.

'Because You're a Girl: Growing Up in the Commonwealth' compares how well girls/women are doing relative to boys/men in their country across eight indicators. The report suggests that it is political will - and not economic wealth - which is most important in advancing gender equality. Some of the poorest countries in the Commonwealth do relatively well against the eight indicators used in the report, while some rich countries remain a long way off gender equality.

To download the report and see our headline findings, click here.

17 March 2011 saw the 14th Annual Commonwealth Lecture, organised by the Commonwealth Foundation with support from partner organisations including the Royal Commonwealth Society. The lecture was delivered by Mrs Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress and Chair of the United Progressive Alliance of India.

Mrs Gandhi set out in her lecture five areas in which women have emerged as 'agents of change' in India. These include self-help groups pooling savings and securing loans for local projects; new, elected roles for women in rural self-government; social activism through the establishment of the language of human rights for women; the establishment of local enterprise collectives; and the setting up of village information centres and IT kiosks.

Mrs Gandhi concluded that she hopes the twenty-first century will be when women achieve equality: "May this be, not the century of any particular country, but the century when women finally come into their own, the century when representative democracy is re-imagined to give women their due share, the century when the vocabulary of politics and culture is re-engineered fully to include that other half of mankind.".

To read the full speech, click here.

Prime Minister David Cameron salutes the Commonwealth on Commonwealth Day

UK Prime Minister David Cameron issued the following statement on 14 March, Commonwealth Day:

"Today's Commonwealth, with its fifty four member countries stretching across continents and faiths, embracing small and large states, and developed and developing nations, provides us with a unique international network of the utmost relevance to the global demands of the 21st Century.

Every Commonwealth country has, by the very act of membership, signed up to a key set of principles; including the promotion of human rights, good governance, the rule of law and the pursuit of sustainable development. These are the goals which mark out the Commonwealth as a strong framework and platform for the promotion of the ideals which help bind our fast-changing world together.

This year's theme, women as agents of change, is particularly important. The Commonwealth's success is inextricably linked with empowered women and none of its goals can be achieved without enabling women and girls to reach their full potential.

We should be increasingly determined to deliver The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality ahead of its due date of 2015. By making sure that women and girls have equal access to life-changing opportunities, particularly education and employment, as well as safeguarding their fundamental rights and protection, including access to health care, we can go a long way towards creating a fairer and more prosperous world.

Through the hard work of the Eminent Persons' Group, we will have the opportunity to reinvigorate the Commonwealth and ensure it is an international organisation capable of meeting the hopes and aspirations of its two billion citizens. A reinvigorated Commonwealth can help enhance both the prosperity and the security of all 54 of its members as well as protecting their democratic values to which we all subscribe.

So it gives me great pleasure to salute the success of this remarkable organisation and to recognise the past achievements and future potential of Commonwealth women and girls on this Commonwealth Day 2011".

The Prime Minister of Canada marks Commonwealth Day

Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the following statement on 14 March to mark Commonwealth Day:

"Today, Canada celebrates a long and rewarding history with our Commonwealth partners around the world. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada – the head of the Organization – remains a symbol of the free association of independent countries. Together, we share mutual goals in the areas of democracy, development, conflict prevention and commerce, as well as a strong record of collaborating to find solutions to global challenges.

"More than 60 years after the rise of the modern Commonwealth, the relationship among its members remains strong. Canada is contributing in various ways – sending observers to partner countries to help monitor democratic elections; sponsoring training to support conflict management, and media access and transparency in hostile environments; and providing leadership at Commonwealth summits aimed at developing a mutual understanding of international issues.

"Our historic links and close Commonwealth ties will again be evident during the upcoming tour of His Royal Highness Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton in July, and during celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, in 2012. These tours and celebrations highlight the important legacy of the Commonwealth to Canada and Canadians – providing inspiration to continue a strong role in this valued relationship."

Lord Howell describes the Commonwealth as a "quite extraordinary association of like-minded states"

Speaking in London on 9 March 2011, Rt Hon Lord Howell of Guildford, Minister of State at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, stated the importance of building a Commonwealth for the future. Delivering the inaugural Peter Lyon Memorial Lecture, Lord Howell described the Commonwealth as 'a key multilateral organisation' that constitutes an important part of Her Majesty's Government's foreign policy.

To read the full text of Lord Howell's speech, visit the FCO website.

British Foreign & Commonwealth Secretary calls for Commonwealth to be "reinvigorated"

Speaking in Sydney, Australia on 19th January 2011, William Hague hailed the Commonwealth's unique character and "often unsung" achievements. But he also commented that the Commonwealth faces a "real choice": "Will it make the leap necessary to live up to its ideals fully, make a greater contribution to its citizens and have a bigger impact on world affairs, or will it continue to tread softly?"

The Foreign Secretary also quoted recent research published by the RCS on the economic and trade benefits of Commonwealth membership. To see this research, click here .

To read the full text of Hague's speech, please click here or visit the FCO website.

Commonwealth Gala Awards Dinner provides a magnificent end to the Young Commonwealth Competitions 2010

Last Thursday evening (14 October) saw the glittering finale to the Royal Commonwealth Society's Young Commonwealth Competitions 2010, as outstanding young creative talents from across the Commonwealth were feted at the Commonwealth Gala Awards Dinner at the Commonwealth Club.12 young artists travelled to London to collect their prizes in film, photography and writing. They participated in a week of educational workshops and visits, which culminated with Thursday's Gala.

The Guest of Honour at the Gala was the Prime Minister of Trinidad &Tobago, Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who made a keynote address congratulating the talented award-winners and commenting that it is vital that Commonwealth countries invest in their young people. While at the Commonwealth Club, the Prime Minister admired an exhibition of Trinidadian art by Carlisle Harris, Glenn Roopchand and Kenwyn Crichlow. The other guests of honour at the Gala were the Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, and the acclaimed film director Gurinder Chadha OBE, both of whom also made inspiring addresses to the assembled audience.

'Irrelevant? A modern makeover is all we need'

An opinion piece from RCS Director, Danny Sriskandarajah, outlining a way forward for the Commonwealth has been printed in The Times on the opening day of India's beleagured Commonwealth Games. In the article, Danny argues that the Commonwealth must make more of its unique networks and informal people-to-people links. You can see a copy of the piece here.

Commonwealth members enjoy up to 50% trade advantage

New research published today by the RCS shows that a Commonwealth country's trade with another member is likely to be a third to a half more than with a non-member, even after taking into account other possible contributory factors such as proximity, level of development and language.

The research also reveals that, over the last two decades, the importance ofCommonwealth members to each other as sources of imports and destinations for exports has grown by around a quarter and third respectively.

Click here to read our Press Release and click here to download our Working Paper.

'Youth are the leaders of today, not just tomorrow': Nkabom 2010 draws to a close

The 2010 Nkabom Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme,a flagship project of the RCS, ended last week. Thirty-eight young people congregated in Kigali, Rwanda from 5-15 September for an interactive 10-day programme focusing on international understanding, peace building and conflict resolution skills. The programme began with an examination of Rwanda as a post-conflict case study: participants visited genocide memorial sites, heard from civil society actors, and explored community projects aimed at reintegrating genocide survivors and victims. Interactive sessions were held to deconstruct conflict and expose its causes; the group then moved beyond conflict to its resolution, exploring paths to peace and the role youth can play in this process.The programme ended with a consultation with His Excellency President Paul Kagame, who urged participants to learn from Rwanda and emphasised the potential of youth to be agents of peace.

See a selection of the press coverage Nkabom received here:

• The New Times, Rwanda: Kagame hosts Commonwealth Youth
• The Times of Malta: Maltese Peace Pioneer in International Project
• Indian Express: On The Go
• The Tribune, Bahamas: Bahamian Woman Selected to be a Peace Pioneer

Sri Lankan academic and M.P. Professor Rajiva Wijesinha discusses Sri Lanka's post-conflict future

On 17 September 2010,Professor Rajiva Wijesinha gave a keynote address at the RCS, discussing the situation in Sri Lanka more than a year after the end of the island's long-running civil conflict.To read a transcript click here: www.thercs.org/society/eventreports

Damian Green launches government's new immigration policy at RCS

On 6 September 2010, Immigration Minister Damian Green outlined the coalition government's new immigration policy in a keynote address at the RCS. 'The Real Immigration Question', the Minister said, is not how many, or where are they from. "It is how can Britain benefit most from immigration? What controls do we need to maximise those benefits and minimise the strains?" To read Damian Green's speech in full, click here.

U.K. and Sri Lanka triumph in Young Commonwealth Essay Competition

The RCS is very pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 Young Commonwealth Essay Competition, the world's oldest and largest youth writing competition. In 2010, for the first time in more than 25 years, the top prize was awarded to a UK-based entrant, Lars Gladhaug, whilst 12 year old Sri Lankan-based student, Samm Pecht, triumphed in the Junior category. Click here to read all of the shortlisted essays: www.thercs.org/youth/374

India and Trinidad & Tobago triumph in Young Commonwealth Photographic Awards

The RCS is delighted to announce the winners of the 2010 Young Commonwealth Photographic Awards. With more than 200 entries from 36 countries around the world, competition was fierce. In the 18-30 age category, India's Madhabi Das Bhattacharyya scooped gold and, in the under 18 age category, 16 year old Kimberly Sue of Trinidad and Tobago was rewarded with the top prize. Download our press release:here and click here to see the winning images: www.thercs.org/youth/thisyearsphotoawards

The Commonwealth: a historical anachronism?

In an explosive speech at the RCS, one of Australia's most prominent and controversial judges questioned the relevance of the modern Commonwealth. Michael Kirby called for a bold reappraisal of the Commonwealth's future as the association stands at a critical crossroads. To download a copy of Michael Kirby's speech, click... here

Three High Commissioners elected to the Council of the RCS

At its Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 24 June 2010, the Royal Commonwealth Society confirmed the election of the High Commissioners of Australia, Grenada and Mauritius to its governing Council. Read more... Press Release

Commonwealth team to observe UK General Election

The RCS and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch brought 11 Observers from Commonwealth countries such as Bangladesh, Jamaica and Malaysia, to the UK to observe the General Election. This was the first time a Commonwealth team has observed elections in a developed country. Click here to find out more....

1 million Commonwealth nationals could swing UK election

New figures published by The Royal Commonwealth Society suggest that over 1 million Commonwealth citizens living in the UK could vote in this week's General Election. Potentially representing more than 2 per cent of a UK electorate of 45 million people and sometimes clustered in key marginal seats, these Commonwealth nationals could swing the election. Read more...Press Release

ELECTION HUB IN THE CLUB

Election fever at the RCS! Until May 6, the boardroom in the Commonwealth Club will be our official 'election hub'. You'll find daily newspapers, 24 hour Sky News and election materials exclusively provided by Peter Kellner, President of You Gov and RCS Chairman.

PRESIDENT KAGAME OF RWANDA SPEAKS AT THE RCS

On Tuesday 9th March, Paul Kagame, President of the Commonwealth's newest member, Rwanda, gave a speech at the RCS. The President highlighted the important role played by youth in his country and expressed his delight that the RCS would be holding its biennial Nkabom Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme in Rwanda in September 2010.

• Read President Kagame's speech to the RCS here

• All Africa.com: Kagame address Royal Commonwealth Society

FINAL REPORT OF COMMONWEALTH CONVERSATION RELEASED

The Commonwealth Conversation, a global public consultation on the future of the Commonwealth, has been running since July 2009. On Monday 8th March 2010, to coincide with Commonwealth Day celebrations around the world, we released our final report, 'An Uncommon Association, A Wealth of Potential'.

• Read our Press Release here

• Download our Summary Recommendations here

• Download our full Final Report here

See a selection of the press coverage we received here:

• Daily Telegraph, UK: Prince Charles could lose out on Commonwealth leadership

• The Ottawa Citizen, Canada: Commonwealth in need of overhaul, report says

• The Daily Times, India: Commonwealth seeks more support to stay relevant

The Commonwealth Conversation website: www.thecommonwealthconversation.org will remain live for the foreseeable future as a record of some the consultations that took place.

Commonwealth Day Celebrated

To mark Commonwealth Day, the RCS organised an Observance at Westminster Abbey in London. Britain's largest inter-faith gathering, the event was attended by HM The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, joined this year by HRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The Abbey was full to capacity with over 1,000 schoolchildren. The theme of the Observance was 'Science, Technology and Society'.

• Read our Press Release here.

• Read HM The Queen's 2010 Commonwealth Day Message here.

• Hello Magazine: Brightly dressed Queen lights up Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day

• Sydney Morning Herald: Internet beyond reach of many: Queen

First Commonwealth Youth Summit held in Guernsey

For the first time in the island's history, young people were allowed to engage in political debate in the Royal Court. They put their views to local politicians and presented their final communique to the Bailiff. Find a selection of press coverage from the event on our Youth website.

Leaders heed Commonwealth Conversation findings

In their closing statement from the Port of Spain Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Commonwealth leaders recognised the work carried out by the Royal Commonwealth Society in the Commonwealth Conversation and called for the creation of an Eminent Persons' Group to look at options for reform.

Click here to read our press release

Trinidad & Tobago Commonwealth Essay Competition: winners announced

To coincide with the CHOGM, the RCS ran an Essay Competition for young people from Trinidad & Tobago. They were asked to write a letter to a visiting Commonwealth leader explaining what Trinidad & Tobago can teach the world. Over 200 essays were received and a special prize-giving ceremony and workshop took place in Port of Spain on 26th November.

Click here to find out more about the competition, its winners and what went on in Port of Spain: www.thercs.org/youth/283

Peter Kellner appointed as new Chairman of the RCS

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Peter Kellner as the new Chairman of the RCS. Peter is the President of YouGov, a research, opinion polling and consulting organisation. Formerly the political analyst of BBC Newsnight, over the last 30 years Peter has also been a journalist with the Sunday Times, the Independent, New Statesman and Evening Standard.

To find our more, click here to download our Press Release

RCS New Commonwealth Voices - calling all young Commonwealth Singers in London!

Do you like singing? Are you aged between 18 and 35? Are you from a Commonwealth country or do you have family roots in a Commonwealth country? Would you like to be part of a choir that sings music from around the Commonwealth in a range of languages and styles?

If so, you should join New Commonwealth Voices, a fresh and exciting choir managed by the RCS. Our aim is to gather a choir of up to 100 singers with at least one singer from each of the Commonwealth's 53 member countries!
To find our more, click HERE.

Trinidad & Tobago Commonwealth Essay Competition launched

This special competition, jointly run by the National Secretariat for CHOGM 2009 and the RCS, will give Trinidad and Tobago's young people the chance to tell leaders visiting for CHOGM what they think their country can teach the world. Click here to download our press release: Press Release
You can find out more about the competiton and how to enter, by clicking here.

Two former leaders, Kaunda and Fraser, call for Commonwealth to re-engage with Zimbabwe on 30th anniversary of Lusaka CHOGM

Dr Kenneth Kaunda, former President of Zambia and Rt.Hon.Malcolm Fraser, former Prime Minster of Australia, said it was time that the Commonwealth engaged proactively with the new Zimbabwean government and welcomed her back into the Commonwealth family.

In interviews conducted by the RCS, Fraser and Kaunda said that the Commonwealth can achieve great things if only leaders would make better use of it and take it seriously as a forum to enact change.

Click here to read our press release
Click here to see the interview transcripts

Commonwealth Conversation: Opinion Polls

To launch the Commonwealth Conversation, the RCS commissioned opinion polls across seven Commonwealth countries (Australia, Canada, Great Britain, India, Jamaica, Malaysia and South Africa). The press release and results were released on Monday 20 July 2009.

Click here to read our press release
Click here to see the poll results

FW de Klerk

Speaking on 'South Africa: the way forward', former State President FW de Klerk addressed the Royal Commonwealth Society on 12 May 2009.
Click here to download a copy of his speech.

UK Opinion Poll

The RCS recently commissioned a YouGov poll on British attitudes towards the Commonwealth. The results were released on Commonwealth Day, Monday 9 March, and generated media coverage around the globe.

Click here to see the poll results
Click here to read our press release