The Baton was revealed featuring a design created by Chrisford “Chris” Chayera, a Malawian visual mouth artist who paints by manoeuvring the brush with his mouth. His artwork shaped the Baton’s panels, showcasing elements of Malawi’s cultural identity and sporting heritage. Its features included the national flag, Lake Malawi, Chambo fish, Baobab and Palm trees, Mount Mulanje and its tea estates, as well as the UNESCO-recognised Gule Wamkulu dance. Sporting motifs were also i

Welcome to the first instalment of From the Archives , a new feature in our newsletter where we share stories uncovered in the Royal...

On Malaysia’s 68th Independence Day, I reflect not just on Malaysia’s journey, but on my own one shaped by Commonwealth ties, intergenerational service, and a city that raised me in contradictions. To be precise, this anniversary marks Malaya’s independence in 1957, when it became the tenth member of the Commonwealth. Malaysia as we know it today emerged in 1963 through union with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore (though Singapore departed in 1965). This layered history matters.

Five readers united by passion, envisioned by a purpose and committed to one goal. Just one goal. A goal to inspire, ignite and promote reading as a tool for unity, growth and development.

The Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastic Campaign reached new heights as it passed through Cameroon, thanks to the brilliant in-country partner, the Cameroonian Association for Community Awareness (ASCOA).

In Botswana, women remain significantly underrepresented in governance, making up less than 11% of decision-making spaces, from local...

My name is Heritage Sanmi-Lawal, and in 2023, my NGO Her Dream Initiative launched the ‘Her Voice Project’, a project aimed at educating...

On 18 July, Royal Commonwealth Society country partner FlipFlopi gathered the vibrant coastal community of Matondoni Village for a day of hands-on environmental action. The initiative was organised in close collaboration with the Matondoni School Environmental Club and the Matondoni Women’s Group.

The Royal Commonwealth Society of Nova Scotia Branch proudly supported the Clean Water School Program , an initiative by the Clean...

Welcome to July 2025's edition of Commonwealth Voices, the Royal Commonwealth Society's newsletter.

Earlier this month, the Lake Victoria Clean Up project joined forces with the Uganda Junior Rangers to host a vibrant community plastic clean-up event along the shores of Lake Victoria. With the support of the Uganda Commonwealth Games Association, the day brought together local school children, athletes, and conservationists, all working together toward a cleaner, safer lake environment. The team removed an amazing 14,522 pieces of harmful plastic litter.

On March 6th, 2025, I had the incredible honour of being a finalist in the Social Action category at the Study UK Alumni Awards 2025 in...

The wait is over as the official mascot of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games has been revealed marking a year to go until the most eagerly anticipated sporting event of 2026.

On 2nd July, Jabi Lake in Abuja served as the site of a major environmental clean-up initiative, bringing together volunteers, sports...

Over the years, I have been fortunate to share my journey as a Commonwealth Youth Gender & Equality Network (CYGEN) member - an...

The 2025 Nigerian edition of the Commonwealth High Commissioners’ Banquet was colourfully and successfully hosted by the Royal...

Aberdeen Beach in Freetown was the site of the primary clean-up, lasting three hours. An impressive 441 volunteers from the Commonwealth Games Association of Sierra Leone, the National Tourist Board, National Sports Associations, Salone Beach Volleyball, Freetown City Council, and the Africell Impact Foundation removed a staggering 40,000 pieces of plastic, preventing them from entering Commonwealth waters.

11 April 2025 – Tamil Nadu, India's southernmost state, has become the site of the largest single submission ever recorded for The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC). An astounding 9,252 students simultaneously penned their essays across 28 different locations on the same day, at the exact same time. The essays were then digitised and submitted via the competition's official online portal, around two-thirds were junior entries, and the remaining third were senior. 

The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) rounded out the campaign in the Caribbean in St Vincent and the Grenadines on 14 June. The...

A coordinated, territory-wide beach clean-up brought together every island across the Turks and Caicos, early in the morning on the...