One million pieces of plastic removed from Commonwealth waters. Read the story behind the milestone and the people who made it happen.

The Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign has removed one million pieces of plastic from Commonwealth waterways, reaching its target in Glasgow ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Discover the two-year journey, from Samoa to Glasgow, and the volunteers and partners who made it possible.

By Itoro Victor-Akpan, Associate Fellow, Royal Commonwealth Society Sport and climate change are deeply interlinked, yet this relationship remains far less spoken about than other defining issues in climate negotiations and discussions; from loss and damage financing, fossil fuel phase-out, and nature-based solutions to climate finance, food systems, and the just transition. And yet sport, with its extraordinary global reach, its vulnerability to extreme weather, and its powe

Commonwealth Games Australia Clean-Up Earlier this year, as the King’s Baton Relay travelled through Australia, from Uluru to Sydney – it stopped off in Townsville, where Tangaroa Blue hosted a major clean-up event at Rowes Bay as part of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Campaign. Against the backdrop of the Coral Sea, athletes, students, volunteers and local partners joined forces with a shared mission: preventing plastic pollution from entering Commonwealth waters. For more

The Royal Commonwealth Society convened the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Forum 2026 at the Ismaili Centre, bringing together scientists, lawyers and innovators to tackle plastic pollution across the Commonwealth.

Today marks a significant milestone for the Royal Commonwealth Society. One hundred and fifty-eight years ago, this organisation was founded on a belief in the power of the Commonwealth to improve lives and bring people together. That belief remains at the heart of everything we do, and it is what drives the Strategic Plan we are proud to share with you today. Building on real progress The past five years have been a period of real and measurable progress for the Royal Common

We are proud to announce the panel of judges for the Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026: Waves of Change, run by the Royal Commonwealth Society in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the City of London Corporation's Youth Natural Environment Board. Waves of Change invites young people aged 18 to 30 from across the Commonwealth's 56 member nations to document the ocean and its relationship to communities, environments, and the future. Free to enter,

Last month, on 16th May, I had the opportunity to take part in a coastal clean-up at Spinola Bay in Malta, organised by Żibel as part of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign. The event was part of the King's Baton Relay (KBR) in Malta, on its journey through Europe, making it feel we were contributing to something much bigger than a local beach clean. Storm Harry had swept past Malta around a month earlier. Although Żibel had already cleaned Spinola Bay as part of

The Commonwealth Youth Photography Competition 2026: Waves of Change is now open for entries. Ran by the Royal Commonwealth Society in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the City of London Corporation's Youth Natural Environment Board, the competition invites young photographers aged 18 to 30 from across the Commonwealth's 56 member nations to document the ocean and its relationship to communities, environments, and the future. Entry is free, and no prior phot

A community effort to protect one of Bermuda's most beloved nature reserves, joined by the Governor himself and forming part of a landmark Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign to collect one million pieces of plastic before the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Tucked into the eastern parishes of Bermuda, the Walsingham Nature Reserve is one of the island's most ecologically significant habitats, home to Tom Moore's Jungle, the iconic Blue Hole, and some of the last rem

The Enduring Impact of The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition My journey with The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition began in 2022 while I was a student at Aga Khan High School, Mombasa, Kenya. Encouraged by my English teacher to submit an essay, I entered the competition with enthusiasm and a deep love for writing, though I was still developing the technical precision and structure required for excellence. That year, I was honoured to receive a Bronze Award. In 2

Their Majesties The King and Queen, accompanied by The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attended the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey to celebrate Commonwealth Day on Monday, 9 March 2026.   Delivered by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), the Commonwealth’s oldest dedicated charity, the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration is the flagship public

The Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey 2026 performance reveal.

The Queen's Commonwealth Writing Competition 2026 is now open to entrants!

Volunteer Judge meets RCS Vice-Patron Her Majesty The Queen during an award ceremony for the winners As we enter an exciting new chapter of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s flagship youth initiative, we are delighted to announce that applications to volunteer as a judge for The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition are now open! This year is a particularly exciting time to get involved with the competition. The change in name from The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competiti

Calling all young writers across the Commonwealth! The Royal Commonwealth Society is thrilled to announce a major evolution of its iconic youth initiative. Formerly known as the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, this globally celebrated programme now has a fresh new identity: The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition . This exciting rebrand signals a broader, more inclusive approach to writing, embracing creativity in all forms. From essays to poetry, storytelling, a

Clean Oceans Catch-Up Series: Episode One with Heidi Tait, Tangaroa Blue Watch the full interview below to learn how Tangaroa Blue is turning knowledge into action for a cleaner, healthier ocean. Clean Oceans Catch Up Episode 1: Tangaroa Blue Welcome to the Clean Oceans Catch-Up Series , where we sit down with partners from the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign to spotlight the people and projects driving real action against plastic pollution across the Commonwealt

Fashion Heritage Network Cyprus is a youth-led initiative founded four years ago through a collaboration with the Royal Commonwealth Society. It emerged at a time when sustainable fashion was barely part of public conversation on the island. Cyprus has a rich and distinctive fashion heritage, shaped by centuries of cultural exchange, craftsmanship, and necessity. Yet many traditional techniques were at risk of disappearing, practised by only a handful of artisans and largely

On the day of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Campaign Pickup event, the Parley Maldives team, along with members of the Maldives Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Sport, set out from Malé on a 1.5-hour boat journey to the island of Vaavu Fulidhoo. It was scorching when we arrived, and we gathered with the Fulidhoo community including Fulidhoo Council members, Vaavu Atoll School students and staff, and representatives from the Commonwealth, to kick off the event. The Boat Jour

We are delighted to share the highlights of a remarkable year at the Royal Commonwealth Society. Over the past twelve months, our global community has come together with energy, generosity, and a shared commitment to advancing equality, education, and environmental sustainability across the Commonwealth. As you read our Year in Review, we hope you will feel proud of what has been achieved together and inspired by the collective spirit that continues to shape our work and our