The Commonwealth flag will be flying above Rye Town Hall at 10am next Monday, March 9, to celebrate Commonwealth Day. Pageantmaster Bruno Peek has written to every council in the country, to invite participation in a ceremony to raise the flag and acknowledge publicly the continuing role of the Commonwealth “in building on common traditions and upholding shared values of democracy – the rule of law and human rights”.
Messages from The Queen and from the Secretary General of the Commonwealth will be read out on the day, together with the Commonwealth Affirmation:
Joining together as members of one worldwide Commonwealth community, and valuing the personal dignity and worth of every citizen, we raise this flag as a symbol of the ties of kinship and affinity that we cherish. We draw inspiration from our diversity, and the opportunities for working together, as a rich source of wisdom and a powerful influence for good in the world. We affirm our commitment to upholding the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter, to serving one another in a spirit of respect and understanding, and to advancing development, democracy and cooperation locally, nationally, and internationally.