Most importantly, the Commonwealth aims to bring together countries with a close historical link under a common umbrella based on shared values of freedom, justice and democracy, with the aim of working together to tackle global challenges. The last two members to join, Rwanda and Mozambique were never UK colonies. Yes, or at least that’s how it started, as countries under the British Empire gained independence they joined The Commonwealth. Is it for countries that were former colonies of Britain. So what is The Commonwealth? Is it an exclusive club for countries that play cricket? No… although many of us do play that most unfathomable of games. It is definitely not The British Commonwealth as Turkish dictionaries would have it! The Commonwealth Heads of Mission in Turkey, along with some Turkish guests, got together to celebrate The Commonwealth of Nations or The Commonwealth as it is now more often named. And those bonds find their greatest representation in The Commonwealth which celebrated its 68th birthday on 13th March.

As a Briton of Irish heritage you’d expect me to recognise that.īut out of empire grew strong bonds between countries. Our imperial past, like that of all empires, is a troubled one. When the recently elected Gambian President announced that he intended to take his country back into the Commonwealth (the previous president had withdrawn Gambia from the organisation), one of my twitter followers commented that Gambia was becoming a British colony again!įor some in Turkey, the sun has never set on the British Empire.

What does the commonwealth do