:00:00. > :00:08.Good afternoon from Westminster Abbey where a special service
:00:09. > :00:12.is held every year to celebrate the Commonwealth, the diverse group
:00:13. > :00:18.of 53 nations that spans almost every corner of the globe.
:00:19. > :00:21.And on this Commonwealth Day, we also celebrate the Queen's 90th
:00:22. > :00:47.The service will be the first major ceremonial event of Her Majesty's
:00:48. > :00:58.She'll be joined here at the Abbey by the Duke of Edinburgh,
:00:59. > :01:11.the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
:01:12. > :01:16.The Commonwealth has grown significantly during her be reign
:01:17. > :01:22.and she has always championed it. She comes to the Abbey for this
:01:23. > :01:28.service every year. It is a very international gathering
:01:29. > :01:33.as you would expect. For a Commonwealth of 53 nations and it is
:01:34. > :01:37.also an unusual service for Westminster Abbey because there are
:01:38. > :01:43.representatives of other faiths who will be taking part and offering
:01:44. > :01:47.their reflections and their prayers during the course of the service. If
:01:48. > :01:58.you would like to follow it, you can go to www. Www.. BBC do.
:01:59. > :02:02.Co/Commonwealth day and download an order of service and follow it
:02:03. > :02:08.there. The congregation of 2,000 people in the Abbey this afternoon.
:02:09. > :02:14.1,000 of them young people because the Commonwealth has a very young
:02:15. > :02:21.population and among the rather young people are schoolchildren who
:02:22. > :02:26.are here for the service. The Commonwealth youth orchestra will be
:02:27. > :02:39.performing. They are already playing now and just standing behind them,
:02:40. > :02:43.the Commonwealth Youth Choir. Well in many ways the Commonwealth
:02:44. > :02:46.today is the result of decades of dedication by president Queen
:02:47. > :02:51.herself because from the beginning of her reign she has carefully
:02:52. > :03:04.nurtured relationships between countries to build this unique
:03:05. > :03:09.association. God Save The Queen. The young Queen Elizabeth II in 1953,
:03:10. > :03:17.the year she embarked on her first tour of Commonwealth countries and
:03:18. > :03:23.overseas territories. She visited among others, Fiji, Sri Lanka,
:03:24. > :03:28.Australia, and Gibraltar. She spoke of the emerging new model of the
:03:29. > :03:34.Commonwealth in her Christmas radio broadcast from New Zealand. The
:03:35. > :03:40.Commonwealth bears no resemblance to the Empires of the past. It is an
:03:41. > :03:45.entirely new conception built on the highest qualities of the spirit of
:03:46. > :03:52.man, friendship, loyalty, and the desire for three dom and peace.
:03:53. > :03:59.The Queen has held the position of Head of the Commonwealth for more
:04:00. > :04:03.than 60 years. Individual virtue of tolerance and understanding by
:04:04. > :04:07.virtue of tolerance and understanding, the xwelt has evolved
:04:08. > :04:11.into 36 nations, spanning the five Continents. She has been
:04:12. > :04:18.instrumental in bringing together leaders from all over the world in a
:04:19. > :04:22.spirit of family, and connection. Out of the old empire strange the
:04:23. > :04:25.Commonwealth family of nations we know today and that too has grown
:04:26. > :04:31.and changed over the years. Very much in the spirit of a family
:04:32. > :04:35.gathering. She has moved the Commonwealth forward into a modern
:04:36. > :04:44.age. It was very nice having everybody here last night. We
:04:45. > :04:49.enjoyed it very much. Today, the Commonwealth consists of 53 diverse
:04:50. > :04:52.countries and for more than six decades, the Queen's ability to
:04:53. > :05:05.connect with people has brought them together.
:05:06. > :05:11.So of the 53 nations that of part of the Commonwealth today, the Queen
:05:12. > :05:16.herself has been to almost all of them, 51 out of the 53, a sign of
:05:17. > :05:20.her commitment over the years. Well, as we wait for Her Majesty to arrive
:05:21. > :05:25.at the Abbey on this Commonwealth day, I'm joined by Dr Sue Onslow,
:05:26. > :05:28.senior lecturer at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. What would you
:05:29. > :05:32.say the Commonwealth means to the Queen, Sue?
:05:33. > :05:36.The Commonwealth means an enormous amount to the Queen. It is part, it
:05:37. > :05:40.is a key part of her life's work. She is Queen of 16 individual
:05:41. > :05:44.Commonwealth countries as well as being formal head of that
:05:45. > :05:48.association you referred to. She has been able to travel around the
:05:49. > :05:52.Commonwealth to enjoy its exuberance, but I think her personal
:05:53. > :05:56.contribution has been enormous. She has been part of the invisible glue
:05:57. > :06:02.of this association. Well, we are looking now at some of the
:06:03. > :06:07.medallists from the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,
:06:08. > :06:13.Isabel Pooley of England, sam man that Kinghorn of Scotland and with
:06:14. > :06:20.them athletes from the Commonwealth Youth Games.
:06:21. > :06:24.You were talking about the Queen's role in the Commonwealth, Sue, as if
:06:25. > :06:29.it was quite personal to her, not just a role she has to do? It is
:06:30. > :06:33.very personal and she gets a great deal of pleasure from it. She worked
:06:34. > :06:37.consistently throughout her reign to give substance to this role, it is
:06:38. > :06:42.not just that she is a symbolic head. There is a symbol now of the
:06:43. > :06:49.flags of the Commonwealth nations being carried into the Abbey. This
:06:50. > :06:53.is where you get a true visual sense of the immense reach of this
:06:54. > :06:59.organisation, the flags are carried in, in the order that nations join
:07:00. > :07:05.the Commonwealth so at the front the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia,
:07:06. > :07:10.New Zealand, and then further back, many of the African countries that
:07:11. > :07:15.became independent in the 1960s in the middle there and then towards
:07:16. > :07:21.the back, the nations that have joined the Commonwealth more
:07:22. > :07:25.recently. Some very recently, Sue, which shows the appeal that this
:07:26. > :07:31.organisation still has. Indeed and there are others that are very much
:07:32. > :07:35.part of the list of wanting to join, south Sudan, Yemen, Palestine, so
:07:36. > :07:40.this is an attractive association to those that are still outside it.
:07:41. > :07:47.The flags are going to be carried through the Abbey and then they will
:07:48. > :07:52.be put in their place behind the congregation where they will remain
:07:53. > :07:56.until the service comes to an end. Well during the service, we will
:07:57. > :07:59.hear the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan who is
:08:00. > :08:03.from Ghana, a Commonwealth country. He will be speaking during the
:08:04. > :08:08.service and he is with Ore Oduba now. Good afternoon, thank you very
:08:09. > :08:12.much. As we saw there, all the flags of the Commonwealth member states
:08:13. > :08:16.coming past us. I have been joined by a proud began anywayian, Kofi
:08:17. > :08:21.Annan, it is a pleasure to see you here. It is an honour for you to be
:08:22. > :08:24.here. Tell us how important it is to you, Commonwealth day and the
:08:25. > :08:27.Commonwealth itself? The Commonwealth is a unique
:08:28. > :08:32.organisation, bringing together so many countries and really sharing
:08:33. > :08:41.something with two billion people, different cultures, different
:08:42. > :08:46.religions and we embrace purlity and diversity and to celebrate those in
:08:47. > :08:51.the world of today is absolutely essential and it shouldn't just be
:08:52. > :08:54.important for the Commonwealth but other groupingings and other
:08:55. > :08:58.organisations and countries which are outside the Commonwealth. Well,
:08:59. > :09:01.it is a celebratory day and we were saying before how great it is to see
:09:02. > :09:08.how many happy children in here as well. Absolutely. Just how important
:09:09. > :09:12.is it that the Commonwealth is here to maintain relations between
:09:13. > :09:17.nations and such diverse nations as well? In today's world it is
:09:18. > :09:21.absolutely essential. Very few countries can tackle the challenges
:09:22. > :09:27.we have today on their own. You have to work across borders. You have to
:09:28. > :09:30.work with other countries. It is such an inter-dependant world and we
:09:31. > :09:34.have no choice and the Commonwealth that brings countries together, not
:09:35. > :09:40.just the countries, but the citizens of these countries, whether in
:09:41. > :09:46.sports, or in education, and other areas, it is extremely important and
:09:47. > :09:50.I think the young people here today are also an expression of the belief
:09:51. > :09:54.of the future generations in what has been achieved by the
:09:55. > :09:57.Commonwealth and this is why we need to trust them and encourage them and
:09:58. > :10:02.encourage them to lead and to build on what we have achieved. They are
:10:03. > :10:05.the leaders of tomorrow. So it is so exciting to see so many of them here
:10:06. > :10:09.today. Well, we are looking forward to hearing a reading from you and
:10:10. > :10:15.I'm sure the sentiments will come across. Kofi Annan, a pleasure to
:10:16. > :10:20.talk to you. Well, we will be seeing the members
:10:21. > :10:30.of the Royal Family arriving shortly for the beginning of the service.
:10:31. > :10:33.Kofi Annan is a man with tremendous experience of negotiation and he can
:10:34. > :10:36.imagine what a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is like. That is
:10:37. > :10:39.when these countries come together and Sue Onslow, you know what those
:10:40. > :10:43.are like because you have been to one? I was at Malta last
:10:44. > :10:48.Novemberment there are formal elements where heads get together to
:10:49. > :10:51.discuss in close session and they have their informal retreat where
:10:52. > :10:56.they can compare notes on what is troubling them. The Queen's role is
:10:57. > :11:00.formally in opening it, but she adds that, that welcome presence to a
:11:01. > :11:10.Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. What is discussed? When in
:11:11. > :11:14.terms of the acute concerns of small states in climate change,
:11:15. > :11:18.radicalisation across societies, last heads of Government meeting
:11:19. > :11:22.achieved in fact extraordinary outcomes on those two issues. Is the
:11:23. > :11:26.Commonwealth in a better place than it was a few years ago? There was
:11:27. > :11:30.criticism for example when Sri Lanka hosted the heads of Government
:11:31. > :11:34.meeting because of its Human Rights record? That was a controversial
:11:35. > :11:37.meeting. I would say that the Commonwealth is certainly in a
:11:38. > :11:42.better place, although its potential for future improvement is certainly
:11:43. > :11:45.there, it has been criticised for not making enough progress on
:11:46. > :11:48.democracy and Human Rights so there is room for improvement.
:11:49. > :11:54.Well there is Ellie Goulding coming into the Abbey now. She is going to
:11:55. > :12:00.be performing and she told me earlier that she saw this as a very
:12:01. > :12:03.special occasion, a welcome interlude from a very intense period
:12:04. > :12:06.because she is in the midst of a World Tour at the moment and in fact
:12:07. > :12:13.she announced recently that she is going to be taking a break from
:12:14. > :12:15.music. So we'll hear her perform Sting's Fields Of Gold during the
:12:16. > :12:21.service. Half of the congregation here are
:12:22. > :12:26.young people and amongst them are recipients of the Queen's young
:12:27. > :12:33.leader award. Each year it celebrates 60 exceptional people
:12:34. > :12:39.from across the Commonwealth. All over the world young volunteers
:12:40. > :12:42.are transforming their communities. The Commonwealth actually impour we
:12:43. > :12:46.ares young people. It is a privilege to be one of the 60 people who will
:12:47. > :12:50.be receiving the award from the Queen. It was something I really
:12:51. > :12:56.didn't expect. On the island of Malta, 20-year-old
:12:57. > :13:00.Sara set-up up a social media campaign after her experiences while
:13:01. > :13:04.wearing a Muslim headscarf. You're walking in the street and people
:13:05. > :13:09.spit at you and people are like say go back to your own country. I feel
:13:10. > :13:15.so That is unacceptable. So basically me and my colleagues
:13:16. > :13:21.decided it is racism and discrimination about general and
:13:22. > :13:29.then we uploaded pictures with students holding boards spreading
:13:30. > :13:35.positive members to discuss what really is it meant being a human
:13:36. > :13:47.being? In Bangladesh Osama developed an online resource to help young
:13:48. > :13:49.people start their careers. We publish international
:13:50. > :13:58.scholarship, internship. We are passionate about this. We have
:13:59. > :14:04.received a huge response from abroad and we have 99,000 representatives.
:14:05. > :14:08.In Cambridge, 20-year-old Ella realised how teenagers miss out on
:14:09. > :14:14.important life skills when they become the main carer for their
:14:15. > :14:19.families. I became a young carer when my mum had her heart attack.
:14:20. > :14:22.One day everything is normal and everything is fine and everybody is
:14:23. > :14:35.happy and the next day your whole life changes. I set-up Take the Lead
:14:36. > :14:39.and it is all about public speaking and interview skills and building
:14:40. > :14:49.their confidence so that they feel they can do pretty much anything.
:14:50. > :14:55.Gained confidence. For their exceptional work, 60 young
:14:56. > :14:58.volunteers including Ella, Osama and Sarah will join a leadership course
:14:59. > :15:03.at Cambridge University. It is something huge. The fact that you
:15:04. > :15:06.get to share your thoughts with so many people and to know that they
:15:07. > :15:09.are interested in what you are trying to promote. I think that's
:15:10. > :15:28.fantastic. I'm lost for words. And Sara will be giving a Reflection
:15:29. > :15:34.in the service. Ellie Goulding will be performing. Next to her is Simon
:15:35. > :15:45.who is a bass from South Africa who will be performing for us. Next to
:15:46. > :15:50.him, the poet a Tuvalu Doctor Who told me earlier she feels she
:15:51. > :15:56.carries the concerns of the smaller nations, the Pacific nations here
:15:57. > :16:12.with her today into the Abbey. The Prime Minister, David Cameron,
:16:13. > :16:16.is here. He is in his seat now. The congregation are standing up because
:16:17. > :16:21.the faith processors are stepping into the Abbey now. A special moment
:16:22. > :16:25.in this service. Special also because this is unusual. In fact,
:16:26. > :16:34.it's the Lord Mayor who is walking in now.
:16:35. > :16:45.When we see the faith leaders, it will be symbolic, not just of the
:16:46. > :16:49.number of faiths represented in the Commonwealth, but also a reflection
:16:50. > :16:55.of the importance that the Queen places on faith. Sues on low, she
:16:56. > :16:58.will appreciate the strong representation of different faiths
:16:59. > :17:04.within this service -- Sue Onslow? Absolutely. The Queen who herself is
:17:05. > :17:10.a devout Christian and takes her role seriously, she's a great
:17:11. > :17:14.supporters of multifaith worship, of the different faiths. She feels it
:17:15. > :17:21.high lites the shared values across the Commonwealth.
:17:22. > :17:28.Kofi Annan who we heard from a moment ago is here with his wife.
:17:29. > :17:30.He'll be speaking later. Here are the faith leaders now processing
:17:31. > :17:46.into the Abbey. There are members of the Zooastrian
:17:47. > :17:51.community. Chief Rabbi's representative, the Sikh community.
:17:52. > :17:57.Buddhist community. Hindu community. The Muslim community. Both the
:17:58. > :18:01.Jewish reform synagogues and liberal Judaism represented as well, as the
:18:02. > :18:07.Chief Rabbi's representative. Also other denominations of Christianity.
:18:08. > :18:12.The methodist church, the church of Scotland, the Coptic Orthodox Church
:18:13. > :18:21.and Roman Catholic Church and also the Orthodox Church. His emnans
:18:22. > :18:28.Archbishop Gregorious is here. A strong statement of the breadth of
:18:29. > :18:40.faith across this very diverse group of nations -- His Emanence.
:18:41. > :18:46.John Major is with Ore now. I know Sir John you have been
:18:47. > :18:53.enjoying the music being played around the Abbey today. I have, very
:18:54. > :18:58.familiar and lovely music. But the Trust, of course, is a Trust set up
:18:59. > :19:03.to help the Queen's legacy. We asked the Queen what she would prefer as a
:19:04. > :19:07.legacy and she said two things, both for the Commonwealth, firstly to end
:19:08. > :19:11.forms of avoidable blindness across the Commonwealth and secondly to
:19:12. > :19:14.fine and bring forward and help future young leaders. It's an
:19:15. > :19:20.indication of her great affection for the Commonwealth. Yes. Your
:19:21. > :19:23.relationship with Her Majesty is a long-standing one. Take us inside
:19:24. > :19:28.her operation, tell us what it is that makes her work so hard to
:19:29. > :19:32.maintain the relations between 50 of odd member states? You have to look
:19:33. > :19:35.at the history of it. When the Queen became Monarch, the Commonwealth was
:19:36. > :19:41.three or four nations, certainly no more. It's now I think 53. It's a
:19:42. > :19:45.hugely successful worldwide operation. From very large,
:19:46. > :19:50.confident, relatively rich nations, to some of the smallest, least
:19:51. > :19:54.well-off nations in the world. It's a unique mixture. There's never been
:19:55. > :19:58.anything like it and I don't think there ever could be anything else
:19:59. > :20:02.like it. The Queen has a great affection for it. Why is it so
:20:03. > :20:05.important to her? Because for the whole time of her reign, the
:20:06. > :20:10.Commonwealth's been such an important part, as you say? It's
:20:11. > :20:14.partly the diversity. The sheer diversity of bringing together so
:20:15. > :20:17.many nations with so many interests and such a great difference in the
:20:18. > :20:22.way in which they live. That's something the Queen finds very
:20:23. > :20:26.attractive. And the fact that she and it have both grown up to be what
:20:27. > :20:30.it is today during her period as Monarch. I think that makes for a
:20:31. > :20:33.great affinity between the two, Queen the Commonwealth on one hand
:20:34. > :20:38.and Her Majesty the Queen on the other hand. Commonwealth Day always
:20:39. > :20:43.special but extra special this year as we celebrate her 90th year. What
:20:44. > :20:48.more can you say about Her Majesty, as she continues to drive forward
:20:49. > :20:54.and lead the Commonwealth? Well, it is quite remarkable isn't it? Most
:20:55. > :20:58.people, 65, 70, 75, they hang out their boots, hang up their careers
:20:59. > :21:03.and rest. The Queen at 90 and the Duke a couple of years older, are
:21:04. > :21:08.still working extraordinarily hard. They have ensured the rest of the
:21:09. > :21:11.Royal Family do as well. That is a very remarkable example of duty and
:21:12. > :21:14.I think also of devotion to the Commonwealth.
:21:15. > :21:15.Remarkable indeed. Many people echoing your sentiments. Pleasure to
:21:16. > :21:39.talk to you. Thank you. The Queen will be arriving in the
:21:40. > :21:51.next few minutes with the other members of the Royal Family.
:21:52. > :21:58.The Duke, and others. Sue, the Queen's marked Commonwealth day by
:21:59. > :22:03.issuing her message in line with the theme of the Commonwealth this year,
:22:04. > :22:08.an inclusive Commonwealth. She talks about the importance of accepting
:22:09. > :22:12.diversity and says it goes far deeper than accepting differences of
:22:13. > :22:17.face value, far deeper than simply being tolerant? Kofi Annan picked up
:22:18. > :22:21.on this point when he talked about celebrating diversity and the
:22:22. > :22:24.interdependent world. For the Queen, the Commonwealth is really identity
:22:25. > :22:27.politics in the best and most inclusive way. She's used her
:22:28. > :22:32.Commonwealth Day messages consistently over the years to
:22:33. > :22:36.emphasise important themes of democracy, human rights and so
:22:37. > :22:40.inclusivity is a significant point make today.
:22:41. > :22:45.Particularly important when you make it to a worldwide audience where so
:22:46. > :22:48.many of these nations are at different stages of the development
:22:49. > :22:52.of their democracy, different stages of their economic development as
:22:53. > :22:57.well. Indeed. The Queen herself has said in the past that it's difficult
:22:58. > :23:01.to take decisions to implement democracy, it can be very hard but
:23:02. > :23:04.she's been a consistent source of encouragement for that very
:23:05. > :23:07.progress. She's needed to, because there have
:23:08. > :23:10.been difficult episodes in the history of this organisation?
:23:11. > :23:14.Absolutely. There have been some extremely fractious points the
:23:15. > :23:18.Commonwealth's come close to breaking up. One thing has been
:23:19. > :23:21.sure, which is that the Queen's consistent on going on subtle and
:23:22. > :23:35.important support. The congregation are all in their
:23:36. > :23:38.places. You can see the emphasis of the young people of the Commonwealth
:23:39. > :23:44.when you look across the congregation. The Queen's young
:23:45. > :23:49.leaders are here, Adam Bradford and Ella McKenzie among those chosen for
:23:50. > :23:53.that rather special award. A long tradition of the Queen also,
:23:54. > :23:58.Sue, talking to the people of the Commonwealth, in fact that famous
:23:59. > :24:02.vow that she made in 1947, dedicating her life to the service
:24:03. > :24:06.of the People. She meant the people of the Commonwealth, not just the
:24:07. > :24:11.United Kingdom? Completely. That famous broadcast from Cape Town in
:24:12. > :24:18.1947 in fact set out many of the themes that the Queen has made it
:24:19. > :24:23.her life's work to fulfil. She has driven that forward consistently
:24:24. > :24:26.over the 60-year period. What would you say it's achieved as an
:24:27. > :24:30.organisation? The trouble with the Commonwealth, so much of its work is
:24:31. > :24:36.below the surface, like an iceberg. It has professional and civil
:24:37. > :24:39.society organisations. Its heads of Government meet every two years,
:24:40. > :24:48.that's the most visible part of the activities but it's by no means all.
:24:49. > :24:52.There's the congregation on this beautiful spring day outside the
:24:53. > :24:58.Abbey and beautiful flowers inside the Abbey as well.
:24:59. > :25:03.Chosen to reflect all the different colours of the Commonwealth flags. I
:25:04. > :25:07.was speaking earlier to the lady who was in charge of the National
:25:08. > :25:11.Association of Flower Arrangers. They have come from all over the
:25:12. > :25:15.United Kingdom, the colours represent the colours within the
:25:16. > :25:23.Commonwealth flag and also have been selected to emphasise unity.
:25:24. > :25:29.Very appropriate on a day like this. It's not just a congregation with a
:25:30. > :25:36.tremendous age range well beyond what you would normally see in the
:25:37. > :25:41.Abbey, but also tremendously international. There you see former
:25:42. > :25:49.Prime Minister Sir John Major and, behind him, the Shadow Foreign
:25:50. > :25:54.Secretary, Hilary Benn, sitting next to Hugo Squire, Minister of State at
:25:55. > :25:59.the Foreign Office. Just further along in the choir,
:26:00. > :26:05.Baroness Scotland, Patricia Scotland, who we will see a lot more
:26:06. > :26:09.of in the future because she is the next Secretary General of the
:26:10. > :26:18.Commonwealth. And this is the car that is bringing
:26:19. > :26:35.the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Abbey this afternoon.
:26:36. > :26:40.The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry arriving at the
:26:41. > :26:55.West Gate of the Abbey. They'll be greeted by members of the
:26:56. > :26:59.clergy led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr
:27:00. > :27:07.John Hall who will be leading this afternoon's service.
:27:08. > :27:12.In recent years, we've seen all three of them visit several
:27:13. > :27:16.Commonwealth countries, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went to New
:27:17. > :27:23.Zealand and Australia, for example, with the young prince George and
:27:24. > :27:28.they'll be visiting India in April, a significant visit, their first
:27:29. > :27:30.visit to that country. There the Duke of Cambridge meeting members of
:27:31. > :27:49.the clergy first of all. And next in the line to meet the
:27:50. > :27:57.Royal Family, you can see the Secretary General of the
:27:58. > :28:06.Commonwealth standing in the black coat, Camilla Sharma. He's served
:28:07. > :28:09.already for two terms. He's a former Indian diplomat, a former High
:28:10. > :28:17.Commissioner, Indian High Commissioner to London. So this will
:28:18. > :28:22.be his final Commonwealth Day service as Secretary General.
:28:23. > :28:30.His wife is there next to him. And the Prime Minister of Malta, the
:28:31. > :28:35.honable Dr Joseph Muscat, he will be giving one of the readings in the
:28:36. > :28:40.service today and he's the current Commonwealth chair in office. Malta
:28:41. > :28:44.hosted the last Commonwealth heads of government meeting that took
:28:45. > :28:50.place in November last year. The Queen herself attended.
:28:51. > :29:08.His wife accompanying him here. We also have Lord Howell of
:29:09. > :29:13.Guildford, President of the Royal Commonwealth Society. They organised
:29:14. > :29:18.today's service. They've been instrumental in what has gone into
:29:19. > :29:24.the service. The Director of The Royal Commonwealth Society too.
:29:25. > :29:27.Greeting the members of the Royal Family as they enter just before the
:29:28. > :29:47.start of the service. The Duke of Cambridge made a speech
:29:48. > :29:49.at the Commonwealth Office not that long ago where he said the
:29:50. > :29:54.Commonwealth stands for the possibility of a community of
:29:55. > :29:58.nations, people of different races, ethnicities and religions, working
:29:59. > :30:02.together for humanity's common good. He said, that is why my grandmother
:30:03. > :30:06.is so committed to the Commonwealth, it stands for an ideal as much as it
:30:07. > :30:18.does for a reality. The Duchess of Cambridge and also
:30:19. > :30:27.Prince Harry there. And there's the car bringing the Queen to the Abbey.
:30:28. > :30:35.She is accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke of York is
:30:36. > :30:41.also going to be attending. A tremendous turn-out outside on this
:30:42. > :30:49.wonderfully sunny spring afternoon to greet her. We will hear the State
:30:50. > :30:52.trumpeters in a minute with the fanfare to announce the arrival of
:30:53. > :31:41.Her Majesty. The Queen is being led into the
:31:42. > :31:46.Abbey by the Dean of Westminster. She has come here on so many
:31:47. > :31:51.previous occasions including many Commonwealth Day services. This one
:31:52. > :32:04.happens to be taking place just ahead of her 90th birthday.
:32:05. > :32:09.As did the other members of the Royal Family before her, she is
:32:10. > :32:15.going to be greeted by members of the clergy who will be taking part
:32:16. > :32:29.in the procession and indeed, in the service itself.
:32:30. > :32:39.There she is greeting the Prime Minister of Malta. Malta is very
:32:40. > :32:45.special to her because it is where she lived as a young naval wife for
:32:46. > :32:53.two years while the Duke was stationed there as a serving Royal
:32:54. > :32:55.Naval officer. And she will now be taking her place ready for the
:32:56. > :33:16.procession to begin. # God Save the Queen God
:33:17. > :33:53.save our gracious Queen, # Long live our noble Queen,
:33:54. > :34:00.God save the Queen! # Send her victorious,
:34:01. > :34:12.Happy and glorious, # Long to reign over us,
:34:13. > :34:41.God save the Queen! # Praise him in the height,
:34:42. > :34:52.rejoice in his word, # ye angels of light,
:34:53. > :35:02.ye heavens, adore him # by whom ye were made,
:35:03. > :35:07.and worship before him, # Praise him upon earth,
:35:08. > :35:28.in tuneful accord, # ye sons of new birth,
:35:29. > :35:33.praise him who hath brought # you his grace from above,
:35:34. > :35:40.praise him who hath taught # All things that give sound,
:35:41. > :36:02.each jubilant chord # reecho around, loud
:36:03. > :36:11.organs, his glory # forth tell in deep tone,
:36:12. > :36:18.and sweet harp, the story # Thanksgiving and song
:36:19. > :36:40.to him be outpoured # For love in creation,
:36:41. > :36:54.for heaven restored, # for grace of salvation,
:36:55. > :38:42.O praise ye the Lord! On behalf of the dean and chapter I
:38:43. > :38:48.welcome you warmly to Westminster Abbey for our annual celebration of
:38:49. > :38:53.the Commonwealth. In a year in which we particularly give thanks for the
:38:54. > :38:58.90th birthday of Her Majesty, the Queen, Head of the Commonwealth.
:38:59. > :39:04.This year's theme is an inclusive Commonwealth. So as we give thanks
:39:05. > :39:10.for our diversity of faiths, and for the variety of resources and
:39:11. > :39:16.circumstances of our countries, and remembering, but especially at this
:39:17. > :39:22.time, the people of Fiji after their recent devastating tornado. Let us
:39:23. > :39:28.pray that we maybe united in one common bond of mutual support and
:39:29. > :39:31.friendship. First we pray in the words of Jesus for the coming of
:39:32. > :39:39.God's Kingdom of justice and peace. Our Father, who art in heaven,
:39:40. > :39:42.hallowed be thy name, come, thy will be done,
:39:43. > :39:46.on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our trespasses,
:39:47. > :39:50.as we forgive those And lead us not into temptation,
:39:51. > :39:57.but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom,
:39:58. > :40:00.the power, and the glory, Now one of the Queen's young
:40:01. > :40:42.leaders, who is from Malta. It is a great honour for me today as
:40:43. > :40:47.the Queen's young leader to be delivering this reflection. I'm
:40:48. > :40:52.delighted to witness such a wide representation of different nations
:40:53. > :40:58.and religions. Today, we celebrate the establishment of a unique and
:40:59. > :41:03.global community. A community with a strong sense of unity and
:41:04. > :41:09.inclusivity. A community that cannot strive if there is racism,
:41:10. > :41:15.xenophobia, hom owe phobia and other divisions of fear and hate between
:41:16. > :41:21.us. An inclusive Commonwealth champions the values of respect and
:41:22. > :41:29.understanding, equity and fairness. One cannot embrace these values
:41:30. > :41:35.without understanding that beyond each of these words lies a long
:41:36. > :41:40.stugle and for this reason I would like to honour those people who have
:41:41. > :41:47.lost their lives in the pursuit of dignity and equality, to be achieved
:41:48. > :41:51.in this world. It is not enough that these values are established in the
:41:52. > :41:56.Commonwealth charter. Together we must ensure that we bring them to
:41:57. > :42:05.life by practising them every day of our lives. Every day, I strive to
:42:06. > :42:09.eliminate racism, xenophobia and discrimination in my community by
:42:10. > :42:15.promoting an inclusive education, discussing with young people the way
:42:16. > :42:23.forward, and encouraging dialogue to bridge differences and live in an
:42:24. > :42:27.inclusive society. We aim to reduce Islamophobia, overcome fears and
:42:28. > :42:32.eliminate prejudices and judgements, by educating and informing people
:42:33. > :42:37.about Islam. It has been a challenging year for the Muslim
:42:38. > :42:42.community because of the rise of violent extremism and terrorist
:42:43. > :42:46.attacks all over the world. Together, with millions of fellow
:42:47. > :42:54.Muslims, I condemn such barbaric acts.
:42:55. > :43:02.I live in Malta, a developed country where I have food, shelter and a
:43:03. > :43:08.good education. However, I have been the vim of racism, xenophobia
:43:09. > :43:14.because of my faith. We must not under estimate the power of the
:43:15. > :43:19.virtual world, especially social media where hatred can be expressed
:43:20. > :43:26.with impunity. In an effort to address the bad experiences of my
:43:27. > :43:32.community, my colleague, Naomi and I established a social media campaign
:43:33. > :43:40.hashtag redefining us. This campaign is intended to raise awareness about
:43:41. > :43:48.what defines a Maltese person and strives to empower people who have
:43:49. > :43:58.encountered extremism. Helping them of the best way to confront people
:43:59. > :44:00.who have xenophobic dialogue. In a Commonwealth that welcomes
:44:01. > :44:05.everybody, we should strive together to ensure that all human beings have
:44:06. > :44:09.their fundamental rights respected and that the values of the
:44:10. > :44:16.Cheltenham Charter are put into practise. This is not a call to
:44:17. > :44:23.action for young people who form 60% of the Commonwealth's population,
:44:24. > :44:27.but a call to our leaders also. My experience of advocating for social
:44:28. > :44:33.inclusion and peace has taught me that change is not a single lecture,
:44:34. > :44:42.but a long and time-consuming process. However, I have also come
:44:43. > :44:50.to realise that every single action no matter how small can bring about
:44:51. > :44:57.positive change. It is time for us to wake up to the realities around
:44:58. > :45:02.us, to understand the pain that others are going through and the
:45:03. > :45:06.difference is no longer an option. Support and empowerment and
:45:07. > :45:12.education are the way forward. We must empower the vulnerable people
:45:13. > :45:15.in our communities because humanity does not live up to its full
:45:16. > :45:21.potential when we are divided and not united. Thank you.
:45:22. > :45:35.APPLAUSE # all ye lands: serve the Lord
:45:36. > :45:58.with gladness, and come. # And not we ourselves,
:45:59. > :46:38.we are his people, # Into his gates with thanks-giving,
:46:39. > :47:02.and into his courts with praise: # Be thankful unto him,
:47:03. > :47:24.unto him and speak good of his name. # For the Lord is gracious,
:47:25. > :47:43.his mercy is everlasting. # And his truth endureth
:47:44. > :47:51.from generation to generation, # Glory be to the Father,
:47:52. > :48:23.and to the Son. Let's talk about unity
:48:24. > :49:18.in London's Westminster Abbey. Did you know there's
:49:19. > :49:22.a London in Kiribati? We're connected by currents
:49:23. > :49:27.of humanity alliances, allegiances, histories
:49:28. > :49:30.for the salt in the sea, like the salt in our blood
:49:31. > :49:34.like the dust of our bones, our return to mud means while 53
:49:35. > :49:44.flags fly for our countries they're stitched from the
:49:45. > :49:49.fabric of our unity. It's called the Va in Samoan
:49:50. > :49:54.philosophy what you do, affects me. What we do, affects
:49:55. > :50:00.the sea land, wildlife. Nature's model of unity pollinating
:50:01. > :50:09.from flower to seed bees thrive in hives keeping their queen
:50:10. > :50:17.unity keeps them alive, keeps them buzzing they're key
:50:18. > :50:22.to our fruit and vege supplies but parasitic attacks and pesticides
:50:23. > :50:29.threaten the bees then you and me There's a 'U' and an 'I' in unity
:50:30. > :50:40.costs the earth and yet it's free. My grandad's from Tuvalu and to be
:50:41. > :50:45.specific it's plop bang The smallest of our 53 commonwealth
:50:46. > :50:56.nations the largest in terms Ancestors were guided by sky and sea
:50:57. > :51:09.trails way before Columbus even What we leave behind,
:51:10. > :51:16.matters to those who go before we face the future with our backs,
:51:17. > :51:22.sailing shore to shore we're earning and saving for our common wealth
:51:23. > :51:26.a common strong body, For the salt in the sea,
:51:27. > :51:32.like the salt in our blood like the dust of our bones,
:51:33. > :51:35.our return to mud means saving the ocean, saving the bee means
:51:36. > :51:41.London's UK seeing London's Kiribati and sharing our thoughts over a cup
:51:42. > :51:47.of tea for there's a 'U' and an 'I' in unity costs the earth
:51:48. > :52:12.and yet it's free. APPLAUSE. And now Ellie Goulding who
:52:13. > :52:22.is going to sing Fields of Gold by Sting.
:52:23. > :52:29.# You'll remember me when the west wind moves.
:52:30. > :52:39.# You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky.
:52:40. > :53:03.# In his arms she fell as her hair came down.
:53:04. > :53:27.# We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky.
:53:28. > :53:45.# And there have been some that I've broken.
:53:46. > :53:48.# But I swear in the days still left.
:53:49. > :54:27.# And there have been some that I've broken.
:54:28. > :54:32.# But I swear in the days still left.
:54:33. > :54:57.# Many years have passed since those summer days.
:54:58. > :55:08.# See the children run as the sun goes down.
:55:09. > :55:20.# You'll remember me as the west wind moves.
:55:21. > :55:32.# You can tell the sun in his jealous sky.
:55:33. > :55:58.# When we walked in fields of gold #.
:55:59. > :56:09.APPLAUSE. And now, there's going to be a reading given by the Prime
:56:10. > :56:12.Minister of Malta, the honable Dr Joseph Muscat.
:56:13. > :56:16.Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast
:56:17. > :56:22.to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one
:56:23. > :56:34.Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit,
:56:35. > :56:38.serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient
:56:39. > :56:46.Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend
:56:47. > :57:01.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
:57:02. > :57:09.Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
:57:10. > :57:14.Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty,
:57:15. > :57:21.but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.
:57:22. > :57:29.Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble
:57:30. > :57:41.If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live
:57:42. > :58:02.The Prime Minister of Malta. Now we are going to hear from the South
:58:03. > :58:06.African bas who will be singing a traditional song, often sung at
:58:07. > :58:18.weddings where it's set to bring about good fortune.
:58:19. > :58:27.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:58:28. > :58:41.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:58:42. > :58:59.# Ebeqabel' egqithapha uquongqothwane.
:59:00. > :59:04.# Ebeqabel' egqithapha ugongqothwane.
:59:05. > :59:14.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:59:15. > :59:20.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:59:21. > :59:30.# Ebeqabel' egqithapha ugongqothwane Ebeqabel' egqithapha ugongqothwane.
:59:31. > :59:34.# Igqirha lendlela nguqongqothwane Igqirha lendlela kuthwa
:59:35. > :59:42.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:59:43. > :59:44.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:59:45. > :59:54.# Igqirha lendlela nguqongqothwane. ugongqothwane.
:59:55. > :59:56.# Igqirha lendlela kuthwa nguqongqothwane.
:59:57. > :00:12.# Ebeqabel' egqithapha ugongqothwane.#
:00:13. > :00:22.bbc.co.uk APPLAUSE
:00:23. > :00:29.Now we are going to hear from Kofi Annan with his reflection on
:00:30. > :00:32.Commonwealth Day. That's a Ghanaian who feels very
:00:33. > :00:39.much a part of the Commonwealth family. It is both a privilege and a
:00:40. > :00:43.pleasure to speak here today. The Commonwealth has the unique place
:00:44. > :00:51.and role within the international community. It harnesses the creative
:00:52. > :00:58.energy, traditions and values of more than two billion people around
:00:59. > :01:05.the world. It strongly promotes democracy, good governance, Human Ri
:01:06. > :01:12.sustainable development. These represent the interdependent pillars
:01:13. > :01:18.of any fair, healthy and democratic society as there can be no peace
:01:19. > :01:24.without inclusive development and no development without peace. And no
:01:25. > :01:32.society can long remain prosperous without rule of law and respect for
:01:33. > :01:37.Human Rights. As well as building and strengthening invaluable links
:01:38. > :01:41.between member countries and their citizens, it also provides the
:01:42. > :01:47.Commonwealth, the Commonwealth also provides practical support from
:01:48. > :01:52.election monitoring, to promoting trade and security co-operation.
:01:53. > :01:58.Education, and school and university level is a further area where the
:01:59. > :02:05.rewards of closer ties and co-operation are ours to seize.
:02:06. > :02:09.Today, the Commonwealth stands as a confident, modern, multi-cultural
:02:10. > :02:15.and proudly inclusive organisation. Let me dwell on the word,
:02:16. > :02:21."Inclusive" For a moment because it has a central place in the
:02:22. > :02:28.Commonwealth's founding document. This was the people at its heart, at
:02:29. > :02:35.the centre and declares that plurality and diversity are the
:02:36. > :02:41.greatest strengths. It also means that we must constantly strive to
:02:42. > :02:47.ensure that no child, woman or man is excluded or left behind. These
:02:48. > :02:55.are enduring principles which not only bind us together as citizens of
:02:56. > :03:01.the Commonwealth, but are absolutely critical for our collective
:03:02. > :03:08.ambitions for our world. It has never been more important for the
:03:09. > :03:14.Commonwealth to stress the bonds of human compassion and solidarity that
:03:15. > :03:22.unites us across the divides of race and religion, gender and geography.
:03:23. > :03:27.It is also why I'm so pleased to see the royal Commonwealth society has
:03:28. > :03:34.brought together so many young people to enjoy this celebration.
:03:35. > :03:39.They represent the more than one billion young people who will
:03:40. > :03:45.provide our greatest hope for the future. We must trust and nurture
:03:46. > :03:53.them in the timeless values of the Commonwealth. We should be confident
:03:54. > :04:01.that if we provide them with the opportunity, they will continue to
:04:02. > :04:07.build on what has been achieved. No individual has made a greater
:04:08. > :04:14.contribution to these achievements than Your Majesty. You have shown an
:04:15. > :04:22.waivering and steadfast devotion to this grand project. We are greatly
:04:23. > :04:27.honoured and deeply grateful for your extraordinary commitment to its
:04:28. > :04:34.people. I would like to express my best wishes to you and your family
:04:35. > :04:44.in the year in which you celebrate your 90th birthday. Let me conclude
:04:45. > :04:49.by thanking Secretary-General, Camilla Sharma for his invaluable
:04:50. > :04:55.service and leadership and welcome his successor Baroness Scotland.
:04:56. > :05:01.Finally, may I also extend my best wishes to all members of the
:05:02. > :05:06.Commonwealth. We can go forward in the confidence that history has
:05:07. > :05:18.shown how much more we can achieve together. Thank you.
:05:19. > :05:23.APPLAUSE And following that reflection from the former UN
:05:24. > :05:29.Secretary-General, the congregation will sing the hymn Let All The World
:05:30. > :06:05.In Every Corner Sing. # Let all the world in every corner
:06:06. > :06:18.sing, My God and King! # The heavens are not too high,
:06:19. > :06:26.His praise may thither fly, # The earth is not too low,
:06:27. > :06:37.His praises there may grow. # Let all the world in every corner
:06:38. > :07:05.sing, My God and King! # The Church with psalms must shout,
:07:06. > :07:14.No door can keep them out, # But above all, the heart Must
:07:15. > :07:25.bear the longest part. # Let all the world in every corner
:07:26. > :07:54.sing, My God and King!# And now we will hear from some of
:07:55. > :08:00.those representing different faith communities.
:08:01. > :08:03.The Lotus Sutra is as if a great cloud arises in the world
:08:04. > :08:10.This beneficent cloud contains moisture.
:08:11. > :08:15.It conceals the sun and cools the earth.
:08:16. > :08:20.Everywhere, equal, and immeasurable the rain pours down
:08:21. > :08:29.The dry earth is moistened everywhere and the herbs and trees
:08:30. > :08:36.Out of this cloud the same rain waters these grasses,
:08:37. > :08:48.He appears in the world as a great cloud which covers
:08:49. > :08:56.Once appearing in this world he illuminates and explains
:08:57. > :09:03.the essence of the teachings for the sake of sentient beings.
:09:04. > :09:08.The Great Seer, the Bhagavat, expounds this to the assembly
:09:09. > :09:35.of all the heavenly beings and humans.
:09:36. > :09:38.In the eighth-century BCE Hebrew prophet Isaiah declared,
:09:39. > :09:44.in days to come, Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria,
:09:45. > :09:52.a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the God
:09:53. > :09:55.of the hosts of heaven has blessed, saying, "Blessed be Egypt,
:09:56. > :09:57.my people, and Assyria, the work of my hands,
:09:58. > :10:06.Today we are all the children of Egypt, and of Assyria,
:10:07. > :10:16.Eternal God, we pray for the coming of the day when all your children
:10:17. > :10:21.will live together in peace and friendship when oppression,
:10:22. > :10:26.discrimination, and prejudice, will be relics of the past,
:10:27. > :10:31.and all humanity will be filled with your spirit.
:10:32. > :10:59.May such a time come soon, and last forever.
:11:00. > :11:07.Let us walk together, let us sing together,
:11:08. > :11:09.in togetherness we can understand each
:11:10. > :11:10.other's minds, thus did the ancient seers
:11:11. > :11:12.share together to reach their divine ends.
:11:13. > :11:14.May our intentions come together, may our
:11:15. > :11:16.hearts become inseperable, may our minds
:11:17. > :11:19.become as one to truly know one another,
:11:20. > :11:44.O God, we thank you for these moments of prayer, and for all that
:11:45. > :11:49.you have given us since we were born, up to this moment.
:11:50. > :11:54.Make us appreciate what you have given us and inspire us
:11:55. > :12:04.to use your blessings in a way that would not displease you.You have
:12:05. > :12:06.You have given us wealth and comfort,
:12:07. > :12:20.with others, and to dispense comfort to all.
:12:21. > :12:23.Help us to make our wealth a common wealth, and our common wealth
:12:24. > :12:27.Bless us with peace, and do not punish us with war.
:12:28. > :12:32.Bless us with understanding, and do not punish us with ignorance.
:12:33. > :12:42.Forgive us for what we do in your name.
:12:43. > :12:45.Pardon what we do in the name of your most honourable messengers.
:12:46. > :12:48.Give us faith, fill our hearts with love and benevolence,
:12:49. > :13:18.As we gather together in the spirit of the unity and diversity of our
:13:19. > :13:23.Commonwealth, we give thanks to your Lord for the faithful stewardship of
:13:24. > :13:29.Her Majesty, the Queen and pray that you continue to grant her and all
:13:30. > :13:35.who lead with her your blessing, wisdom and support. We thank you
:13:36. > :13:40.Father for your image and likeness what is equally bestowed upon all
:13:41. > :13:45.humanity. Remembering all those affected by the current turmoil in
:13:46. > :13:52.the Middle East and the resulting crisis of displacement across the
:13:53. > :13:59.world. Those who are unable to live with this dignity, that the hearts
:14:00. > :14:04.of their oppressors are softened through the realisation and the
:14:05. > :14:31.value of sacredness of every life and the dignity of all humanity.
:14:32. > :14:45.# O, clap your hands, all ye people,
:14:46. > :14:55.# Shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
:14:56. > :15:03.# For the Lord most high is terrible,
:15:04. > :15:05.# His a great King over all the earth.
:15:06. > :15:16.# The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
:15:17. > :15:23.# Sing praises to God, sing praises to God,
:15:24. > :15:27.# Sing praises, sing praises, sing praises,
:15:28. > :15:36.# Sing praises unto our King, Sing praises,
:15:37. > :16:32.# The Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
:16:33. > :16:48.# Sing praises to God, sing praises to God,
:16:49. > :17:02.# Sing praises, sing praises, sing praises,
:17:03. > :17:15.# Sing praises unto our King, Sing praises,
:17:16. > :17:42.Now we'll hear from the Secretary-General of the
:17:43. > :17:46.Commonwealth, his excellence Camilla Sharma. As Commonwealth
:17:47. > :17:53.Secretary-General, it's been my privilege in the past eight years to
:17:54. > :17:59.visit every one of her 53 member states.
:18:00. > :18:02.I have seen the attraction of the Commonwealth connection, the
:18:03. > :18:09.exceptional regard that it enjoys and the sense of kinship and
:18:10. > :18:16.affinity that informs it. There's a bond within the
:18:17. > :18:25.Commonwealth that sets it apart. Partnership based on shared
:18:26. > :18:29.Commonwealth values and principles, especially mutual respect, is
:18:30. > :18:37.treasured. The Commonwealth sets a high premium on being inclusive of
:18:38. > :18:40.our theme for the year and in being all-embracing and leaving no-one
:18:41. > :18:48.behind, whether nationally or globally.
:18:49. > :18:55.The Commonwealth is particularly affirming and encouraging of her
:18:56. > :19:00.young citizens as nation-builders. The Commonwealth provides avenues
:19:01. > :19:06.for working together that help the larger family of Commonwealth
:19:07. > :19:13.organisations. That is unique in its richness and in its contribution and
:19:14. > :19:20.in its diversity. We are now bound closer together in practical ways in
:19:21. > :19:25.our shared aspirations. In many different ways and at many different
:19:26. > :19:30.levels. Ideas and knowledge are shared in the Commonwealth family,
:19:31. > :19:36.across the globe, in the spirit of goodwill and partnership.
:19:37. > :19:41.Taking strength from its diversity, the Commonwealth succeeds in
:19:42. > :19:48.creating common ground on which to stand together in answering the
:19:49. > :19:52.challenges of our times. Mutual support with respect and
:19:53. > :19:58.understanding for the dignity and on David Trimble yuetion of all gives
:19:59. > :20:12.potency to the acclaimed convening power of the Commonwealth.
:20:13. > :20:22.Globalisation, the digital revolution and interdependence make
:20:23. > :20:30.us both rapingly compacting but also a colliding world. The strengths of
:20:31. > :20:35.the Commonwealth were never needed more to assert global outcomes and
:20:36. > :20:44.Strouss in the richness of her human identities. The creation of the
:20:45. > :20:48.modern Commonwealth was one of the greatest acts of statesmanship and
:20:49. > :20:53.collective faith in the 20th century.
:20:54. > :21:00.It's justified the faith by the whiches Dom and contribution it's
:21:01. > :21:06.brought to the world we share. Freedom and diversity makes it a
:21:07. > :21:15.template for the world and gives it its healing touch.
:21:16. > :21:25.The conviction of the Commonwealth is, and the human community, is
:21:26. > :21:36.indevisible. All societies, irrespective of size, have an equal
:21:37. > :21:45.right to A Place In The Sun. The eagle to soar needs all its
:21:46. > :21:49.feathers. We need to pledge ourselves afresh to uphold an serve
:21:50. > :21:56.the values of the fellowship of the Commonwealth.
:21:57. > :21:58.We affirm that every person possesses unique worth and dignity.
:21:59. > :22:02.We affirm our respect for nature, and that we will be stewards
:22:03. > :22:06.of the earth by caring for every part of it,
:22:07. > :22:11.We affirm our belief in justice for everyone,
:22:12. > :22:13.and peace between peoples and nations.
:22:14. > :22:17.Joining together in kinship and affinity as members of one
:22:18. > :22:21.worldwide Commonwealth family, we celebrate this great global good,
:22:22. > :22:28.the value it adds for all humanity, and the encouragement we each
:22:29. > :22:33.receive as members of "An Inclusive Commonwealth".
:22:34. > :22:37.We cherish the spirit of teamwork that inspires us,
:22:38. > :22:42.and the ties of friendship that enable us to work with one another
:22:43. > :22:46.towards creating just and peaceful societies,
:22:47. > :22:51.achieving sustainable and inclusive social progress,
:22:52. > :22:55.advancing democracy, and building economic resilience
:22:56. > :22:57.with prosperity in which all citizens can share.
:22:58. > :23:01.We affirm our belief in the Commonwealth as a force
:23:02. > :23:09.for good in the world, and pledge ourselves to its service,
:23:10. > :23:30.Following that collective act of affirmation to the Commonwealth, the
:23:31. > :23:34.final hymn, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.
:23:35. > :23:43.# Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down,
:23:44. > :24:03.# Fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown!
:24:04. > :24:17.# Jesus thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art,
:24:18. > :24:34.# Visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.
:24:35. > :24:44.# Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit into every troubled breast!
:24:45. > :24:49.# Let us all in thee inherit, let us find that second rest.
:24:50. > :24:54.# Come, Almighty to deliver, let us all thy life receive,
:24:55. > :25:07.# Suddenly return and never, nevermore thy temples leave.
:25:08. > :25:19.# Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above,
:25:20. > :25:28.# Pray and praise thee without ceasing,
:25:29. > :25:48.# Finish, then, thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be.
:25:49. > :26:01.# Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in thee,
:26:02. > :26:17.# From glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
:26:18. > :26:28.# Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder,
:26:29. > :26:52.Unto God's gracious mercy and protection
:26:53. > :26:59.The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine
:27:00. > :27:02.upon you, and be gracious unto you.
:27:03. > :27:05.The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you,
:27:06. > :27:10.and give you peace, and the blessing of God
:27:11. > :27:14.almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
:27:15. > :27:17.Spirit, be among you and remain with you
:27:18. > :28:43.MUSIC: Allegro Maestoso from Sonata in G Op 28 by Edward Elgar
:28:44. > :28:48.The Commonwealth flag comes into the centre of the Abbey for the final
:28:49. > :28:57.procession at the end of this service. It's carried by the vice
:28:58. > :29:07.chair of the Commonwealth Youth Council. And the Commonwealth mace
:29:08. > :29:10.is being carried by the Chair of the Commonwealth Youth Council from
:29:11. > :29:14.Malaysia who told me before the service that, not only did he
:29:15. > :29:19.consider it a great honour to be carrying the mace, which is only
:29:20. > :29:22.used on important Commonwealth occasions, but that, as the chair of
:29:23. > :29:26.the Commonwealth Youth Council and having this role close to the Queen
:29:27. > :29:31.in this procession, he thinks it's symbolic of the youth of the
:29:32. > :29:34.Commonwealth, the fact that so many of the citizens of these 53
:29:35. > :29:45.countries are so young. Dr Sue Onslow has been watching the
:29:46. > :29:50.service with me and, the Queen's been to many of these Commonwealth
:29:51. > :29:55.Day services. What did you make of this one?
:29:56. > :30:00.The Queen has led by example, she's called before for the Commonwealth
:30:01. > :30:03.to use deeds, as well as words. These were fine words. There is a
:30:04. > :30:09.positive energy now about the Commonwealth. It needs to put into
:30:10. > :30:13.practise what Kofi Annan called for in support for human rights and
:30:14. > :30:17.democracy. A sense of the Commonwealth is a force for good,
:30:18. > :30:24.those were the words we heard today. Absolutely. As an organisation that
:30:25. > :30:27.permits people -- promotes people working together, stresses their
:30:28. > :30:31.humanity and shared values. It's an added organisation in that it makes
:30:32. > :30:35.people feel better about each other and in today's Dwighteded world,
:30:36. > :30:40.that's only for the good -- divided world. It's a knew nook association
:30:41. > :30:43.of states. What do they get out of it, this is a network? Very much a
:30:44. > :30:47.network. The Commonwealth doesn't have a large development budget, its
:30:48. > :30:52.heads only meet every couple of years, but it's that very network,
:30:53. > :30:55.the interconnectedness that we can definitely exploit, particularly in
:30:56. > :30:58.this digital age. How much does it depend on what the Queen's done and
:30:59. > :31:04.what younger members of the Royal Family have done in making that
:31:05. > :31:13.effort to travel to these distant parts of the globe? As the Duke of
:31:14. > :31:26.Cambridge said, he said he sees the family as an ideal. Its informality
:31:27. > :31:29.is key, can you ever card. The future of the Commonwealth. What
:31:30. > :31:34.will the General Secretary bring to the role? A Unique contribution, a
:31:35. > :31:39.woman, a child of the Commonwealth, born in the Caribbean and educated
:31:40. > :31:43.and achieved her professional standing here in England. I think
:31:44. > :31:46.that, as I said, there is a positive energy about the Commonwealth going
:31:47. > :31:50.forward, but he needs the support of key heads and can't do it all by
:31:51. > :31:55.herself. The heads of Government. Well, the Queen is nearly at the
:31:56. > :32:01.door of the Abbey now and is meeting the performers who we met during the
:32:02. > :32:06.service -- saw during the service, Ellie Goulding she sang after the
:32:07. > :32:07.service and also sang at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of
:32:08. > :32:22.Cambridge. Waiting to greet the Queen is the
:32:23. > :32:25.lady who delivered the powerful reflection of her experience of
:32:26. > :32:30.racism in a Commonwealth country and in the presence Sue, of her own
:32:31. > :32:35.Prime Minister. It was a strong and dignified message and I was watching
:32:36. > :32:40.Dr Muscat's face as she was delivering it. He was listening
:32:41. > :32:44.intently. It is a reminder of the battles that some of the
:32:45. > :32:48.marginalised communities within this Commonwealth feel and how relevant
:32:49. > :32:53.that theme of an inclusive Commonwealth is. Absolutely, she was
:32:54. > :32:56.highlighting the day-to-day lived experiences and this was an
:32:57. > :33:00.extraordinary celebration of inclusivity in the Commonwealth. I
:33:01. > :33:04.was also struck by the particularly strong contribution from the Muslim
:33:05. > :33:07.community here which was very pleasing to see. Well sh the Dean of
:33:08. > :33:12.Westminster is standing with the Queen. He is pointing her in the
:33:13. > :33:17.direction of the role of honour of civilian war dead from the Second
:33:18. > :33:27.World War. It is seven leather bound volumes in a case just by the Abbey
:33:28. > :33:31.door. More than 60,000 civilian fatalities between 1939 and 1945,
:33:32. > :33:37.their names are listed in the volumes and the Queen has paused to
:33:38. > :33:42.have a look as she prepares to leave the Abbey. Other members of the
:33:43. > :33:48.Royal Family are still in that line of people who are saying farewell to
:33:49. > :33:55.them as they leave at the end of this Commonwealth Day service. The
:33:56. > :34:00.flags that we saw process out of the Abbey are now outside and they've
:34:01. > :34:07.lined up behind the choir. We will see them in a moment, but there is
:34:08. > :34:18.the Queen receiving one of the many bouquets of flowers she will have
:34:19. > :34:26.had during her reign. And there are members of the choir waiting to
:34:27. > :34:30.greet her at the end this. James O'Donnell, the organist and master
:34:31. > :34:36.of the choristers who directed the choir today. He has been presented
:34:37. > :34:49.to the Queen. She is talking to stop to him for a moment about the
:34:50. > :34:54.service. The Abbey choristers who played such a special role. At the
:34:55. > :34:57.end of the line two of the senior choristers are waiting to give Her
:34:58. > :35:04.Majesty an early birthday present. They are giving her a framed picture
:35:05. > :35:14.of her horse. It was called Choir Boy and it won the Royal Hunt Cup at
:35:15. > :35:19.Ascot on 17th June 1953. Rather appropriately Your Winning Choir Boy
:35:20. > :35:26.it says in that race from 1953. These two boys are in their final
:35:27. > :35:33.year in the Abbey Choir School. They are 13 and this is their final year
:35:34. > :35:41.at the Abbey and the last they will be singing in before they leave. Dr
:35:42. > :35:50.Sue Onslow, this is rather special because it is just before the
:35:51. > :35:53.Queen's 90th birthday celebrations. There were so many symbols of the
:35:54. > :35:57.Commonwealth woven throughout the service, the flowers from all over
:35:58. > :36:00.the Commonwealth, picking up the colours in the Commonwealth flag.
:36:01. > :36:06.The choice of readings to emphasise the shared values of the different
:36:07. > :36:12.faiths within the Commonwealth. Dr Sue Onslow from the Institute of
:36:13. > :36:26.Commonwealth Studies, thank you very much. Thank you.
:36:27. > :36:34.BELLS PEEL So the Queen is just leaving the
:36:35. > :36:38.Abbey, this Commonwealth Day Service has come to an end. Other members of
:36:39. > :36:45.the Royal Family have been here with her. It is the first of the Queen's
:36:46. > :36:49.90th birthday events. The next will be on her birthday itself, 21st
:36:50. > :36:53.April when she will be celebrating in Windsor. And there will be a
:36:54. > :36:56.special programme to mark that occasion here on BBC One. For now,
:36:57. > :37:06.from Westminster Abbey, goodbye.