Monday 8th March 2021
Salutations:
A very good morning to you.
Today is the Second Monday in March and this day is traditionally observed in all 54 Member Countries of the Commonwealth as Commonwealth Day. On that day, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth traditionally issues a Commonwealth Day Message to the 2.4 billion people who make up the Commonwealth.
This year Her Majesty focuses on the unprecedented challenge which we in the Commonwealth and in the world have had to confront and continue to be confronted with, that is the COVID 19 Pandemic which has impacted every country in the world, resulting in some 117 million infected cases worldwide and some 2.59 million deaths.
Her Majesty gives special recognition to frontline workers who have been delivering healthcare services to their communities and welcomes the development of new vaccines which provides the greatest hope for stemming the spread of this pandemic We here in Dominica can be proud of our overall success in managing this pandemic, in that our number of infected cases have been very low and to date we have had no deaths as a result of COVID 19. We are also fortunate to have had an early role out of the COVID 19 vaccine and have a duty to ourselves, our loved ones and our children to take advantage of this vaccination roll-out to ensure "herd immunity" for our population as early as possible and to return our lives to normal.
Here now is Her Majesty's Commonwealth Day Message for 2021.
Commonwealth Day Message by Her Majesty the Queen,
Head of the Commonwealth
Monday, 8th March, 2021
"Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming"
Over the coming week, as we celebrate the friendship, spirit of unity and achievements of the Commonwealth, we have an opportunity to reflect on a time like no other.
Whilst experiences of the last year have been different across the Commonwealth, stirring examples of courage, commitment and selfless dedication to duty have been demonstrated in every Commonwealth national and territory, notably by those working on the frontline who have been delivering healthcare and other public services in their communities. We have also taken encouragement from remarkable advances in developing new vaccines and treatments.
The testing times experienced by so many have led to a deeper appreciation of the mutual support and spiritual sustenance we enjoy by being connected to others.
The need to maintain greater physical distance, or to live and work largely in isolation, has, for many people across the Commonwealth, been an unusual experience. In our everyday lives, we have had to become more accustomed to connecting and communicating via innovative technology - which has been new to some of us - with conversations and communal gatherings, including Commonwealth meetings, conducted online, enabling people to stay in touch with friends, family, colleagues and counterparts, who they have not been able to meet in person. Increasingly, we have found ourselves able to enjoy such communication, as it offers an immediacy that transcends boundaries or divisions, helping any sense of distance to disappear.
We have all continued to appreciate the support, breadth of experiences and knowledge that working together brings, and I hope we shall maintain this renewed sense of closeness and community. Looking forward, relationships with others across the Commonwealth will remain important, as we strive to deliver a common future that is sustainable and more secure, so that the nations and neighbourhoods in which we live, wherever they are located, become healthier and happier places for us all.
Posted: 11/03/2021