‘CREATING STRONGER BONDS’

Barbados joined the rest of the world in celebrating Commonwealth Day yesterday when the Barbados Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society hosted the 40th edition of the Multi-Faith Observance. Worshippers from the Jewish, Bahá’í, Hindu, Muslim and Christian faiths all took part in the service at the Calvary Moravian Church in Roebuck Street, which coincided with the start of the Queen’s Baton Relay.

Moving off from Buckingham Palace yesterday after being handed to former world champion cyclist Anna Meares of Australia by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the baton will make its way through the nations of the Commonwealth. On its way to the Gold Coast, Australia, the baton will make a stop in Barbados on June 10 from St. Lucia before heading to Dominica on June 14.

With this year’s Commonwealth Day theme: “A Peace-Building Commonwealth”, Governor General of Barbados Sir Elliot Belgrave delivered the Commonwealth Day message on behalf of the Queen at yesterday’s service. Noting that the focus was on creating stronger bonds within societies, the Queen, through Belgrave highlighted the way forward.

“Contained within the baton will be a written message that will be opened and read at the Commonwealth Games in Australia next year. However, there is an even more powerful message to be seen and experienced as the baton passes from hand to hand, from seashore to mountaintop, through cities, towns and villages. It is the message of a peace-building Commonwealth. The cornerstones of which peace is founded are, quite simply, respect and understanding for one another. Working together, we build peace by defending the dignity of every individual and community. By upholding justice and the rule of law, and by striving for societies that are fair and offer opportunities for all, we overcome division and find reconciliation, so that the benefits of progress and prosperity may be multiplied and shared,” he said.

President of the Barbados Olympic Association, Steve Stoute, was also in attendance, and drew attention to the fact that the baton will be passing through 71 countries and territories before coming to rest at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Games, during his address. Also mentioning that this relay would be the longest in the history of the Games, travelling for 338 days and 230 000 kilometres, Stoute said that sport remains a prime tool in achieving the goals of further development across the former empire.

“During the 2016 Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Ministers of Sport convened a meeting in Rio to identify and strengthen the use of sports as a tool for achieving better outcomes in the areas of health, education, gender equality and social cohesion across the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games are important vehicles in achieving these lofty aspirations,” he said.