Commonwealth’s significance is greater than ever says His Excellency Paul Turner
The British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner addressed Form Four students at King George VI School during Commonwealth Day celebrations on March 9.
He highlighted that the Commonwealth’s significance is greater than ever.
He delivered remarks to students regarding the contemporary significance of the Commonwealth, emphasizing the enduring relationship between the Solomon Islands and the United Kingdom, which is founded on over a century of shared history.
Mr. Turner addressed the students of King George VI School, providing an overview of the Commonwealth’s historical development.
He said whilst the Commonwealth had emerged from the former British Empire, it was today a free association of 56 sovereign states, covering a third of the world’s population, all of which had a shared history and language.
In a short ceremony, a plaque of the late Queen Elizabeth II was presented to girls at the school, a fitting tribute to it also being International Women’s Day this week.
Turner outlined the modern challenges facing the Commonwealth, including working together on climate change and safeguarding human rights and democracy.
He alluded to ‘certain countries’ moving in a direction of ‘might is right’ and said multilateral organisations such as the Commonwealth and UN were more important than ever in restoring international consensus and counterbalancing dominant powers.
The High Commissioner said the Commonwealth had its own “special character” as a “bridge” between different regions of the world, between large countries and small island states.
Solomon Islands Foreign Minister, Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka is in London this week at the Commonwealth Foreign Minister’s conference and Turner said he agreed with the Foreign Minister that the Commonwealth should step up its presence in the Pacific.
This week, the British High Commission in Honiara marked Commonwealth Day by visiting King George Sixth School and Florence Young Christian School.
They spoke with Form 4 students about the Commonwealth, discussing its purpose and significance for Solomon Islands as a member state.
High Commissioner Turner awarded the Commonwealth Walkway medal to both educational institutions, officially including them in the Honiara Commonwealth Walkway.
– BHC Press
