70 YEARS ON: MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS
70 YEARS ON: MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS
Hon. Carmelo Abela, MP is
Malta’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion. First elected to Parliament in 1996, having served as a local councillor in his hometown of Zejtun, he has held several senior roles in Parliament including Deputy Speaker. He was a Regional Representative for the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region on the CPA International Executive Committee for three years as well as Head of the Maltese Delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and a Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.
On 26 April 2019, the Commonwealth celebrated its 70th Anniversary. On this date in 1949, leaders of the Commonwealth met in London and signed what we refer to as the London Declaration, a simple document, which saw the beginnings of a new Commonwealth redefining its future in the process. At this historic juncture, leaders decided that the British Commonwealth would henceforth be composed of a diverse Commonwealth of Nations, seeking progress by consensus on the basis of a set of shared values, where all members are equal and move forward together – leaving no one behind. I feel privileged to form part of a rich and diverse community of nations as we celebrate an important anniversary of friendship and unity, symbolised by the theme chosen for this year: ‘A Connected Commonwealth’. It is through connectivity that the diversity of our Commonwealth, made up of very different countries spread across the globe, comes together to improve the lives of our peoples and drive our nations forward. Commonwealth members are connected in many ways. As member countries, we are connected through the shared interests of making our nations prosperous. We are bound by our collective commitment to the fundamental values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. With such a diverse union, the Commonwealth is able to look to the future with great confidence
136 | The Parliamentarian | 2019: Issue Two | 100th year of publishing
and optimism as a result of the links that it has forged over the past 70 years, and thanks to this very network of cooperation and mutual support, all member countries are able contribute and profit. We strive constantly to keep up with the changing scenario on the international arena. Today’s Commonwealth is demonstrably resilient, as it manages to keep up with the flux of its societies. This has been no mean feat. With a population of 2.4 billion citizens, sixty percent of which are young people under thirty, we must continue to strive to invest in our societies and the wellbeing of our younger generation through education and civic engagement. It is only through engagement with our younger generations, by connecting and building bridges between our societies, will we genuinely have a connected Commonwealth that can truly deliver the prosperity, security, and stability that our future generation deserves. I am confident that we will all strive to continue to invest in this Commonwealth connection and friendship that has brought us together in the spirit of mutual support and cooperation. Through this connectivity we must also continue to invest in the sustainable growth throughout the Commonwealth. We are doing by subscribing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Commonwealth, by encouraging the protection of our natural environment, promoting trade and business connections not least through the Commonwealth business fora.
“With a population of 2.4 billion citizens, sixty percent of which are young people under thirty, we must continue to strive to invest in our societies and the wellbeing of our younger generation through education and civic engagement. It is only through engagement with our younger generations, by connecting and building bridges between our societies, will we genuinely have a connected Commonwealth that can truly deliver the prosperity, security, and stability that our future generation deserves.”