40th Anniversary Symposium on Commonwealth Institutions
24 June 2005
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| Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon at the special 40th Anniversary Symposium. |
A special 40th Anniversary Symposium on 'The Commonwealth Institutions in a Globalised World: Reflections on Four Decades' was held at the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) in London, UK, on 24 June 2005 to commemorate the setting-up of the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Foundation in 1965.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, who opened the event, said the diversity of the Commonwealth is one of the foundations on which the association of 53 nations across the globe has been able to build for political, economic and social development.
"One of the greatest strengths is the sheer diversity of the Commonwealth. You can carry forward so many things you couldn't otherwise do if you were merely representing a regional body or single sovereign state," the Secretary-General remarked.
"The Secretariat very much symbolises the Commonwealth's own multiracial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and very resolutely egalitarian make-up."
Mr McKinnon said the work of the Secretariat, set up in June 1965, was to meet the needs and aspirations of the people of the Commonwealth. This included development and democracy, which were inseparable.
"You cannot necessarily get a development you want or aspire to if you are ignoring democracy, ignoring the genuine wishes of the people who want to have a say in that particular country."
The Secretary-General stated that the Commonwealth has been working to promote socio-economic development among its member states since 1971 with the launch of the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC), which provides technical assistance to developing member countries. He said Commonwealth governments were being encouraged to contribute more to the CFTC.
Trade is one area of Commonwealth concern, particularly for its developing members, many of which are small states that are vulnerable to globalisation and the impact on their competitiveness. Mr McKinnon stated that developed nations should play a major role in promoting free and fair trade. Referring to the G8 meeting in Gleneagles, UK, in July 2005, the Secretary-General noted that the leaders of these developed nations can help make a difference in uplifting the lives of the people in the developing states.
"G8 and other leaders have got to give economic opportunities to the developing world. There has got to be real progress that the people can benefit from. Give poor countries opportunities to trade, which leads to economic development. This can have an effect on the standard of living of the citizens in these poor as well as developing countries."
Mr McKinnon said the Commonwealth and its institutions have been a catalyst for positive change and growth in people's lives for the past 40 years, contributing especially to democracy and development. He emphasised that the Commonwealth will continue to play a respected and meaningful role in the years ahead.
The symposium was sponsored by the RCS, the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit, The Round Table, the Commonwealth Association, the Academic Council on the United Nations System, as well as the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation.
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