GEORGE TOWN (Friday, 27 February 2015) – The Cayman Islands Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society is preparing to celebrate Commonwealth Day, which will be observed and celebrated on Monday, 9 March 2015.

The theme is “A Young Commonwealth”, and the focus will be on young people. Cayman Islands schools have been invited to participate in the 2015 Essay Competition which has the same theme. The results will be announced in September 2015. On Commonwealth Day, schools will join to share in morning assemblies, view schools’ exhibitions, flag parade, or story telling with students dressing up as their counterparts from other countries of the Commonwealth.

The annual meeting of the Cayman Islands Youth Parliament will also be held on Commonwealth Day. The youth parliament debates are organized by the Cayman Islands branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and give high school students the opportunity to act as members of the Legislative Assembly for a day. This year, they will debate two motions – one dealing with an amendment to the Sunday Trading Law to allow more Sunday trading, and the other which deals with a mentoring programme in the public high schools.

The Commonwealth Day service will be held at the Saint George’s Anglican Church, commencing at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, 8 March 2015. Uniformed groups and schools will attend the service, and participate in a colourful display of the flags of the Commonwealth member countries. The sermon will be delivered by the Rev. Tara Tyme-Campbell – Minister of the John Gray United Church, West Bay. The Choir of the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), the UCCI ensemble and the violin ensemble from the primary schools will render musical selections.
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Immediately after the service there will be a Garden Reception, during which the UCCI Steel Band will entertain guests. All are invited to attend the service, particularly nationals of Commonwealth member countries who are resident in or visiting the Cayman Islands.

About the Royal Commonwealth Society:
The RCS is the oldest and largest civil society organisation devoted to the Commonwealth. Founded in 1868, it conducts a range of events and activities aimed at promoting international understanding. Its educational, youth and cultural programmes include one of the world’s oldest and largest schools essay competitions, and an innovative international youth leadership programme.
Headquartered in London, the RCS has some 4,000 members in the UK, and a presence in over 40 Commonwealth countries through a network of branches and Commonwealth societies.
IMAGE: www.commonwealthflagproject.org