The Royal Commonwealth Society in partnership with the British High Commission will be holding a Commonwealth Conversation Forum to discuss the future of the Commonwealth on 27th October at the British Council in Nairobi at 1600hrs. The event aims to gather opinions in Kenya on the Commonwealth which will help shape its future priorities and objectives.

The event will include participants from civil society, government, diplomats from Commonwealth countries and youth organisations.  

It will be moderated by Maina Kiai and speakers will include the British High Commissioner, Rob Macaire, Dr. Joe Sang, Principal Director Commonwealth and Europe in the- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and James Foster the Chairman of the Royal Commonwealth Society - Nairobi branch.

The forum is part of the wider Commonwealth Conversation campaign, a global consultation launched in July by the Royal Commonwealth Society to engage Commonwealth citizens around the world in a discussion about the future of the Commonwealth. .Kenyans and other Commonwealth citizens are being urged to contribute to the debate through the website: www.thecommonwealthconversation.org. Via the website, online discussion forums, focus groups, opinion polling and events around the world, the consultation will generate ideas to revitalise the Commonwealth for the 21st Century and ensure it remains relevant and effective to its peoples and their shared concerns.   Findings from the consultation will be presented to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago in November..

Notes for Editors

The Nairobi event will look to gather opinions on the role of the Commonwealth review its strengths and weaknesses, including its past objectives and discuss ideas for its future focus.

The modern Commonwealth was established with 8 member countries in 1949.  It currently has 53 members, and its citizens comprise almost a third of the total world population, with half of them under 25.  The Commonwealth is an association of governments and peoples, built around a shared language, institutions, challenges, aspirations and values. 

 The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), founded in 1968, is the oldest and largest civil society organization devoted to the Commonwealth.   The RCS conducts a range of events and activities aimed at promoting international understanding.   The RCS has a presence in some 40 Commonwealth countries through a network of branches and Commonwealth Societies.

The Commonwealth’s 60th birthday in 2009 and the November CHOGM in Trinidad & Tobago offer the perfect opportunity for the RCS to listen to the views of the peoples of the Commonwealth and to assess how the organization can add value in the years to come.   To generate a global dialogue with as many citizens as possible about the future of the Commonwealth, the RCS launched the “Commonwealth Conversation” on July 2009, alongside the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband.  At the launch results of opinion polls to test public awareness of the Commonwealth in selected countries were presented, and the UK published paper outlining its priorities for strengthening the Commonwealth.  To watch a video of the launch, read the UK’s position paper and join in the conversation, log on to www.thecommonwealthconversation.org.  

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