
May 26
Sovereign’s Day /Commonwealth Day (in lieu of 24th May)
Celebrated nationwide as the Queen's birthday. National Sports Council holds horse races in Belize City at the National Stadium and in Orange Walk Town at the People's Stadium. Cycle races are held between Cayo and Belmopan.
Commonwealth or Sovereign’s
Day, as it is known to us today, is
the annual celebration of the
Commonwealth of Nations an
inter-governmental organization
of 54 independent or sovereign
states. The origin of this day
came about in 1884 when
Lord Rosebery, while visiting
Australia (then under British
governance), observed the
changes in the British Empire.
His observation was that some of
its colonies were becoming
increasingly independent. He
was the first to address this issue
and the first to refer to the states
as the “Commonwealth of
Nations” while still under the
British rule. His observation lead
to the first consultation between
Britain and its colonies to
address this emerging need for
independence.
It was not until 1931, however,
that the first 5 colonies became
recognized as the “British
Commonwealth of Nations”.
These nations included Canada,
the United Kingdom, Irish Free
State, Newfoundland, and
the Union of South Africa. In
1946, the ‘British’ was dropped
from the name and the member
states became known officially
as the Commonwealth of
Nations or simply The
Commonwealth. Over the years,
members joined, withdrew
from, and even rejoined the
Commonwealth; but it wasn’t
until 1949 that the international
organization became the modern
Commonwealth we know today.
In 1952, Queen Elizabeth took
her place as the Head of the
Commonwealth of Nations after
the death of her father King
George IV.
Today, biennial meetings are
held with the Commonwealth
Heads of Government, namely
the President or Prime Minister
of each state. Although the
Queen does not attend these
meetings, the purpose of the
meetings remain the same. The
Heads meet for free association,
to promote common values of
democracy, human rights, good
governance, the rule of law, free
trade and even world peace.
Belize joined the
Commonwealth of Nations in the
year of its independence,
1981. Belize is known as a
constitutional monarch within
the Commonwealth. This means
that the Queen is no longer
involved in the country’s daily
governance but still continues to
play a significant role in its
ceremonial and symbolic events.
In the UK, Commonwealth
Day is observed on the 2nd
Monday in March which
is complimented by the Queen’s
speech. In Belize, Commonwealth
Day is also known as
Sovereign’s Day and is observed
on May 24th. This date was
chosen in honor of Queen
Victoria’s birthday. Hence the
official name Sovereign’s Day
which many Belizeans commonly
call the Queen’s Birthday.
The day is recognized as
an official Public & Bank
holiday and is celebrated nation
wide.
Although Commonwealth
Day/Sovereign’s Day in Belize
is mainly considered a
recreational holiday to many
Belizeans, it is important to
recognize and remember that
Belize has come a long way in its
development as an integral
member of the Commonwealth
of Nations.
The Star
