As a part of the lead up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the Commonwealth Youth Forum in London, young people from across the UK met the Prime Minister and Lord Ahmad, Minister of State for the Commonwealth, this morning in celebration of Commonwealth Day. The reception, which took place at 10 Downing Street, was hosted by UK Young Ambassador to the Commonwealth, Namir Chowdhury.
During the reception, which was organised by the British Youth Council and the Cabinet Office, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of young people being “at the heart” of the summit. Young people present were able to ask Lord Ahmad a series of questions prior to joining Her Majesty the Queen and other distinguished guests for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey. Issues including deepening the relationship with Commonwealth nations, expanding young people’s understanding of the Commonwealth and LGBT+ rights were discussed.
Representatives from Children in Wales, Girlguiding, The Scout Association, UK Youth Parliament, National Union of Students (NUS), Northern Ireland Youth Forum and National Citizen Service were present at the celebration.
Namir Chowdhury, UK Young Ambassador to the Commonwealth said “It has been a pleasure to mark Commonwealth Day alongside the Prime Minister. It really is imperative that we work together to forge a future that is prosperous for young people across the Commonwealth.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting young people from across the nations at the Commonwealth Youth Forum. It will be interesting to hear a wide range of views ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.”
The Commonwealth Youth Forum is held as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). This year will be hosted by the UK government, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the British Youth Council as the national youth council of the UK.
The Forum will bring together young people from across the Commonwealth to exchange ideas and share their experiences, build their networks and skills. During the event, delegates will discuss current global challenges and opportunities that face young people in the Commonwealth and provide policy recommendations to help solve these issues.