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The Queen is Joined By Annie Lennox to Celebrate 'Women as Agents of Change'

On Monday March 14th, Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will mark Commonwealth Day in Westminster Abbey. The theme of the Observance will be 'Women as Agents of Change.'

Singer-songwriter and campaigner, Annie Lennox, will join speakers including Zambian-born economist, Dr Dambisa Moyo to draw attention to the achievements of women across the Commonwealth whilst highlighting how much remains to be done to achieve true equality. Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy will read a poem specially commissioned for the Observance, called *A Commonwealth Blessing for Girls.

Britain's largest annual inter-faith gathering, the Observance will also be attended by the current Commonwealth Chairperson-in-office, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of Trinidad and Tobago, and more than 1,000 school children.

On the same day, an ambitious new venture designed to build a unique digital legacy into Her Majesty The Queen's 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations will be launched.

The Commonwealth Jubilee Time Capsule will see people - young and old - from across the Commonwealth contribute their memories of a particular day from the last sixty years. Their stories and images together will create a unique people's history of the Commonwealth. The best entries - one for each of the 21,915 days in the last sixty years - will be sealed into the capsule as a gift to Her Majesty in 2012.

Commonwealth Day

In 2011, Commonwealth organisations are focusing on the theme 'Women as Agents of Change', recognising that, by investing in women and girls, we can accelerate social, economic and political progress. The theme is being celebrated on Commonwealth Day, Monday 14th March 2011. This annual event is an opportunity to promote understanding on global issues, international cooperation and the work of the Commonwealth's organisations which aim to improve the lives of its citizens. **

To mark Commonwealth Day, the Royal Commonwealth Society (on behalf of the Council of Commonwealth Societies) organises an Observance at Westminster Abbey. www.commonwealthday.org

The Commonwealth Jubilee Time Capsule: *is an initiative from the Royal Commonwealth Society, supported by technology partners, Capsool. The Commonwealth Jubilee Time Capsule will be open to entries from 14th March 2011. www.jubileetimecapsule.org

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 at the Commonwealth Club 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. The RCS is a registered charity in England and Wales. (226748). www.thercs.org

On Commonwealth Day, the Royal Commonwealth Society, working in partnership with development NGO Plan, will publish new research exploring the best and worst places in the Commonwealth to be born a girl. Because You're a Girl: Growing Up in the Commonwealth will be available to download from www.thercs.org/society/research.

The Commonwealth: The modern Commonwealth was established with 8 members in 1949. In 2011, it has 54 members with a total population of nearly 2 billion. It is a voluntary association of governments and peoples, built around shared language, institutions, challenges, aspirations and values. Commonwealth countries work together to promote common values: democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all.

The Queen is Head of the Commonwealth. For further information, see http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Overview.aspx