Raising flag for Commonwealth celebrations

Commonwealth flags are to be raised at Lerwick Town Hall and Unst Leisure Centre tomorrow – joining more than 700 events across the globe to celebrate Commonwealth Day.

Good wishes from the Queen as well as secretary general of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, will be read out at every ceremony before the Commonwealth flag is raised.

The first to raise the flag will be the Kingdom of Tonga in Polynesia, 13 hours ahead of UK time.

Meanwhile, for the first time in maritime history, the Commonwealth flag will be raised onboard all cruise ships belonging to the P&O & Cunard Line.

Ex-services organisations will also take part in the capital cities of Commonwealth countries, including in London, led by the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League, and Scouts in The Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Malaysia, Maldives, Republic of Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Samoa, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago are involved.

The Commonwealth flag will be taken to the tops of the four highest national peaks of the United Kingdom – Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis, Mount Snowdon and Slieve Donard.

Malcolm Bell, Shetland Islands Council convener, said: “I am pleased to support this global event that celebrates the diversity and shared positive ideals of the Commonwealth.

“The values of inclusion, democracy and respect are obviously ones we share in Shetland.

“Flying the Commonwealth flag on Commonwealth Day is a symbolic gesture of our collective unity across so many different nations and territories.”

The flags in Shetland will be raised at 10am.