Commonwealth Day
Description:
Despite its official status, Commonwealth Day is not an official holiday in most Commonwealth member states (of which there are currently 53!). In fact, few people know about him. Many people have heard about Empire Day, which started this holiday.
After Queen Victoria's death in 1901, her birthday, May 24, became an annual Empire Day celebration. This day was greeted by family fireworks or large festive bonfires, which many people gathered to see. It gave all Britons living outside the country a sense of pride in belonging to a great nation.
In 1958, Empire Day was renamed Commonwealth Day in accordance with a new post-colonial form of unification of dominions, kingdoms and republics (those that were formerly subordinate to the British crown).
In 1973, the National Council of Canada, in a letter to then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, proposed that Commonwealth Day be held on the same day in all countries. However, the idea was voiced at the Congress of the heads of the Commonwealth only in 1975. The proposal was welcomed, and the Commonwealth Secretariat was instructed to choose a date, preferably without historical connotations. At a regular convention in 1976, held in Canberra, the second Monday in March was proposed (and approved).
Although Commonwealth Day is not widely known, many Commonwealth countries have at least one (official!) holiday dedicated to the monarch's birthday. In Australia, New Zealand and other countries, it is called the Queen’s Birthday. And in Canada and parts of Scotland, the Monday preceding May 24 is still a big holiday known as Victoria Day.