Gennaio 2024 | A future model for prosperity or a modern version of colonialism?

A future model for prosperity or a modern version of colonialism?

The Commonwealth of Nations, often simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is an international association of fifty-six member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire from which it developed. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations among member states. Numerous and varied organisations are associated with and operate within the Commonwealth.

 

The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories. The current head of the Commonwealth is Charles III. He is king of 15 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 36 other members are republics, and five others have different monarchs.

 

Member states have no legal obligations to one another but are connected through their use of the English language and historical-cultural ties. Citizenship of a Commonwealth country affords benefits in some member countries, particularly in the United Kingdom. The Commonwealth Charter defines their shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, as promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games.

 

The criteria for membership of the Commonwealth of Nations have developed over time from a series of separate documents. The Statute of Westminster in 1931, as a fundamental founding document of the organisation, laid out that membership required dominionhood. The 1949 London Declaration ended this, allowing republican and indigenous monarchic members. The 14 points of the 1971 Singapore Declaration dedicated all members to the principles of world peace, liberty, human rights, equality, and free trade.

 

The Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event, is held every four years; the 2018 Commonwealth Games were held in Gold Coast, Australia, and 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham; the 2026 Commonwealth Games are currently without a host. As well as the usual athletic disciplines, as at the Summer Olympic Games, the games include sports particularly popular in the Commonwealth, such as bowls, netball, and rugby sevens. Started in 1930 as the Empire Games, the games were founded on the Olympic model of amateurism, but were deliberately designed to be “the Friendly Games”, with the goal of promoting relations between Commonwealth countries and celebrating their shared sporting and cultural heritage.

 

Glossary:

to date back: risalire a

decolonisation: decolonizzazione

current: attuale

a tie: un legame

a charter: un atto costitutivo

the rule of law: lo stato di diritto

quadrennial: quadriennale (che accade o ricorre ogni quattro anni)

criteria: (plurale della parola criterium): criteri

over time: col passare del tempo

to lay out: (in questo contesto) esporre

dominionhood: la condizione di avere dominio su un territorio; sovranità; (in questo contesto) di essere sotto il dominio della corona britannica.

indigenous: (in questo contesto) locale, del posto

to hold: (in questo contesto) tenere (uno show, evento o conferenza)

host: (in questo contesto) luogo o città che ospita un evento sportivo

bowls: il gioco delle bocce

netball: il netball è uno sport di squadra simile alla pallacanestro, giocato da due squadre composte da sette giocatori.

rugby sevens: il gioco di squadra “rugby a sette”, che è una variante di quello a quindici membri in squadra

amateurism: dilettantismo

deliberately: intenzionalmente; fatto a posta

 

What is the Commonwealth?