Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi To Join HM The Queen For Commonwealth Day Observance At Westminster Abbey

On Monday 9 March, Her Majesty The Queen and Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of Cambridge will attend the annual Commonwealth Day Observance in Westminster Abbey. The Observance will celebrate the 2015 Commonwealth theme 'A Young Commonwealth'.

Speakers will include international child rights' activist and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Kailash Satyarthi; Queen's Young Leader and charity worker for Ebola orphans, PJ Cole; and Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP, the first female Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh.

The multi award-winning South African a cappella group, The Soil will perform and Indian poet, Sharanya Manivannan will read a new poem, commissioned for Commonwealth Day.

Nearly 1,000 children will attend the Observance, Britain's largest annual inter-faith gathering. Each young person present in the Abbey – including those presenting posies to The Queen and The Duchesses – have taken part in the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition or are from schools or youth groups with Commonwealth links.

A Commemoration Ceremony at Memorial Gates, Constitutional Hill will precede this year's Observance. Wreaths will be laid in memory of the five million men and women from across the Commonwealth who served with the Armed Forces during the First and Second World Wars.

Commonwealth Day is marked annually on the second Monday in March. It is a celebration of the Commonwealth's rich diversity and an opportunity to promote understanding on global issues, international cooperation and the work of Commonwealth civil society organisations. In 2015, Commonwealth organisations are focusing on the theme 'A Young Commonwealth', recognising the capacity, contribution and potential of young people, particularly in 2015 when the world will define a new global development framework.

Celebrations to mark Commonwealth Day take place around the world. The Observance at Westminster Abbey in London is organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, on behalf of the Council of Commonwealth Societies.www.thercs.org

The Commemoration Ceremony due to take place prior to the Observance at Memorial Gates, Constitutional Hill will focus particularly on the engagement at Neuve Chapelle in 1915 and the 70th anniversary of VJ Day. Representatives of the Light Calvary of the Honourable Artillery Company will be present and musical input will be provided by the Coldstream Guards Band. The Rt Revd and Rt Hon the Lord Bishop of London will give an address.

The Queen's Young Leaders Programme is a new initiative established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society in recognition of The Queen's lifetime of service to the Commonwealth. Over the next four years the Programme will support thousands of young people. In addition to the Queen's Young Leaders Awards, the Programme will provide grants to support organisations, in selected countries across the Commonwealth, that work with young people to transform their lives.www.queensyoungleaders.com

The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world's oldest schools' international English language writing competition. Run by the Royal Commonwealth Society for 132 years, it promotes the values of the modern Commonwealth, celebrates and nurtures the creative talents of young people and provides a platform for students to share ideas with their peers in the Commonwealth's 53 nations. The Essay Competition is run in partnership with Cambridge University Press. www.thercs.org/youth/competition/

The Royal Commonwealth Society is a network of individuals and organisations committed to improving the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens across the world. Through youth empowerment, education and advocacy, the Royal Commonwealth Society promotes the value and the values of the Commonwealth, championing human rights, democracy and sustainable development across its 53 member states. Founded in 1868, the Society is constituted by Royal Charter and as a charity. www.thercs.org

The modern Commonwealth was established with 8 members in 1949. In 2015, it has 53 members with a combined population of 2.2 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 www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/Overview.aspx