A release from the Ministry of External Relations says commemorative activities will start on March 9, 2015.

Cameroon will join the other 52 members of the Commonwealth family on March 12, 2015 in celebrations marking Commonwealth Day 2015. According to a press release issued on February 27, 2015 by the Secretary General of the Ministry of External Relations, Felix Mbayu, the event will take place on the theme, “A Young Commonwealth.”

The release explains that as it is the custom within the organisation, Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday of the month of March each year. Thus, this year’s edition is on March 9, 2015. However, due to other major events taking place in Cameroon within the same period, commemorative activities will be organised throughout the national territory from Monday, March 9, 2015 and will culminate with the celebration proper on Thursday, March 12, 2015 in Yaounde under the patronage of the Ministry of External Relations.

In collaboration with the Basic Education and Secondary Education ministries, an essay competition will be organised in the 10 Regions on topics related to the theme of the celebration. Equally, media activities, a Commonwealth quiz on CRTV National Station, a Sports Walk at the May 20 Boulevard, a “Commonwealth Village” Exhibition as well as a Conference at the Ministry of External Relations on subthemes dwelling on the theme, will also be major highlights of the event that will end with an official closing ceremony at the Ministry of External Relations.

Within the Commonwealth, people aged 29 or under constitute the bulk of the population and play a pivotal role in sustainable development and democracy. Hence, the theme, “A Young Commonwealth” which, according to the release, aims at acknowledging their capacity, contribution and potential in achieving sustainable development, especially given that the world is poised to define a new global development framework in 2015.