Citizenship and the Commonwealth The Active Commonwealth ...

IntroductionWhat does citizenship really mean to <strong>the</strong> people of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Commonwealth</strong>?It is possible to take a highly pessimistic view of <strong>the</strong> present, seeing agradual breakdown around <strong>the</strong> world of ‘traditional’ bonds of loyalty<strong>and</strong> community, which leaves people disengaged <strong>and</strong> isolated. Many areunknown, unvalued <strong>and</strong> at odds with societies of which <strong>the</strong>y do not feel apart. Rampant commercialisation has left companies unaccountable to <strong>the</strong>communities in which <strong>the</strong>y operate <strong>and</strong> has made money <strong>the</strong> only measureof value.Yet it is also possible to identify cause for optimism. People are comingtoge<strong>the</strong>r in new ways <strong>and</strong> dem<strong>and</strong>ing more of governments <strong>and</strong> globalinstitutions than ever before. <strong>The</strong>y are dem<strong>and</strong>ing to know <strong>the</strong> reasonswhy decisions were made, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y are dem<strong>and</strong>ing access to informationso <strong>the</strong>y can make informed decisions of <strong>the</strong>ir own. People <strong>and</strong> communitiesare asserting <strong>the</strong>ir right to be consulted <strong>and</strong> to have a say in decisions, aswell as insisting that <strong>the</strong>y must be involved in <strong>the</strong> delivery of projects <strong>and</strong>services if solutions are to be sustainable, understood <strong>and</strong> owned.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Commonwealth</strong>’s vision is one of values ― it is a voluntary associationdedicated to advancing democracy, human rights, <strong>the</strong> rule of law, <strong>and</strong>sustainable development. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Commonwealth</strong> is also a community ofcitizens tied toge<strong>the</strong>r through history, language <strong>and</strong>, above all, sharedhope.All citizens have a right to decide <strong>the</strong>ir own future. This right is ofcourse shared outside <strong>the</strong> <strong>Commonwealth</strong>, but <strong>the</strong> <strong>Commonwealth</strong>has incomparable networks to take forward its vision of democracy <strong>and</strong>development, through a genuine <strong>and</strong> equal partnership between people<strong>and</strong> governments.