Two Manx students were in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen when they joined more than 1000 schoolchildren, the UK Prime Minister the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, London-based High Commissioners and distinguished guests in a multi-faith celebration in Westminster Abbey to observe this year’s Commonwealth Day.
23-year-olds Abby Dixon from St Judes and Kirsty Renshaw from Crosby were selected by the Isle of Man branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to join other young people nominated by CPA branches throughout the UK to attend the celebrations, the 2012 theme for which was Connecting Cultures, illustrated through music and dance to demonstrate the Commonwealth’s ‘extraordinary cultural tapestry’ as referred to by Her Majesty in her Commonwealth Day message.
Ms Dixon said: ‘It was a fantastic day and an incredible opportunity to meet and network with young representatives from all over the Commonwealth. The atmosphere inside the Abbey was wonderful and the celebratory performances of all kinds a real pleasure to witness.’
The pair also attended presentations led by UK and visiting parliamentarians that dealt with issues affecting the Commonwealth and focused on the CPA’s work in promoting parliamentary democracy. The day concluded with a reception in the presence of Her Majesty at Marlborough House in Pall Mall, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma.
Ms Dixon, a former pupil at The Buchan School, is reading for an MSc in migration, mobility and development at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), while former King William’s College student Ms Renshaw is reading law at BPP law school, London.
CPA Isle of Man branch chairman Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘I am pleased that Abby and Kirsty found the experience memorable and were able to witness something of the scale, scope and diversity of the Commonwealth, a body of nations working to share experience and knowledge and strengthen its ties of citizenship.’
