The Borough of Douglas will be among communities across the Commonwealth supporting ‘Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth 2016’ on Commonwealth Day, Monday March 14 when at 10am the Mayor of Douglas Councillor Sara Hackman will raise the Commonwealth flag in the garden adjacent to Douglas Town Hall at the corner of Lower Ridgeway Street and Lord Street.

The mayor, who will be joined by members of the council and senior officers, will then read the Commonwealth affirmation which articulates the commitment of member nations.

This year’s theme for Commonwealth Day is ‘An Inclusive Commonwealth’ to celebrate the diversity of the Commonwealth family of nations and is integral to raising awareness of the Commonwealth’s enduring relevance in a changing world.

On March 14 more than 850 Commonwealth flags will be raised in locations throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK Overseas Territories, and Commonwealth countries.

Now in its third year the flag-raising ceremony serves as an occasion to acknowledge publicly and collectively the Commonwealth’s aspiration to uphold shared values and principles of human rights, democracy, tolerance and mutual understanding.

Among Commonwealth communities with which Douglas will be joining are those in the Antarctic Peninsula, Belize, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Tonga and Tristan Da Cunha, as well as in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.