Past Event – A commonwealth Wide Perspective-communicating with overseas branches of the Royal Commonwealth Society April 2024

The BCA, a Royal Commonwealth Society branch, has endeavoured to engage with a small number of overseas commonwealth branches (there are 60 of them in total) over the last couple of years without too much success.

More recently, our Education group, suggested we write to all of those who had an email address; this we did in April 2024. Herewith is the content of that communication.

“Dear Sirs

I write to you as Chairman of the Birmingham (England) Commonwealth Association, like your association/society, affiliated to the Royal Commonwealth Society in London.

It is my and our wish to engage with your organisation from time to time albeit if only on line as we try to do with your High Commission in London.

Our association (BCA) is quite young having only been established just over 10 years ago and continues, with passion and commitment to fly the commonwealth flag in the city and beyond.

Birmingham is the UK’s 2^nd second city; it is a super diverse city with its ethnic minorities comprising 51.4% of its 1.2 million population, the largest group within this figure being of Asian descent. After Asia, Africa and the Caribbean are the next largest groups. Clearly, the city has significant ties with overseas commonwealth nations; the contribution by the its commonwealth diaspora must be equally significant across business, culture, academia, politics, the arts, sport, diplomacy, religion, charities, youth and community. The common values which the Commonwealth community share is to be celebrated.

Birmingham is one of the top 10 ‘best student cities’ in the UK. Based upon a BCA commissioned report in 2016 as to the economic contribution made to the city by overseas students, the contribution of overseas Commonwealth students, representing nearly 25% of student numbers, amounted to almost £100m per year. This is a significant figure benefiting the city’s businesses and providing a pool of excellent and well-educated local talent. Current indications suggest that overseas commonwealth students now represent circa 30% in the city.

The BCA is Birmingham’s principal Commonwealth organisation engaging across a range of areas for the good of the city in the spirit of partnership and collaboration. Commonwealth Day is the one day in the year when we all come together, including here in Birmingham, to celebrate amongst other things the unity of vision and common commitment to peace and justice in an increasingly polarised world.

We have had the honour of organising the city’s Commonwealth Day celebrations, to include a Cathedral multi faith service and a grand dinner in the evening, for a number of years now with guests including the city’s Lord Mayor, Lord Lieutenant, City Council leadership and senior figures across the business and academic communities (5 universities and a number of important colleges).

As you will be aware, in 2022 Birmingham had the honour of hosting the Commonwealth games leaving a fantastic legacy. It is a vibrant city being just over an hour away from London by train and is currently benefiting from substantial investment in its infrastructure creating jobs and wealth.

As an association, the BCA has three areas of Commonwealth focus:

Diaspora

Students/Education

Trade

albeit subject to resource constraints, we do not shy away from engaging with other initiatives if approached by other organisations should they have a commonwealth theme/connection.

You may like to have a look at our website to find out more about us.

We do hope to hear back from you and perhaps hear about some of the things your society are doing.

Kind regards

Keith Stokes-Smith

As at 12 May we have received responses from Cameron, India, Uganda, Hong Kong and whilst not overseas, Wales.