City flag ceremony to mark Commonwealth Day

The Highland Council will be joining other local authorities, community groups and charities around the country in marking Commonwealth Day, for the first time, with the raising of 500 Commonwealth flags at 10am.

The event in Inverness, which starts at 9.45am on the Town House steps, will be hosted by Provost Alex Graham.  During the ceremony he will be reading a specially written Commonwealth Affirmation and a message of good wishes from Her Majesty The Queen in both English and Gaelic. He will be joined by representatives from the 3 Scots infantry battalion based in Fort George, the Inverness branch of the Royal British Legion and the Head Boys and Head Girls from Inverness High School, Inverness Royal Academy and Charleston Academy.

Provost Alex Graham said: “I’m delighted that The Highland Council will be part of a historic moment to truly dedicate Commonwealth Day and everything the Commonwealth stands for. This will be the largest, single, raising of the Commonwealth Flag in the history of the Commonwealth.”

This new initiative enables local communities to join others nationwide in associating themselves with widespread public expression of commitment to the Commonwealth, appreciation of the values it stands for, and the opportunities offered to its citizens around the world.

Charity teams will be marking the day by taking Commonwealth Flags to the top of the UK's four highest National Peaks and will use the occasion to raise funds for their worthy causes: Cancer Research UK - Scafell Pike, England; Help for Heroes - Ben Nevis, Scotland; Walking with the Wounded - Mount Snowdon, Wales; and Fields of Life - Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland.

ENDS