Seven Wonders of the Commonwealth

Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Seven Wonders of the Commonwealth



In this one-off BBC documentary, shown last night on BBC1 to herald the start of the XXth Commonwealth Games, some of the nation's best-loved presenters travel around the vast Commonwealth to marvel at seven diverse natural wonders and meet some of its 2.3 BILLION citizens..

The Commonwealth - at around twice the size of Russia - spans a quarter of the world's land area and every Continent, including Antarctica; it has a third of the world's people; and its economy, which overtook that of the Eurozone in size in 2012, represents 17% of world GDP.

Some of Britain's best-loved TV presenters - Clare Balding, Denise Lewis, Anita Rani, Dan Snow and Reggie Yates - travel around the Commonwealth, to places as diverse as New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea (all three of which have Elizabeth II as their Head of State), Namibia, the Indian Subcontinent and Britain, to marvel at seven diverse natural wonders of the Commonwealth and meet some of the Commonwealth's 2.3 billion citizens.

They venture to the oldest desert on the planet; the world's most pristine rainforest; the world's greatest waterfall; the largest mangrove swamp; the richest coral reef; and the world's most spectacular fjordland.

The final wonder is found deep in a cave far closer to home.

Along the way they discover what it means to part of the Commonwealth today.

Watch it here: BBC iPlayer - Seven Wonders of the Commonwealth
 
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Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Spade said:
Wonder why there is still a Commonwealth.
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Leave it then. Nobody's forcing Canada to be in it.

And as you leave, there are still many countries queuing up to join, so you won't be missed too much.

Rwanda, which was never part of the British Empire, was admitted as the Commonwealth's 54th Member State in 2009. Japan has been applying to join.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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captain morgan said:
Like many/most other nations that were part of that deal, they (we) have all essentially left
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There are 54 member states of the Commonwealth, with Rwanda (never a part of the British Empire) becoming its 54th member in 2009 and with many countries still waiting to join.

Canada joined the Commonwealth on 11th December 1931 and has been a full participating member ever since.

There is nothing to stop Canada leaving (the reason you haven't shows that Canada values its membership), but Canada leaving the Commonwealth will in no way affect the Commonwealth and its existence. The Commonwealth will continue, and grow, regardless. Rwanda joined in 2009 and Japan, which is an associate member, is also looking to become a full member.
 
Spade

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Blackleaf said:
Leave it then. Nobody's forcing Canada to be in it.

And as you leave, there are still many countries queuing up to join, so you won't be missed too much.

Rwanda, which was never part of the British Empire, was admitted as the Commonwealth's 54th Member State in 2009. Japan has been applying to join.
Click to expand...

Perhaps Nigeria and Pakistan would mourn our departure?
Sure, let Japan take our place.
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Spade said:
Perhaps Nigeria and Pakistan would mourn our departure?
Click to expand...

Most Nigerians and Pakistanis have enough on their plate to worry about Canada.

As for Nigeria, it was suspended from the Comnmonwealth in 1995 and rejoined in 1999 when its suspension was lifted.

Pakistan left voluntarily in 1972 and rejoined voluntarily in 1989. It was suspended (no Commonwealth nation can be permanently kicked out) in 1999 and its suspension lifted in 2004. It was suspended again in 2007 and again it was lifted in 2008. In each case it voluntary rejoined the Commonwealth after its suspension was lifted,

Today both Nigeria and Pakistan are full members of the Commonwealth.

As for Canada, you can leave the Commonwealth all you like. Canada's leaving will in no way affect the existence of the Commonwealth. More countries will continue to join every so often. There's a large queue.
 
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Spade

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Commonwealth Games- the poor man's Olympics- permits senior citizens to participate in rigorous sports such as lawn bowling. I think horseshoes should become part of the Games.
 
Blackleaf

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Spade said:
Commonwealth Games- the poor man's Olympics- permits senior citizens to participate in rigorous sports such as lawn bowling. I think horseshoes should become part of the Games.
Click to expand...

Poor man's Olympics?

You seem to forget that Usain Bolt will be at Glasgow 2014.
 
Blackleaf

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Mihir Bose: Commonwealth Games still showcase the best


Glasgow will see both the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, and the 800m world record holder David Rudisha



Speedy: Usain Bolt will appear at the Commonwealth Games

Mihir Bose



Published: 21 July 2014
Updated: 13:43, 21 July 2014

It is easy to dismiss the Commonwealth Games as an example of the British delusion that they managed to shed their imperial status better than any other colonial power. But such a dismissive view of the second biggest sporting event after the Olympics ignores the role the Commonwealth Games have played in innovating and shaping sporting and even social attitudes.

This is all the more remarkable given that the original impetus for the Empire Games, as they were called until well into the Fifties, was to use sport to emphasise the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race. Despite this, from the very beginning there was a willingness to defy the prevailing political ethos. So in 1934 the second Empire Games were moved from Johannesburg to London because South African racism did not allow black athletes to compete.

The first Games in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada, had featured a prominent black athlete from British Guyana, the distance runner Phil Edwards. The land of his birth did not have an Olympic team so he represented Canada in the Olympics, winning a bronze at the 1936 Berlin Games. But, having triumphed in front of the Nazis, he was refused entry on returning from Germany to a London hotel, prompting the rest of the Canadian team to leave in sympathy.

In the years since, the Commonwealth Games have often provided an alternative outlet for athletes from countries which find the Olympics stage a bit too daunting. This has been particularly true for India which, cricket apart, has been an under-performing sporting nation. In the 1958 Cardiff Games, Milkha Singh won gold in the 400 metres, the only Indian male ever to win a track and field gold at the Commonwealth Games. Fifty-six years later, with India having won only one Olympic track and field medal, Singh’s feat remains a beacon of hope for Indian athletes.

Glasgow could provide another such moment for Kiribati, the Pacific island with a population of 100,000, should its weightlifter, David Katoatau, fulfil expectations and win gold.

It is true that the choice of venues for the Friendly Games, as they are nicknamed, have not been very adventurous. All but three of the 20 Games have been staged in the comfort zone of the old white Commonwealth: Britain, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Even so, the Games have been ahead of other international sports, with Jamaica the venue for the 1966 Games, 44 years before the World Cup went to Africa. And, in taking the Games to Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Delhi in 2010, the Commonwealth Games have gone to parts of the world which have yet to see the Olympics.

International sports events are ultimately judged by the quality of the participating athletes and Glasgow can claim the Games are again showcasing the best. After recent years when many high-profile athletes have stayed away, Glasgow will see both the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt, and the 800m world record holder David Rudisha. Even our own Mo Farah may participate in an English team not far short of the one at London 2012.

The Games will never match the Olympics but they have been far more successful than the French equivalent, the Francophone Games, and are much more than a meaningless sporting jamboree designed to make the British feel good about their Empire.

@mihirbose


Mihir Bose: Commonwealth Games still showcase the best - Comment - London Evening Standard


 
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Nuggler

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Blackleaf said:
Seven Wonders of the Commonwealth



In this one-off BBC documentary, shown last night on BBC1 to herald the start of the XXth Commonwealth Games, some of the nation's best-loved presenters travel around the vast Commonwealth to marvel at seven diverse natural wonders and meet some of its 2.3 BILLION citizens..

The Commonwealth - at around twice the size of Russia - spans a quarter of the world's land area and every Continent, including Antarctica; it has a third of the world's people; and its economy, which overtook that of the Eurozone in size in 2012, represents 17% of world GDP.

Some of Britain's best-loved TV presenters - Clare Balding, Denise Lewis, Anita Rani, Dan Snow and Reggie Yates - travel around the Commonwealth, to places as diverse as New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea (all three of which have Elizabeth II as their Head of State), Namibia, the Indian Subcontinent and Britain, to marvel at seven diverse natural wonders of the Commonwealth and meet some of the Commonwealth's 2.3 billion citizens.

They venture to the oldest desert on the planet; the world's most pristine rainforest; the world's greatest waterfall; the largest mangrove swamp; the richest coral reef; and the world's most spectacular fjordland.

The final wonder is found deep in a cave far closer to home.

Along the way they discover what it means to part of the Commonwealth today.

Watch it here: BBC iPlayer - Seven Wonders of the Commonwealth
Click to expand...



What's with that snake wrapped round that guys chest ?8O
 
Blackleaf

Blackleaf

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Commonwealth on Film


BBC Four - one of the best channels there is - is showing a new series called "Commonwealth on Film", in which filmmakers have captured the rich diversity of the Commonwealth and the work that its people do.


1. Work



Originally transmitted 2nd July 2014
Duration: 30 minutes

From Trinidad to Australia, Kenya to Barbados, Canada, India and beyond, film-makers capture the rich diversity of the Commonwealth and the work that people do.

Watch now: BBC iPlayer - Commonwealth on Film - 1. Work

******************
2. Childhood



Originally transmitted 9th July 2014
Duration: 30 minutes

From Trinidad to Australia, Kenya to Barbados, Canada, India and beyond, over the decades film-makers have captured the rich diversity of the Commonwealth. This edition looks at childhood.

Watch it here: BBC iPlayer - Commonwealth on Film - 2. Childhood

****************

3. Home



Originally transmitted 16th July 2014
Duration: 30 minutes

From Ghana to Australia, Malta to Bangladesh, Canada, India and beyond, over the decades film-makers have captured the rich diversity of the Commonwealth. This edition looks at the home.

Watch it here: BBC iPlayer - Commonwealth on Film - 3. Home
 
JLM

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Spade said:
Commonwealth Games- the poor man's Olympics- permits senior citizens to participate in rigorous sports such as lawn bowling. I think horseshoes should become part of the Games.
Click to expand...


Not to mention shuffle board and darts!
 
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