A new hub which will bring Commonwealth organisations together in the same location to create a dynamic and innovative way of working was launched here today by Queen Elizabeth II.
The three organisations that will move to a new combined centre of Commonwealth activity - Marlborough House and Quadrant House - are the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.
It is expected that other Commonwealth organisations will join the hub in due course with Quadrant House being renamed Commonwealth House.
The Queen officially launched the new Hub during a visit to Marlborough House ahead of her official 90th birthday celebrations which will take place this weekend and will be attended by representatives from all 53 Commonwealth countries.
The new Commonwealth Hub will help to deliver the Secretary-General's vision to work more closely with all Commonwealth organisations to honour the values of the Commonwealth Charter and the commitments on health, education, climate change, good governance, equality and the rule of law in the Sustainable Development Goals and COP 21.
Other plans for the Commonwealth Hub include an education centre in the newly named Commonwealth House.
The Commonwealth Hub will bring the Commonwealth Games to the heart of the Commonwealth headquarters and will encourage more young people to become engaged in Commonwealth issues.
It will also provide a focal point for reaching to mayors and elected councillors and their local communities right across the Commonwealth.
Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General, said," We're all working to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Commonwealth Charter so it's right that we look to cement this relationship with the creation of Commonwealth House.
"I would like to thank the three organisations who have joined us at the start of this journey and I look forward to us being joined by others as we have a better conversation with the public about our priorities as a Commonwealth."
Carl Wright, Commonwealth Local Government Forum Secretary-General, said: "This Commonwealth hub, based at Commonwealth House, is an exciting development that will help us better coordinate our work with other Commonwealth organisations and provide added value to our members and citizens of the Commonwealth to help deliver development, local government, good governance and a better quality of life for the 2.3 billion citizens we and our members serve.
