THE Commonwealth must prove its relevance beyond its borders and not rest on past successes, Commonwealth head Queen Elizabeth II has said.

She further said the Commonwealth must show that it was relevant to and supportive of the young people who need to be convinced that the Commonwealth could help them realise their ambitions.

Opening the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain on Friday that was characterised by a colourful cultural fusion involving over 900 Trinidad and Tobago artistic performers at the National Academy for Performing Arts, Queen Elizabeth said in a world where political, economic and environmental problems and opportunities cross continents the Commonwealth need to prove its relevance beyond its own borders and develop a truly global perspective.

"This diamond anniversary year is an important time for the Commonwealth to look back and more importantly look forward," she said. "In doing so, I believe we can be pleased with how far the Commonwealth has come in its 60 years, and yet how true it has remained to its origins. But this does not mean we should become complacent or rest on past successes. Like any good organisation we must continue to pay close attention to the things that give it distinctive character."

Queen Elizabeth said one of the core strengths of the Commonwealth lay in the commitment to common goals and values such as the shared pledge to the pursuit of peace, liberty and progress "that my father helped to enshrine in the London Declaration in 1949 means as much today as it did then".

She said the Commonwealth cherished freedom, democracy and development as dearly as ever.

Queen Elizabeth said the Commonwealth's strength lay as much in people as it does in values.

She said few other global organisations could boast the same rich diversity of humankind and yet also such a commonality of spirit.

Queen Elizabeth said the Commonwealth could be proud of the fact that in each of its six decades, it had shaped the international response to emerging global challenges.
"And on this, the eve of the UN Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change, the Commonwealth has an opportunity to lead once more," she said.

"The threat to our environment is not a new concern. But it is now a global challenge which will continue to affect the security and stability of millions for years to come. Many of those affected are among the most vulnerable, and many of the people least well able to withstand the adverse effects of Climate Change live in the Commonwealth."

Queen Elizabeth said another area of opportunity for the Commonwealth was nurturing its young people.
She said the future of the association lies with the one billion who were under 25 years of age.

"The Commonwealth must show that it is relevant to and supportive of our young people who need to be convinced that the Commonwealth can help them to realise their ambitions," Queen Elizabeth said.

She said the Caribbean region was dear to the Commonwealth.

Queen Elizabeth said for small island states the buffeting of the economic storms of the last twelve months had provided a stern test and great resourcefulness had been shown in order to meet the challenge.

She said the Commonwealth must remain dedicated to building resilience among its smaller members.

"But it is not enough to look within the boundaries of the Commonwealth," said Queen Elizabeth. "In a world where political, economic and environmental problems and opportunities cross continents, the Commonwealth will also need to prove its relevance beyond its own borders and develop a truly global perspective.

I hope the leaders here present, informed by the Commonwealth Youth Forum, the People's Forum and the Business Forum held earlier this week, can map out the route for another sixty years of success."

And Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said his was only the third time that Commonwealth leaders were meeting in the Caribbean which is home to more than a fifth of its membership.

"The Commonwealth belongs here as it belongs anywhere because it is a Commonwealth of 53 countries from all continents which have come together with a shared will," Sharma said. "It is a Commonwealth of all the governments and all the peoples. Our educational, legal and governmental systems may be similar but they are not the same. The Commonwealth's shared language is English but for most of us that is not our mother tongue.

The Commonwealth is a champion of democracy, of development and dignity for its people, and of respect for diversity, but nowhere can it do these to perfection."
He said what made the association to survive was that it generally lifted not a chastising wagging finger but an outstretched helping hand.

Sharma said the Commonwealth had stood the test of time with confidence and integrity.
"But in 2009 and beyond it must again show itself to be in and of its times and equal to them," he said. "Amidst the wreckage created by a series of global crises, the looming existential catastrophe of climate change, the pernicious poison of poverty and disease, the strangling of so much entitlement and opportunity, the Commonwealth has to prove itself worthy."

Sharma asked the CHOGM to restate the association's values and principles with practical commitments to match.

He called on leaders to restate their shared responsibilities towards the preservation of the planet ahead of the climate change summit in Copenhagen, Denmark.

"We must set out the responsibilities of countries both rich and poor and especially of rich countries towards the poor," he said.

"We are called to discharge our special Commonwealth responsibility towards the most threatened and vulnerable."
Sharma asked leaders to deliver practical commitments to young people "in whose eyes we see our future."

"Especially in bringing youth policies and programmes into every aspect of government and in providing training and other support as we encourage young people to become the job creators and inheritors of the future," he said. "Finally, we must respond to the call of this meeting for partnership in pursuit of equity and sustainability.

This is the spirit of enlightened globalism at large. In a world of headlong globalisation we are a great global good contributing to the globalisation of wisdom."