Hello.

My name's Miss Ikomi, and I'm a teacher from London.

I'm going to be guiding you through today's lesson.

We've got lots to get through, so we're gonna get started.

Today's lesson is called "What is the UK's role in the Commonwealth?" It's part of the wider unit "How does the UK play a role in the international community?" By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to explain what the Commonwealth is and how the UK plays a part in this international organisation.

As today's topics could be seen as sensitive, we're going to discuss some ground rules for taking part in this lesson.

First of all, it's important to listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

When disagreeing, it's important that we challenge the statement, not the person.

We must respect privacy.

We can discuss examples in a general sense, but please do not use names or descriptions that identify anyone, including yourself.

We listen without passing judgement.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without fear of being judged.

And last, you can choose your level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or join in with a discussion.

We'll never put anyone on the spot.

Let's get started.

The keywords we're going to hear in today's lesson are Commonwealth.

This is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries, many of which were formally colonised as part of the British Empire.

Empire is a collection of territories, countries, or nations governed by a single power, often through political, economic, or military control.

Voluntary association is a group who have a shared interest or aims who voluntarily come together to pursue common goals.

We're going to start by thinking about what is the Commonwealth, and the history behind it.

When learning what the Commonwealth is and what the UK's role within it looks like, it's important to contextualise it within that history, including the history of colonisation.

To do this, we have to remember our keyword, empire.

This was a group of countries that are ruled and controlled by one powerful country.

Often, this happens through military force, economic pressure, or political dominance.

We also need to understand what the word colonise means.

To colonise is where a country takes control of another land.

This is often by sending settlers, taking resources, and imposing its own laws and systems. This is often without the consent of the people who already live there.

The British Empire historically has colonised many countries across lots of different continents, including parts of Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, North America, and Australasia.

The impact of this is long lasting on the people, cultures, and economies of those regions.

This still matters today, and we have to consider this when we think about the Commonwealth as an organisation.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, English explorers and settlers began to colonise parts of North America, an area that Europeans referred to as the New World.

This marked the early beginnings of what would later become the British Empire, happening in the late 1500s.

By 1913, the British Empire covered nearly a quarter of the globe.

As a result, laws, language, and culture that was originating in the UK was exported all over the world.

In return, Britain gained economic and material resources, power, and global dominance.

By the 20th century, the British Empire included places like Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, Kenya, New Zealand, and Nigeria.

Some people argue that the British Empire brought certain benefits, things like infrastructure, so those important things that make up the basis of a country, legal structures, education provision, and health provision.

However, there were also lots of negative consequences of Britain's colonial history.

Under the British Empire, some of those challenges included people being forcibly removed and enslaved, other people, including indigenous populations that were originally in those regions, facing discrimination.

Countries were exploited for their natural resources but not able to make profit off of those resources.

Between 1761 and 1807, it's estimated that Britain made approximately 60 million pounds from the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the trade of people from countries to other countries.

Some countries in the empire, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, were granted dominion status and began to govern more independently of Britain.

This started to happen in the 1920s.

After World War II, into the 1940s, lots of countries that had supported Britain in the war began to seek independence.

The creation of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was in 1948, supported the idea of self-determination.

That means that countries have the right to determine what they want to happen within their nations.

This helped to pave the way for countries to govern themselves and move away from empire and the historical legacies.

In 1947, India gained independence from the British Empire and lots of other nations followed shortly after.

As the empire declined and the process of decolonization continued, the British government wanted a way to maintain political, economic, and cultural ties with those former colonies.

This desire was the basis of the organisation that we now call the Commonwealth.

This was created as a voluntary association of independent countries.

Lots of them had previously been under this colonial rule by Britain but were now functioning independently.

Let's do a check.

Which global event helped bring about the end of the British Empire? Was it A, the First World War, B, the Korean War, or C, the Second World War? Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer is C, the Second World War.

The Commonwealth provided a new way for former colonies to stay connected.

Some members, such as Canada and Australia, kept the British monarch as their Head of State.

However, other countries, such as India, chose to remove the monarch and become republics.

They still maintain a relationship with the UK through the Commonwealth.

However, there is a separation between that Head of State and how they are running the country.

All nations wanted the chance to become independent, equal, and free of British rule, and we see this played out in slightly different ways in different nations.

In 1949, the London Declaration established the modern Commonwealth, allowing both kingdoms and republics to join under a shared commitment.

This was cooperation and mutual respect.

What we have today is the modern Commonwealth, a voluntary association made up of 56 Member States that share similar aims and values.

The most recent country to join was Togo in June, 2022.

This was following approval at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, which is in Rwanda.

True or false? All Commonwealth countries must recognise the monarch as their Head of State.

Pause your video and choose your answer now.

The correct answer is false.

We can see this because not all nations recognise the British monarch as their Head of State.

Some still do, for example, Canada, but others have opted to remove the monarch and become a Republic.

India is an example of this.

Despite this, all are equal members of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is governed by the Commonwealth Charter.

This is a document that sets out the shared values and goals of those Member States.

The key aims of the charter include sustainable development and environment, trade, democracy, social development, and also thinking about small nations and how they interact on the global scale.

The environment and sustainable development is really important within the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth works with its Member States to protect the planet and also plan for future generations.

Trade is referring to the fact that the Commonwealth promotes fair trade between Member States and also aims to boost growth and shared prosperity, shared making of money.

Democracy is the principle that everyone in a country has a right to think about and contribute to how their country is run.

The Commonwealth supports free and fair elections for all citizens to be able to voice opinion and choose their leaders.

Social development is the idea that society can be improved for everybody.

The Commonwealth works with Member States to improve access to things like education, health, sport, and promote gender equality.

Small states is referencing the idea that the Commonwealth works with states, countries who are smaller to tackle their own unique challenges.

Let's do a check.

I'd like you to read and complete the sentences below.

Pause your video and have a go at this now.

We'll then check our answers together.

Let's check our answers.

The Commonwealth is governed by the Commonwealth Charter.

This document sets out the aims of the organisation.

One of these aims is democracy.

This is the aim that all nations should strive for a government which allows citizens to vote.

Another aim is to do with trade in which all nations should buy and sell things to each other fairly and try not to exploit one another.

Let's do a longer task to put this into practise.

I'd like you to explain two key differences between the Commonwealth and the British Empire.

Laura is telling us that we could refer to the goals of the Commonwealth, the relationship between its members, and the differences in how nations join the Commonwealth versus how they were controlled in the British Empire.

Pause your video and have a go at this now.

I asked you to explain two key differences between the Commonwealth and the British Empire.

You might have said the Commonwealth is a voluntary association of countries, meaning that nations choose to join based on shared values and goals.

In contrast, the British Empire was based on colonial control where countries were ruled by Britain without their consent.

The Commonwealth promotes equality and self-determination for all its Member States, as seen in the Commonwealth Charter.

In contrast, the British Empire maintained authority over its colonies, limiting their independence and ability to govern themselves.

Well done if you included some of that.

Next, we're going to think about how is the Commonwealth organised.

The Commonwealth is an organisation based on this idea of voluntary association.

That means that countries choose to be members.

There isn't a single country that leads the Commonwealth, and all members are considered to be equal and part of the shared family.

This is a photo of the headquarters of the organisation which are found at Marlborough House in London.

The Commonwealth has three main intergovernmental organisations.

These support its work.

The first of these is the Commonwealth Secretariat.

This helps governments work together to achieve the goals and aims of the Commonwealth.

Then we have the Commonwealth Foundation.

This supports people's participation in democracy.

The third is the Commonwealth of Learning, and this promotes education.

Let's do a check.

Which of these is not an organisation of the Commonwealth? Is it A, the Secretariat, B, the Foundation, or C, Assembly? Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer is C, Assembly.

The Commonwealth Secretariat helps the Commonwealth run smoothly.

It supports Member States in following the Commonwealth Charter.

For example, in 2025, a Commonwealth Observer Group observed elections in Trinidad and Tobago to help make sure that they were free and fair, one of those key ideas is from the charter.

This is supporting the idea of democracy.

All Member States are equally represented in the Secretariat.

Leaders meet biannually at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to discuss shared goals.

That means they meet once every two years.

The Foundation supports Member States to develop and work towards shared aims of the Commonwealth.

One of the key roles is to provide grant funding to help improve communities within the nations.

One project funded improvements to allow people with disabilities living in rural areas of Bangladesh better and greater access to services.

This was through things like education, improved healthcare and access so they could voice their views on changing the law around disabilities.

Let's do another check.

Which nation did the Commonwealth support by observing their most recent election? Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer is B, Trinidad and Tobago.

The third is the Commonwealth of Learning, which focuses on improving education across the Commonwealth, especially by supporting teachers.

It plays a key role in helping achieve one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 4, which is ensuring quality education for all.

The Commonwealth of Learning has provided funding for teachers, created education resources, and operates a voluntary scheme to allow teachers to virtually support education in other countries.

The monarch of the UK is the Head of the Commonwealth, but this is not an automatic or hereditary position.

When Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, King Charles III only became Head of the Commonwealth after all Member States had agreed.

The Head of the Commonwealth helps to represent unity and supports the shared goals, but it doesn't lead or rule over any Member State.

Who is the current Head of the Commonwealth? Pause your video and choose an answer.

The correct answer is C, King Charles III.

Let's put this into practise.

I'd like you to summarise the functions of the different parts of the Commonwealth using the table below.

Pause your video and have a go at this now.

Let's check our answers.

I asked you to summarise the functions of the different parts of the Commonwealth.

For the Foundation, you might have said they provide grants to help countries meet the aims of the Commonwealth Charter.

This helps to ensure countries are developing.

The Secretariat helps to keep the whole organisation running.

This is where Heads of Government meet to discuss important issues.

Learning provides resources and investors in teachers.

This promotes positive impact of education worldwide.

And the Head of the Commonwealth, though they don't have specific powers, act as a symbolic head to bring people together.

Last, we're going to think about what role does the UK play in the Commonwealth.

The UK was a founding Member State of the Commonwealth.

They played a key role in the early development and continues to support the Commonwealth by contributing financially.

In recent years, it gave 4.

7 million pounds to the Commonwealth Fund for Technological Cooperation.

This shows the UK's ongoing commitment to supporting goals.

Other countries, such as Canada, Australia, and India, also make voluntary contributions financially, highlighting the collaborative nature of the organisation.

The Commonwealth also aims to promote international understanding and human rights.

It does this in one way through the Commonwealth Games.

This is held every four years, and the games are hosted in different countries that are members of the Commonwealth.

There are a variety of sporting events.

The UK sends athletes to every Commonwealth Games, but unlike the Olympics, the countries compete as the four home nations.

That's England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

This is both a responsibility and a benefit as the games provide an opportunity for celebration, cooperation, and strengthen ties between nations.

Let's do a check.

True or false? The Commonwealth Games are held only in the UK.

Pause your video and choose your answer.

The correct answer is false.

They are held every four years and are hosted by different Commonwealth countries.

This may also include the UK sometimes.

The UK benefits from strong relationships with Commonwealth nations.

A 2023 report said that the UK had a trade surplus of around 16 million pounds.

That meant that the UK sold more than it bought from Commonwealth nations.

The UK traded approximately 90 billion pounds of goods and services with other Commonwealth nations.

Most of this trade is on five countries, Australia, Canada, India, Singapore, and South Africa.

So this supports our economy.

Despite this, the UK also faces challenges in its role.

This is because of the colonial past.

Some Member States have raised concerns about the legacy of slavery and colonisation.

In 2024, Commonwealth Heads of Government stated the time has come for discussions on reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Reparations are where a country pays back another country.

This reflects ongoing conversations about justice, historical accountability, and the future of Commonwealth relations.

During the Transatlantic Slave Trade, millions of people were enslaved.

The British Empire made a big amount of profit from this trade.

Some Commonwealth Member States therefore believed that Britain should take responsibility for this legacy by offering reparations, paying back the countries.

So far, the UK government has not agreed to pay reparations, but the conversation continues.

Why have some Commonwealth Member States called for reparations from the UK? Pause your video and choose your answer now.

The correct answer is B.

They're seeking justice for the legacy of slavery and colonisation.

We're going to do a final task to put this into practise.

I would like you to read the statement and give both sides of the argument.

The statement is, Britain does not benefit from a relationship with the Commonwealth.

I want you to include information about trade, international events, financial obligations, and the colonial era.

Pause your video and have a go at this now.

I asked you to discuss the statement, Britain does not benefit from a relationship with the Commonwealth.

You might have said Britain does benefit from a relationship with Commonwealth nations.

The UK trades significant amounts of goods and services with other Commonwealth nations.

For example, in 2023, 90 billion pounds of goods and services were traded from the UK to Commonwealth partners.

The Commonwealth Games also gives UK athletes a chance to compete at international events and provides an opportunity for celebration, cooperation, and strengthening of ties.

You might have also said, however, some people argue Britain's relationship with Commonwealth presents challenges.

Some Commonwealth Member States have raised concerns about the legacy of slavery and colonisation.

In 2024, leaders called for discussions about reparations for the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Whilst this can lead to difficult conversations and may challenge the UK to take greater responsibility for its historical actions, it's also a chance to build more respectful and equal relationships moving forward.

Furthermore, the UK pays millions of pounds to support the Commonwealth.

In recent years, it gave 4.

7 million pounds to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation.

Some might argue this is too much.

Today, we've been learning about what is the UK's role in the Commonwealth.

We've learned the Commonwealth consists of nations previously part of the British Empire.

Today, other countries can join who were not part of the empire.

All parts of the Commonwealth are aimed at achieving the aims set out in the Commonwealth Charter.

The UK has benefited from trade and events that are hosted by the Commonwealth, such as the Commonwealth Games.

However, there are challenges faced in the UK's role in the Commonwealth.

For instance, there are ongoing discussions about the UK paying reparations for their colonial actions.

Some people believe the UK spends too much money on the Commonwealth.

That's the end of today's lesson.

Thank you for joining me.