Friday Headlines
the weekly newsletter from EHS
EHS Honoured to Feature in 'The Commonwealth at 75'
Preparatory | Senior School | Sixth Form
07 February 2025
We are delighted to have contributed to The Commonwealth at 75, a commemorative hardback book celebrating the rich history, unity, and enduring impact of the Commonwealth as it marked its 75th anniversary. This beautifully illustrated publication, created in partnership with St James’s House and the History of Parliament Trust, highlights key milestones and achievements across its 56 member nations, including the appointment of King Charles III as Head of the Commonwealth.
Hear from Mrs Macro about our contribution:
“After the huge success of Birmingham hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Edgbaston High School for Girls was delighted to be asked to be one of the representatives of education in a publication celebrating 75 years of the Modern Commonwealth.
In 2022, I wrote about the excitement that the Commonwealth Games brought to Birmingham and the positive impact it had on my pupils. The commonwealth games is often called the ‘friendly games’ and is renowned for inspiring athletes to compete in the spirit of co-operation and friendship, which is a message my pupils can definitely identify with. I shared how our lifesaving team were involved in lifeguarding for the events and experiencing the thrills and pressures that come with such a responsibility. I also highlighted the involvement of Caitlin Kisumba (now, a former pupil), in the composition and launch of a community chorus called, Your Love Lifts Me Up. The song was performed all over Birmingham, and the music video saw the involvement of over 150 performers from across the world, including Longwall School for the deaf in Birmingham (the song had been written in conjunction with the British Sign Language association to foster inclusivity) and a children's choir in Uganda to celebrate diversity and togetherness.
And that is what the modern commonwealth is all about; it is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries working together to promote shared values of human rights, democracy, respect, understanding, sustainable development, gender equality, importance of young people, access to education, and many more.
The book celebrates the ideas, individuals and organisations that have contributed to the modern commonwealth. A chapter was dedicated to Education and Culture, as the importance of education and the exchange of ideas have always been fundamental principles of the modern commonwealth. The network of nations is home to some of the finest education providers and experts in the world and we were delighted to be invited, alongside schools and universities in Australia, Jamaica, South Africa, Singapore, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, UK to contribute to the publication.
I wrote in our section that we are educating our students to be members of a global, national and local world community and that we all take this responsibility very seriously. Indeed, our annual celebration of collective cultures is a lively and celebratory event; one aimed at continuing to embrace diversity and ensure that all voices are heard. You never forget the experiences, the friendships, the inspiring teachers and the skills that you gain at school and our work at EHS for Girls is about creating an individual within a community that understands their strengths and uses them for the good of society in general.”
We warmly invite parents, students, and visitors to explore The Commonwealth at 75 during their next visit to the school. This inspiring publication offers a glimpse into the
Commonwealth's past, present, and future, celebrating its resilience, shared vision, and unwavering dedication to progress.
The Commonwealth at 75
Click image for full view
