From Insightful Lectures to Royal Encounters: A Chevening Scholar’s Reflection on Commonwealth Day 2025
A Historic Moment: Angola’s Journey Towards Commonwealth Membership and the 2025 Commonwealth Day Celebrations
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Greetings everyone!
My name is Sofonie Dala, a proud Chevening scholar from Angola, and I had the immense privilege of attending the Commonwealth Day celebrations in London. It was an honor to join the royal family and the Commonwealth community to mark this significant occasion.
The day kicked off with an insightful lecture that brought together members of the UK government, fellow Chevening scholars, and a diverse group of individuals with shared interests in education and diplomacy.
As I prepared to leave for London, I couldn’t help but wrestle with two conflicting voices in my mind. One voice questioned, “What am I going to do there? Should I just stay home? Angola isn’t even a Commonwealth member.” The other voice urged me, “Go and listen. The Commonwealth has something important to say through this lecture. You may find something memorable to share.” I decided to listen to the second voice, and what I experienced turned out to be far more impactful than I could have imagined.
The Commonwealth Day Lecture 2025 was held on Monday, March 10, at the Council for Education in the Commonwealth. The distinguished speaker for the day was Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd).
He is a highly respected figure, known for his work in education advocacy, especially in conflict-affected regions. His lecture focused on building political leadership for education, particularly in emergencies.
Throughout his career, Joseph has worked with parliamentarians across the Commonwealth and has served in critical roles, such as being a member of the design team for the Education Cannot Wait initiative and playing a leadership role in education responses to global crises, including the war in Syria. He spoke at length about the urgency of ensuring access to education in emergencies, with the number of school-age children whose education has been disrupted by crises reaching a staggering 234 million by the end of 2024. As he emphasized, nearly half of all refugee children are out of school, and climate crises alone have disrupted the education of nearly a quarter of a billion children in 2024.
Joseph’s words resonated deeply, especially when he highlighted the urgent need for climate-resilient education for all children, particularly in times of conflict and crisis. And then, to my surprise, he mentioned Angola in his lecture. I heard him say that Angola was the next country to join the Commonwealth. At first, I thought I had misheard, but during the Q&A session, I had the opportunity to ask him about it. Joseph confirmed that if all goes as planned, Angola could indeed become a Commonwealth member this year.
This revelation was momentous for me. As a non-Commonwealth citizen, I, along with many others, sometimes feel limited in the opportunities available in the UK. The prospect of Angola joining the Commonwealth opens doors for deeper bilateral relationships, shared opportunities, and mutual growth. The UK has been supportive of Angola’s aspirations, and the discussions between the UK and Angolan governments have laid the foundation for this potential new chapter.
After the lecture, I made my way to Westminster Abbey, where I had the honor of meeting the royal family for the first time in my life.
The Commonwealth Day celebration was being held there, and it was an unforgettable experience to see the King and Queen, along with the future King and Queen of Wales. I was also delighted to see Princess Anne, these are people I had only seen in the media. To witness such important figures in person was surreal.
It was unfortunate not to see Prince Harry there today. He has a special connection to Angola, having visited twice to tour mine clearance fields, following in the footsteps of his late mother, Princess Diana, who famously walked along a cleared path in an Angolan minefield in January 1997, just months before her tragic and untimely death.
Both times he visited, I wasn’t there—I was on a study mission in Russia in 2013, and in 2019, I was attending another mission in South Africa.
In 1997, Princess Diana walked through a minefield in Huambo, Angola, bringing international attention to the plight of landmine victims and the urgent need for clearance efforts. Today, that same minefield has been transformed into a thriving community hub.
But the day didn’t end there. As I approached Westminster Abbey, I noticed a crowd holding posters and advocating for changes within the Commonwealth. Intrigued, I walked closer and learned that they had developed a set of policies they wanted the Commonwealth to listen to and implement.
They were calling for reforms to improve current Commonwealth policies, especially regarding education, climate change, and refugee support. It was inspiring to see such active engagement from citizens, ensuring that their voices were heard at such a historic event.
As I reflect on this day, I am filled with a sense of pride and excitement for the future. The Commonwealth Day celebrations, the lecture, and the royal gathering were not just a moment for reflection on the past, but a forward-looking occasion filled with hope and anticipation for what’s to come.
Angola’s potential membership in the Commonwealth, the discussions on improving global education, and the collective pursuit of progress for all nations within the Commonwealth are steps towards a more inclusive and resilient global community.
This experience in London will remain etched in my memory forever, and I’m grateful to be a part of such an inspiring movement.
Comics
Hello?
Ah, yes, it’s me—Sofonie! I’m currently in the heart of London, and guess what? I’m here to celebrate Commonwealth Day with none other than King Charles III and the royal family! It’s been an exhilarating Monday so far!
I’ve just left the Houses of Parliament, where I had the privilege of attending the prestigious Commonwealth Day Lecture 2025 with the incredible Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly.
Hold onto your seat—this is big! Mr. Joseph dropped an absolute bombshell: Angola is officially set to join the Commonwealth! Can you even imagine? This is historic news, a game-changer for international relations!
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