Editing Commonwealth Day (section)

===United Kingdom===
On Commonwealth Day, flags of the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations are flown in [[Parliament Square]] and at [[Marlborough House]].<ref name=observanceuk/> The [[flag of the United Kingdom]] is flown from UK public buildings on the second Monday in March to mark Commonwealth Day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-11/224329 |title=Commonwealth:Written question – 224329 |date=2015 |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=9 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009194043/http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-02-11/224329 |archive-date=9 October 2017 }}</ref> Flag flying guidelines for the Scottish Government and its related agencies also advises the flying of the flags of the Commonwealth of Nations and [[flag of Scotland|Scotland]] on the date, only if the building has two or more flagpoles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/flag-flying-on-government-buildings/|title=Flag flying on government buildings: 2024|date=11 December 2023|access-date=23 February 2024|website=www.govt.scot|publisher=Scottish Government}}</ref>
[[File:Boris Johnson speaks at Westminster Abbey on 2020 Commonwealth Day.jpg|thumb|[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Boris Johnson]] speaking at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day 2020]]
In London, an inter-denominational service is led by the Head of the Commonwealth at [[Westminster Abbey]]. During the service, representatives of Commonwealth countries offer the flags of member states for blessing.<ref name=observanceuk/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/commonwealth-national-days |title=Commonwealth National Days |date=2017 |publisher=[[Westminster Abbey]] |access-date=2 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009194024/http://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/commonwealth-national-days |archive-date=9 October 2017 }}</ref> A reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General is held after the service.<ref>[http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/QueenandCommonwealth/CommonwealthDay.aspx Commonwealth Day] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311225144/http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/QueenandCommonwealth/CommonwealthDay.aspx |date=11 March 2015}}<br>- {{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9927341/Queen-Elizabeth-II-the-most-dutiful-monarch-in-a-thousand-years.html |title=Queen Elizabeth II: the most present monarch in a thousand years |author=Harry Mount|date=13 March 2013|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=9 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009195032/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/9927341/Queen-Elizabeth-II-the-most-dutiful-monarch-in-a-thousand-years.html |archive-date=9 October 2017}}</ref> A wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the sacrifice of Commonwealth soldiers at London's [[Commonwealth Memorial Gates]] is attended by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, and is held before the service at Westminster Abbey.<ref name=cmfmag/><ref name="thecommonwealth.org">{{Cite web|url=https://thecommonwealth.org/media/news/memorial-gates-falls-silent-remember-commonwealth-soldiers|title=Memorial Gates falls silent to remember Commonwealth soldiers |date=11 March 2019 |publisher=The Commonwealth|access-date=23 October 2019}}<br>- {{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-valiant-troops-of-the-world-wars-celebrated-this-commonwealth-day|title=The valiant troops of the world wars celebrated this Commonwealth Day|publisher=Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, UK|date=9 March 2015|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref> 

Several other events, such as the Commonwealth Africa Summit, also take place around the United Kingdom on Commonwealth Day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/africa/commonwealth-africa-summit-focuses-youth-gender-equality|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023221332/https://www.voanews.com/africa/commonwealth-africa-summit-focuses-youth-gender-equality|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 October 2019|title=Commonwealth Africa Summit Focuses on Youth, Gender Equality|author=Henry Ridgwell|date=14 March 2018 |website=Voice of America|access-date=23 October 2019}}<br>- {{Cite web|url=https://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/flag-raised-in-grantham-to-celebrate-commonwealth-day-9064086/|title=Flag raised in Grantham to celebrate Commonwealth Day|date=11 March 2019|website=Grantham Journal|access-date=23 October 2019}}</ref>

====British Overseas Territories====
Commonwealth Day was formerly celebrated as a public holiday in several [[British Overseas Territories]]. The day was observed as a school holiday in [[British Hong Kong]] before the [[handover of Hong Kong|handover of the territory]] from the United Kingdom to China in 1997.<ref name="McAlpine">{{cite web |url=http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2015/03/5-things-happened-commonwealth-day |title=5 Things That Happened Because it is Commonwealth Day|author=Fraser McAlpine |date=2015 |website=[[BBC America]] |access-date=9 October 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171009194543/http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2015/03/5-things-happened-commonwealth-day |archive-date=9 October 2017 }}</ref> The date was also formerly observed as a public holiday in [[Gibraltar]].<ref name="Gib2002">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1870747.stm |title=The rocky road to Spain |date=13 March 2002 |work=[[BBC News]]|author= Catherine Miller |access-date=9 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218073355/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1870747.stm |archive-date=18 February 2006 }}</ref> In 2021, the holiday was moved to February instead of March.<ref name="Gib2021">{{cite web |title=Bank And Public Holidays Order 2021 (Holidays for 2022) |date=21 October 2021 |url=https://www.gibraltarlaws.gov.gi/legislations/bank-and-public-holidays-order-2021-6286/version/21-10-2021/download |publisher=Gibraltar Laws}}</ref> In 2022, Commonwealth Day was no longer listed as a public holiday in Gibraltar, with the February public holiday replaced by the Winter Midterm Bank Holiday.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/press-releases/bank-and-public-holidays-2022-7603|title=Bank and Public Holidays 2022|date=18 January 2022|website=www.gibraltar.gov.gi|publisher=HM Government of Gibraltar|access-date=23 February 2024}}</ref> Although the event is no longer a public holiday, the [[Government of Gibraltar]] continues to mark Commonwealth Day through various events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gibraltar marks Commonwealth Day - 163/2024 |url=https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/press-releases/gibraltar-marks-commonwealth-day-1632024-9709 |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=Government of Gibraltar |language=en}}</ref>