Chairman of CTN Communications and of Global’s publisher, Nexus Strategic Partnerships, Lord Watson is High Steward of Cambridge University as well as Chairman of the Council of Commonwealth Societies (CCS). In his latter capacity, he tells Global about plans for the Queen’s 2012 Diamond Jubilee. He also discusses the new Nexus Commonwealth Awards.
Global: What is the role and function of the Council of Commonwealth Societies?
Alan Watson: The Council has sought to bring together societies and organisations in the UK which have a major Commonwealth involvement, dimension and responsibility. So it includes, for example, the High Commissions of Commonwealth countries, it involves the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and – very importantly – the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Commonwealth Foundation, as well as various societies.
It was initiated to bring together people and organisations to discuss the Commonwealth Observance, a multi-faith service which is attended by Her Majesty the Queen at Westminster Abbey every year and which has a theme – the theme in 2010 was Science, Technology and Society and in 2011 it is Women as Agents of Change. In 2012 we are going to have the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and that will influence the planning of the Commonwealth Observance.
We meet on a regular basis, principally in the headquarters of the Royal Commonwealth Society. It is a Council that has grown in confidence and competence over the last six years or so and now it would be difficult to negotiate these shared Commonwealth events if we didn’t actually have it. It is a pragmatic and practical organisation and both the Abbey and the Palace are also fully represented at the CCS’ meetings.
What is being planned for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012?
The fi rst thing to say is that the Queen really does play a fundamental role in the Commonwealth – as Head of the Commonwealth she has given a huge amount of effort and consistent commitment. It is very hard to imagine the modern Commonwealth and its evolution without her personal contribution to it, so I think the Diamond Jubilee is absolutely an appropriate moment to remember and celebrate the Queen’s involvement in the association.
A lot of extraordinary events are being planned. One which I find particularly interesting is the holding of the biggest river pageant on the Thames that there has been since the 17th century, involving over 1,000 vessels taking two days to travel from Hampton Court to Tower Bridge. On the second day, the Queen will sail in a new royal barge and I am very hopeful that each of the Commonwealth countries may be able to provide a vessel or barge of their own expressing something about their country. We expect well over a million spectators and the whole procession of boats will take over four hours to pass any one point.
The Diamond Jubilee will coincide with the Eisteddfod and there will be many choirs from different parts of the world, particularly from Commonwealth countries, which will also be coming to London. Another idea being discussed is a musical concert at Westminster Hall in celebration of the Commonwealth.
In addition, a wonderful concept coming from the Commonwealth Secretariat is that we might be able to institute across the Commonwealth a series of Queen Elizabeth II Scholarships applicable for universities throughout the Commonwealth – this would be a permanent recognition of the Queen’s contribution. Connected with that we believe that the Diamond Jubilee will be celebrated throughout the Commonwealth. One of the things that has changed out of all recognition during the Queen’s reign is communication – the digital dialogue and the permanent electronic conversation with social media – clearly the Jubilee has got to embrace this new technology.
As chairman of Nexus Strategic Partnerships, can you outline the plan for the Nexus Commonwealth Awards?
The idea we have from Nexus is that we would institute three awards, which would recognise and celebrate achievement in the Commonwealth. The fi rst we would call the Nexus Commonwealth Lifetime Achievement Award to be awarded either to an individual who’s made a very significant high-level contribution to the Commonwealth or to an association that has advanced Commonwealth values. The second would be a Commonwealth Communications Excellence Award and this would be given to an individual who has authored or shaped an exceptional communication advancing the Commonwealth. We’d be looking at all sorts of platforms, from things done on the internet to graphic design, to writing about the Commonwealth – in terms of literature, history, sociology and economics.
And the final award would be the Commonwealth Business of the Year Award, to go to a company that is active in at least two Commonwealth countries and whose innovations – whether in technology, governance or community engagement or corporate social responsibility – have made a very distinctive contribution to the modern Commonwealth and its three themes of development, diversity and democracy.
