International Activities

The RCS boasts an impressive portfolio of charitable activities. The Young Commonwealth Competitions encourage thousands of young people to respond to global challenges through annual creative writing, film and photographic awards. The Nkabom Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme unites 18 to 25 year-olds from across the globe in a different Commonwealth location every two years and alumni join an international, proactive network of emerging leaders. Commonwealth Youth Summits give school children across the UK a chance to learn about international issues in an interactive and meaningful forum. Playing the roles of leaders, foreign ministers or journalists, they enact a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and have the opportunity to put their views to senior members of the Commonwealth and UK Government.

The RCS hosts regular art exhibitions, highlighting the work of emerging artists from around the world. It runs public engagement projects, including most recently the Commonwealth Conversation, a global public consultation on the future of the Commonwealth. The RCS also runs series of public debates on topics of Commonwealth and international interest with high-profile speakers. In March of each year, the RCS organises the Commonwealth Day Observance held at Westminster Abbey in London and attended by HM the Queen and, in December, hosts the Commonwealth Carol Service in St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square.

The home of the RCS, the Commonwealth Club, acts as a centre for the exchange of ideas and a leading London venue for discussing subjects of Commonwealth interest. Members range from long-serving diplomats interested in international affairs to young professionals looking for a stylish central London location to work, relax and meet like-minded people. The Club’s versatile facilities can also be hired by non-members and all profits go towards funding the Society’s charitable activities.