WARRINGTON will join in two special events on Monday – Commonwealth Day and the centenary of World War 1.
At 10am the Union flag will be raised at the Town Hall – one of 850 raised in locations throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, UK overseas territories and Commonwealth countries to mark a special day of shared celebration.
The ceremony will continue with the Mayor, Cllr Geoff Settle, reading a personal message from Kamalesh Sharma, secretary general of the Commonwealth and a specially written Commonwealth Affirmation.
Residents are invited to join together in a moment of reflection at this time.
The Mayor will then lead the National Single Commemorative Act. He will light the second of four candles, symbolic of the four years of World War 1.
The two candles will remain alight for the next 12 months as a reminder to all who see it, not only of the sacrifices made during the past 100 years through conflicts in which this country has been involved, but also as a symbol of hope that we will work towards understanding between peoples.
The ceremony will be repeated for the next two years, until 2018. After the final annual candle is extinguished and a brief period of darkness, the room will be lit by the lighting of all four candles – this symbolic gesture representing how light ultimately won through the darkness.
Cllr Settle said: “The Commonwealth values of tolerance, respect and understanding as well as equity and fairness set out in the Commonwealth Charter are also the values that I speak about when I welcome new citizens, many from the Commonwealth, as full members of their Warrington community and to this nation.
”These are two very important and significant events, which not only give us time to reflect on what has gone before but also of conflicts today and how vital it is to continue to strive for our own communities and for our worldwide community also.
