The Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey this month marked the beginning of a remarkable Commonwealth season. This is the largest inter-faith service in the UK, orchestrated by the Royal Commonwealth Society, a leading civil society organisation. The service saw the largest turnout of the UK royal family since the last royal wedding and was the first Commonwealth event attended by Meghan Markle. Other guests of honour included the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, and the Prime Minister of Malta, Joseph Muscat, as well as the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland. They enjoyed a display of performances from across the globe, including a Maori choir, Ghanaian drummers and dancers and the UK pop star Liam Payne. There was an award-winning spoken word performance by Jaspreet Kaur from the Asian community in East London and a reflection by Dr Andrew Bastawrous, an eye surgeon who turned a smartphone into an examination tool in order to combat avoidable blindness in developing countries. Full Story

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