India recently elected a majority government that promised sustainable development, but Abhay Joshi, 19, a Correspondent from India, says that every individual has to be a part of the development process.  India is a land of varied culture and has a multi-lingual, multi-religion and varied heritage which sets it a class apart from other countries …

"Everyone has to take responsibility" Read More »

Behaviour can be a reaction to stereotypes, but as Harmanan Singh, 17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India writes, there is much to learn from looking beyond first impressions. It was yet another crowded, packed day at the railway station. I scuttled with a million others as I took the eternal climb on the staircase …

"To the kid at the station: you taught me a lesson!" Read More »

Living in an island nation brings a wealth of beach opportunity, says Indooshan Shanthakumaran, 25, a Correspondent from Colombo in Sri Lanka, as he describes some of the enticing options available to residents and visitors. It was last January that I received a random Facebook notification that I have won a free whale watching tour. …

"The land of beaches – Sri Lanka is calling you!" Read More »

Climate change has been regarded as an environmental or business  issue, but Naman Sanghvi, 23, a Correspondent from India, argues that viewing it as an ethical issue changes the imperative for action. Can we evoke greater motivation among negotiators if climate change were to be treated as an ethical problem and not simply a leash on …

"Can we treat climate change as an ethical problem?" Read More »

It amazes me to see how far they go to keep other cultures alive, writes Geetha Kanniah, an 18-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Malaysia, as she discusses her experience of the religious and cultural tolerance of Indonesia during a recent trip. Mutualism: a symbiotic relationship that keeps the world running. We learn it in our sciences- …

“Appreciation of history yields respect for others” Read More »

Sri Lanka is making strides in development, but Indooshan Shanthakumaran, 26, a Correspondent from Colombo in Sri Lanka, argues that investment in the education system is a crucial step if the country is to achieve its goals. Though Sri Lanka has entered the new post-war development era of its history, still some parts of the educational system …

"A long way to go for education in Sri Lanka" Read More »

Mehzabin Ahmed, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Bangladesh, says Small Island Developing States are dependent on fossil fuel, but the renewable energy targets and initiatives of some of these small nations rival those of developed countries. When we look at the small island developing states, starting from Trinidad and Tobago to Tonga and Samoa, we see …

SIDS 2014: "The clean energy race for small island nations" Read More »

History is a progress of meeting adversity with innovation, writes Harmanan Singh,17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India, who argues that current and future problems can be solved by using the best of human qualities. Humans have treaded on this earth from time immemorial, and the story of mankind has been one of innumerable highs …

"We must continue to strive and progress" Read More »

Small island developing states are especially vulnerable to external economic and environmental shocks. At the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Samoa, 1-4 September, the Commonwealth is partnering with the United Nations, governments and international organisations to help build the resilience of these countries. The unique natural life on small islands plays a …

SIDS 2014: "Oceans, seas, and valuable biodiversity" Read More »

Videos of people taking the ice bucket challenge are everywhere on social media, but Madusha Erandi, 21, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Sri Lanka, asks whether other causes aren’t equally deserving of the awareness and money being raised. As all of us know by now that the Ice Bucket challenge has been viral on social media and …

"Ice bucket challenge – is it really that 'awesome'?" Read More »