African adventure for globetrotting Queen’s Baton Relay
IN the 20 days since launching at Buckingham Palace, the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay has already visited six Commonwealth nations, spanning two continents.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is a tradition that celebrates, connects, and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Games.
It officially began on October 7, when The Queen placed her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton.
The Queen’s Baton is now on a 294-day journey, visiting all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth, before returning to the Opening Ceremony of Birmingham 2022 on July 28, 2022.
The Baton’s journey started in Cyprus, then Malta, before beginning its West African journey on October 16 in Nigeria, followed by The Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.
During the visits, each Commonwealth Games Association hosts a busy schedule of events and activities that aim to showcase the stories of Batonbearers, as well as visits to projects that address at least one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
After arriving in Nigeria, the Baton toured the capital city of Abuja with a visit to Aduvie International School, the partner institution to the University of Birmingham, where students performed a dance, inspiring audience members to join in.
Activity for the Queen’s Baton Relay began in The Gambia on October 20, where it visited multiple initiatives including the Banjul Coconut Tree project, which aims to prevent coastline erosion. While in Sierra Leone, the Baton visited many local historical sites, including the Cotton Tree in the capital city, Freetown, which is seen as a symbol of freedom. The West African section of the journey ended in Ghana, where 100 Batonbearers, including Ghanaian Olympic medallist Samuel Takyi, carried the Baton during the two-day trip.”
Visit birmingham2022.com/ qbr to follow the journey.