China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Queen hails unsung heroes in Christmas message
Queen Elizabeth II will pay tribute to inspirational unsung heroes in her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth on Sunday.
The 90-year-old monarch will put the focus on “ordinary people doing extraordinary things”, according to the text of her annual message.
The monarch will urge people to achieve “small things with great love” in the speech, which is an integral part of Christmas Day traditions in Britain, and for millions around the world.
“I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organizers and good neighbors; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special,” she said, in the prerecorded message.
“They are an inspiration to those who know them, and their lives frequently embody a truth expressed by Mother Teresa.
“She once said: ‘ Not all of us can do great things. But we can dosmall things with great love’.”
Recalling the Rio2016Olympics, Queen Elizabeth was to pay tribute to Britain’s 67 medalists who propelled the country to second in the medals table — the nation’s best performance in an away Games.
“There was a time when British Olympic medal winners became household names because there were so fewof them,” she said.
She said the athletes spoke of being inspired by previous generations, and were now inspiring the next.
The monarch also singled out Grenada, the Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand — four countries where she is also queen— which won more Olympic medals per head of population than other nations.
Though she recalled the Games and her 90th birthday celebrations, the head of state did not mention the referendum in which Britain voted to leave the European Union, the dominating feature of 2016 in the UK.
She chose to focus on smaller-scale decisions instead.
“Even with the inspiration of others, it’s understandable that we sometimes think the world’s problems are so big that we can do little to help,” she said.
“On our own, we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice, but the cumulative impact of thousands of small acts of goodness can be bigger than we imagine.”
A heavy cold will keep the queen from attending the traditional Christmas morning church service near her Sandringham estate in rural Norfolk, England.
It is extremely rare for the queen to miss the service, which is a cornerstone of the royal family’s Christmas celebrations and brings the monarch into contact with local residents.