Set to arrive on the shores of Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday 28th May 2017, the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA) will be the first Caribbean country to welcome the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) Queen’s Baton Relay delegation as they arrive from Saint Helena, the nineteenth of its 71 Commonwealth destinations.
Australian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. John Pilbeam said “Hosting the GC2018 Queen’s Baton Relay presents Trinidad and Tobago with a unique opportunity to showcase its people, heritage, culture and environment to the rest of the Commonwealth.”
Trinidad and Tobago will provide an integral link when it welcomes the Baton as part of the most engaging Relay in history. The Queen’s Baton Relay will be hosted in the capital city, Port of Spain, on May 29th, 2017 and in Tobago on May 30th, 2017. The TTCGA hopes to share Trinidad and Tobago’s historic landmarks – the Magnificent 7, Queen’s Park Savannah, the Botanical Gardens and the Pigeon Point Heritage Park – with rest the Commonwealth nations.
Trinidad and Tobago Gold 2018 Commonwealth Games Chef de Mission, Diane Henderson said the Queen’s Baton Relay is something that everyone should be a part of. “I encourage everyone to turn out, see the Baton, join in the festivities and cheer on the baton bearers along the route in Port of Spain. We are excited to be the first country in the Caribbean to receive the Baton.”
It is the vision of the XXI CG to stage a great QBR that embraces the Commonwealth’s diversity, ignites community pride and excites the Commonwealth about the GC2018. From 28th – 31st May 2017, the Baton will spend four days in Trinidad and Tobago embracing the local culture and traditions.
TTCGA President, Brian Lewis said “the Queen Baton’s visit to Trinidad and Tobago is taking place at a very significant time and it is symbolic of the history, culture and values that we need more and more. The TTCGA is excited and it is our pleasure to welcome the Queen’s Baton to Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday.”
ENDS
About the Queen’s Baton Relay
The Queen’s Baton Relay has been the traditional curtain-raiser to the Commonwealth Games since the 1958 Games in Cardiff, Wales. The Queen’s Baton carries a message from Her Majesty The Queen, as a call to the Commonwealth to come together in friendly competition at the Games.
On an ambitious journey to connect with the modern and diverse Commonwealth of today, the GC2018 Queen’s Baton Relay (QBR) will achieve two records: it will be the longest Relay ever, and the most accessible Relay to date.
The Relay started at Buckingham Palace on Monday 13 March 2017 – Commonwealth Day. At the commencement ceremony Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, placed Her message into the Baton and entrusted its journey with thousands of batonbearers who will carry it around the Commonwealth.
Travelling for 388-days through all 71 nations and territories and covering over 230,000 kilometres, the Relay will be the longest in Commonwealth Games history.
Following the 288-day international journey, the Baton will return to Australia for a 100-day domestic sector. The final Batonbearer will return the Baton to Her Majesty The Queen (or Her Representative) at the Games Opening Ceremony on 4 April 2018. The message will be removed from the Baton and read aloud to officially open GC2018.