The executive committee of the Isle of Man branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has selected two young people from the Isle of Man to attend this year’s CPA Headquarters Secretariat’s Observance of Commonwealth Day in London on Monday March 11th.

Katie Danes, 18, from Port St Mary and Faye Devlin, 19, from Onchan will join up to 1000 other young people attending the day, the theme for which will be ‘Opportunity through Enterprise’.

The programme will include discussions on the Commonwealth and the CPA attended by visiting and UK parliamentarians, followed by attendance at the Observance Day service in Westminster Abbey at which Her Majesty the Queen, as Head of the Commonwealth, will be present, together with all Commonwealth High Commissioners in London. The day will conclude with a reception, also in the presence of Her Majesty, hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Dr William F.Shija at Marlborough House, headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

In December 2012 the executive committee invited applications from young people in the Isle of Man, with each applicant required to set out in no more than 100 words what they believed they would gain from the experience and how the Isle of Man would benefit from their attendance. Out of more than 30 replies the submissions by Miss Danes and Miss Devlin were selected.

Both are at Lancaster University; Miss Danes studying management and entrepreneurship and Miss Devlin English literature and history.

In her submission to the executive committee Miss Danes wrote that since taking part in Junior Tynwald in 2011 she had taken a keen interest in Manx politics, while Miss Devlin referred to her involvement in the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games, an experience that gave her an opportunity to meet ‘inspirational young people from the Commonwealth countries [that] turned these areas into places I genuinely care for.’

On learning of her selection Miss Devlin said: ‘I feel so privileged to be selected to represent the Isle of Man at such a prestigious event and would like to thank the Isle of Man Branch of the CPA for making this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity possible.  It will be such an interesting and memorable day, offering an invaluable insight into the politics and cultures of the other Commonwealth countries.  I feel so lucky and cannot wait to go.’

CPA Isle of Man branch chairman Juan Watterson MHK said: ‘To receive more than 30 applications to attend the Commonwealth Observance Day proceedings was an encouraging sign that there is an appetite among people to learn more about the Commonwealth, its values and the important global role it continues to play.

’One of the CPA’s guiding tasks is to engage with young people, promote understanding on matters of shared interest, and highlight the relevance of the modern-day Commonwealth and its commitment to furthering parliamentary democracy.

‘Commonwealth Observance Day provides a very special opportunity to share experiences and discuss matters of mutual interest but above all to celebrate the close bonds that link together the Commonwealth community. Against this background that I am confident Katie and Faye will find the experience both inspiring and memorable.’

Photo - Katie Danes and Faye Devlin, both from the Isle of Man and studying at Lancaster University, have been selected to attend Commonwealth Observance Day on March 11th.