• course
  guide
• introducing commonwealth
  values
• human rights: universal values
• democratic values and structures
• commonwealth
  values and youth development
• course
  summary

Unit Summary

In this unit, you have covered the following main points:

• an overview of the history of the Commonwealth (including official statements of Commonwealth principles from heads of government)
• the diversity of the Commonwealth member states, and also what the Commonwealth countries have in common – some common history, institutions and language
• how the Commonwealth originated with the British Empire, and the legacies of colonialism
• the evolution of the modern Commonwealth and its roles – including co-operation and assistance to member states
• the establishment of Commonwealth principles and ways in which these principles are put into practice.

In the rest of the course we explore various aspects of Commonwealth values, and look at examples of how these have or have not been put into practice by the Commonwealth and other organisations.