As this year ends, I want to share my warmest wishes with the people across the Commonwealth, and with our valued member countries, for a happy and safe holiday season.
It’s been a great privilege to lead the Commonwealth Foundation’s work since being appointed Director-General earlier this year. Assuming responsibility for convening and creating space for the priorities and voices of 2.7 billion citizens has been a deep personal honour. I am very grateful for the warm welcome and deeply inspired by the work ahead.
My first months in this role have been focused on listening and learning from our civil society partners, member countries and sister organisations. The challenges we face are real—from shrinking civic space, increased economic uncertainty and inequality, and the accelerating climate emergency. Yet across the Commonwealth, citizens and communities continue to demonstrate that they can drive meaningful change when they work together.
‘Across the Commonwealth, citizens and communities continue to demonstrate that they can drive meaningful change when they work together.’
One such example was July’s landmark International Court of Justice ruling, which called on states to prevent climate change and was made possible by the tireless activism of civil society groups in the Pacific, working alongside their member country partners. In October, thousands signed up to our Critical Conversation online event to explore what the ruling could mean in practice.
I was inspired in particular by hearing Vepaiamele Grace Trief, a 16-year-old Ni-Vanuatu writer and climate advocate, recite My Testimony live at the event, a poem sharing her perspective on the ruling that was also presented at The People’s Museum for Climate Change in The Hague, the Netherlands. Now you can watch it too:
The desire for citizen participation in governance has never been stronger. Our most recent grants call received thousands of applications, including a significant increase from small and vulnerable states. The Foundation remains committed to supporting smaller and less well-established civil society organisations—groups whose work is often courageous and under-resourced, yet vital to democratic life.
‘Creative expression also continues to play a vital role in challenging shrinking civic space.’
Creative expression also continues to play a vital role in challenging shrinking civic space. The 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize closed with an astounding 7,806 entries, including significant increases in non-English languages and participation from almost every Commonwealth country. It continues to ensure that it reaches, promotes and supports new and emerging writers to bring forward a wealth of voices from across the Commonwealth.
This year also marked an important cultural milestone with the announcement of the first Commonwealth Poet Laureate, Selina Tusitala Marsh, on 1 July. I encourage you to explore the work Selina has published during her laureateship so far in our online magazine, adda.
The Foundation’s unique role of bridge-building between government and civil society offers significant scope for growth and ambition as we start to look ahead and prepare for the launch of our new Strategy in July 2026.
We are also preparing for a strong and impactful Commonwealth People’s Forum in Antigua and Barbuda next November, shaped by the issues that matter most to citizens. We will strive to engage organisations across the Commonwealth, amplifying the work of civil society and promoting less well-established and smaller organisations where possible. We hope you can join us, in person or online. Register here to learn more.
Wishing you a peaceful holiday season and a hopeful start to the new year.
Razmi Farook is the Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation
