HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S GOLDEN JUBILEE
The year 2002 will mark the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's Accession to the Throne. This will be an occasion both to look back at the role that The Queen has played in the affairs of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over the last 50 years and to look forwards.
Six key themes have been identified to guide the planning and delivery of the Golden Jubilee celebrations:
1. CELEBRATION
The Queen has expressed the wish that her Golden Jubilee should be an occasion for celebration involving the whole community in this country and throughout the Commonwealth. The focal point of the celebrations will be the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday 4 June 2002 on the final day of a Jubilee weekend of special events to mark the Golden Jubilee starting on Saturday 1 June. The summer of 2002, from May to July, will be given over to celebrations in every city, region, county, town and village across the United Kingdom.
2. GIVING THANKS
The Queen has said that she sees her Golden Jubilee as an opportunity to express her thanks for the support and loyalty she has enjoyed during her reign. This is a central theme of the Golden Jubilee celebrations. Through Her Majesty's visits around the United Kingdom and overseas during 2002 there will be many opportunities to pay tribute to all those who have supported The Queen over the last 50 years. Her Majesty's tours will also provide citizens of this country and the Commonwealth nations with opportunities to thank her for 50 years of dedicated service.
3. SERVICE
The Golden Jubilee celebrations will provide a special opportunity to acknowledge all those who support and contribute to their communities through public service and voluntary endeavour.
4. INVOLVING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY
The Queen hopes that the celebrations will reach into every community and involve everyone no matter what their background, age, culture, ethnic origin, religion or other status. It is hoped that the Golden Jubilee will be an inclusive occasion; that the celebrations will be accessible to all those who want to participate; and that they will reflect the multiculturalism in our society today and the diversity we see around us.
5. LOOKING FORWARD AS WELL AS BACK
The celebration of a 50-year reign is a time for reflection on the ways in which our lives have changed over half a century. It also offers us the chance to take stock of where we stand today and to look to the future. The Golden Jubilee is as much for young people in our communities as it is for the older generation. Celebrating the achievements of the youth of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and looking ahead to the contribution of youth to our society are important aspects of the Golden Jubilee.
6. COMMONWEALTH
The significance of the Commonwealth to the development and modern life of our nation is central to the programme of Golden Jubilee events scheduled for 2002. There is an important Commonwealth dimension to each of the other themes which places the Commonwealth at the heart of the Jubilee.
Official holidays
On the advice of the Prime Minister, The Queen has agreed that there should be an extra Bank Holiday for the Golden Jubilee on Monday 3 June 2002. The late May Bank Holiday, which would otherwise fall on Monday 27 May in 2002, will be moved to Tuesday 4 June. The dates were selected to allow as many people as possible to join in the celebrations.
The Queen will attend a National Service of Thanksgiving in St Paul's Cathedral, London on Tuesday 4 June 2002. Her Majesty hopes to tour within the United Kingdom from May to July. She will visit the Armed Forces in Portsmouth on 27 June, open the Commonwealth Games in Manchester on 25 July and close them on 4 August.
