Commonwealth Walkway
The Commonwealth Walkway initiative aims to create walkways in towns and cities around the world to preserve and protect the physical and mental health of people, advance their education in relation to natural and cultural heritage and promote conservation, protection and improvement of the historical and natural environment.
The Commonwealth Walkway initiative was established in 2012 with a donation made by the Jubilee Walkway Trust, the charity that established the first city Walkway in 1977 and maintained it for 40 years. The Commonwealth Walkway Trust led the project until 2023. After the death of The Queen the Trust was dissolved and Walk21 Foundation appointed the new coordinator. The first marker on the Commonwealth Walkway was installed in 2014 outside the Glasgow Council Chambers at the start of the Commonwealth Games. Her Majesty The Queen, then Head of the Commonwealth, gave her support, allowing each marker to display her personal EIIR Royal cipher and crown. The Queen launched the first completed Commonwealth Walkway in Valetta (Malta) at CHOGM in November 2015 and since then has also launched routes in Windsor, on the occasion of her 90th birthday, and in London at CHOGM in April 2018.
Walk21 Foundation is primarily the coordinating body for the delivery of the Commonwealth Walkway initiative in collaboration with communities and authorities in each city. The Commonwealth Walkway is an inclusive, accessible and internationally appreciated project. Walk21 manages the strategic promotion of the Walkway too and supports cities and countries with their plans to organise annual Walks for the Commonwealth.
Hugo Vickers DL is the Chairman of the Commonwealth Walkway initiative and has been a champion of city walkways since 1977. Hugo Vickers is a biographer, lecturer and broadcaster, specialising in the twentieth century. He is Cecil Beaton’s appointed biographer, royal expert and author of several books, including The Private World of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Alice: Princess Andrew of Greece.
Governance
Dr Reg Murphy: (Director of Heritage Resources for the National Parks of Antigua). Dr Murphy was the past president and a current Board member of the International Association for Caribbean Archaeology and represents the Caribbean region of the Commonwealth as well as providing advice on natural heritage to the Trust.
Mr Hugh Graham: (Commonwealth Games Regional Vice President for Oceania, National Olympic Committee President and Secretary General of the Oceania Volleyball Federation). Mr Graham represents the Pacific region of the Commonwealth as well as providing advice on physical activity to the Trust.
The Hon. Lois Mitchell: (Lt Governor of Alberta, Canada Rtd. and coordinator of several walkway routes in the Americas). Her Honour represents the America’s region of the Commonwealth as well as providing advice on philanthropy to the Trust.
Dame Louise Martin: (President of the Commonwealth Games Federation and Vice Chair of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee where the first Commonwealth Walkway was installed). Dame Louise provides connections to the Commonwealth Games Association family and partnership advice to maximise the physical activity legacy of the Trust.
Her Excellency Ms. Saida Muna Tasneem: (High Commissioner for Bangladesh). Her Excellency represents the Asia region of the Commonwealth as well as providing advice on women empowerment, climate change and communications and public diplomacy to the Trust.
The Rt Hon Patrica Scotland QC: (Commonwealth Secretary General and an active supporter of the Walkways in the Americas especially). Baroness Scotland provides advice to the Trust to ensure the walkways promote and protect the Commonwealth values.
Olasupo Shasore SAN: (Partner in The African Law Firm and Chair of the Walkway committee in Lagos, Nigeria). Mr Shasore represents the African region of the Commonwealth as well as providing legal advice to the Trust.
His Worship Tom Tate: (Mayor of the Gold Coast, Australia and host of the Commonwealth Games with connections across Asia). His Worship represents the Asian region of the Commonwealth as well as providing delivery advice to the Trust.
Hon. Barry House AM: (a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Former President of the Legislative Assembly for Western Australia and Chair of the WA Walkway Committee). Mr House provides connections to partners across the Commonwealth as well as providing partnership advice to the Trust.
Mr Martin Scicluna: (Director General of The Today Public Policy Institute, in Malta). Mr Scicluna represents the European region of the Commonwealth as well as providing advice on heritage matters and policy to the Trust.
Supporters
JP Marland Charitable Trust
The Swire Charitable Trust
The Band Trust
Maps sponsored by Mapbox
Eranda Rothschild Foundation
The Garfield Weston Foundation
The Steel Trust
Website supported by Go-Jauntly
