Welcome from Commonwealth Secretary-General
Rt Hon Don McKinnon

Welcome to the Commonwealth, a unique global association that represents over one quarter of humanity. The Commonwealth has 54 member countries, located in all continents and all oceans in the world and representing all the major ethnic and religious groups. From Tuvalu (population: 10,500) to India (population: 1 billion), our members are committed to create a better future for all our citizens and to abide by a set of rules which celebrate and promote democracy, equality, tolerance, mutual respect and sustainable development. Our stand against apartheid before South Africa's transition in 1994, our championing of democracy and good governance, as well as our support for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and for small states are some examples of how we put our values into practice.

The Commonwealth can be proud of a number of 'firsts': we are the first international organisation to have put in place a democracy 'watchdog' mechanism and the first organisation to have established a development arm focusing solely on young people. We are also the first organisation which recognised the special characteristics of small states and sought to help these countries deal with their unique vulnerabilities and challenges. We may not always succeed but we never stop trying.

We are also proud of the vast network of organisations which we call the unofficial Commonwealth. Our relationships and partnerships with international institutions, non-governmental organisations, professional associations and the private sector make us stronger, more effective and more relevant. These networks ensure that the voice of ordinary people throughout the Commonwealth is being heard.

This is the first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) of the new millennium and my first as Secretary-General. Originally due to be held in Brisbane in October last year, CHOGM has been postponed following the terrorist attacks of 11 September and is now being held in Coolum from 2-5 March.

I am sure that this meeting will continue our tradition of genuine and frank dialogue and informality, while reviewing our association's mandate and charting a future course of activities and priorities. A high level group of ten Commonwealth leaders will be presenting recommendations to CHOGM that will outline these new priorities and reaffirm leaders' commitment to the organisation. Heads of Government will also consider a Plan of Action on terrorism, defining the Commonwealth's strategy in the fight against terror.

The theme for this year's meeting is 'The Commonwealth in the 21st Century: Continuity and Renewal'. We believe that this will be the ideal occasion to look at how to make the most of our comparative advantages - our flexibility, informality and strong bonds - in addressing the challenges brought about by globalisation and new technologies.

The web site
This CHOGM 2002 site is a joint effort of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Australian Government to provide information on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which will take place in Coolum from 2-5 March.

Through this site, visitors will learn about CHOGM discussions, key issues of concern to Commonwealth Heads of Government, and the work we do in the Commonwealth to achieve the goals set by member governments.

It offers information on individual heads of government, the member countries they lead and provides useful links - official and unofficial - to other web resources on these countries. There are links to key Australian sites too, including tourism, hotels and artistic and cultural events.

This website will hopefully act as a gateway and a catalyst for more and more people to better understand who we are, what we do and who we do it for. We look forward to welcoming you to this site again and again!

Don McKinnon