The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will visit all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth yet will travel almost half the distance than the previous Gold Coast Queen’s Baton Relay in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint.
During the visit, each nation and territory will host events and activities that showcase untold stories from Batonbearers, athletes, and young people who are striving for change in their community, as well as showcasing a project that address one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The Baton will witness moments of celebration, visit local schools and explore iconic landmarks.
Over the course of the Relay, the Baton will spend Christmas Eve in the Seychelles, will bring in the New Year in the Maldives and will be in Jamaica over the Easter weekend.
Flying out from Birmingham Airport, the first stop on the Relay is Cyprus on 9 October, shortly followed by Malta on 12 October.
Arriving in Africa on 16 October, the Baton will take in the rich cultures of all 19 Commonwealth countries on the continent, as well as a stop on the volcanic island of Saint Helena.
After three days in Pakistan, the Baton will spend New Year’s Day in the Maldives, before visiting Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and spending four days in India between 12-15 January 2022.
The Baton will journey across Southeast Asia, visiting Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam in January, and travelling to the Pacific Islands in February, including a visit to the smallest island in the Commonwealth, Nauru.
New Zealand will host the Baton on Commonwealth Day during a visit from 12 until 15 March, before four days in Australia (17-20 March), hosts of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The Baton will spend two months travelling around the Caribbean and Americas, including visits to The Bahamas, Jamaica and Barbados, and reaching the islands of St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines.
From here, the Baton will spend four days in Canada, arriving on 26 May 2022, before visiting Gibraltar.
After stopping off at the Falkland Islands, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man in first three weeks of June, the Relay will have an extended duration of five days in Scotland, four in Northern Ireland, five in Wales and 25 days covering the length and breadth of England.
The global journey will conclude at the Birmingham 2022 Opening Ceremony where the final Batonbearer will return the Baton to Her Majesty The Queen.
Source: Birmingham 2022 Media
Photo credit: birmingham mail
