Commonwealth Secretary-General gives thumbs up to CHOGM 2011 summit venue

22 October 2011
News

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre set-up excellent says Kamalesh Sharma

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma is delighted with preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) venue at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC).

He commended the CHOGM 2011 Taskforce for their sterling efforts in setting the stage for the biennial summit which will take place from 28 to 30 October in the Western Australian capital, Perth, following a tour of the venue on 23 October 2011.

"This is one of the best layouts I've ever seen for CHOGM," said the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

"I would like to express my deep appreciation to the CHOGM 2011 Taskforce led by Terry Crane, who have put in a magnificent effort to make the setting for this summit meeting of Commonwealth leaders both convenient and impressive. I am confident that the gathering of Heads of Government in Perth will put us well on course to deliver yet more innovative and sustainable solutions to the contemporary challenges faced by the people of our member countries - and these Commonwealth solutions are, by their very nature, templates for global action.

"The theme 'Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience' encapsulates the important role of our member countries in collectively advancing national and international development by building on the Commonwealth's fundamental values of democracy, human rights, rule of law, good governance, tolerance and respect for diversity. Each of these factors contributes towards building peace, stability and security, which are goals we share for our common future."

CHOGM will bring together leaders from the 54-member association to discuss issues of common interest and to develop joint approaches on ways forward which will help to transform societies and improve lives.