The Golden Tapestry is a project for up to 1,800 primary and special schools across the Commonwealth.  The Millennium Tapestry Company Limited, which is a non-profit making limited company that has designed and is managing the Golden Tapestry, is inviting schools from across the Highlands and Islands to contribute to the tapestry.

More than 500 schools in 37 countries have signed up: Anguilla, Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, England, the Falkland Islands, The Gambia, Ghana, Guernsey, India, the Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Montserrat, Namibia, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, St Helena, Scotland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Uganda, Wales and Zambia.

The Millennium Tapestry Company is actively pairing schools in different Commonwealth countries, either introducing them to each other or involving schools which already have links. The principle is that the two schools will work on exactly the same briefs, so they can compare notes with each other and their two canvases will be displayed next to each other at various exhibitions. The aim is that the links established between schools will endure beyond the project, providing a valuable legacy on which schools and their communities can build.

Each school taking part makes a metre square of textural embroidery contributing to a story covering a year in the life of the Commonwealth and describing what different aspects of their lives the children would most like to show Her Majesty the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth if she were to visit them. The briefs the children work on all reflect the principles that unite the Commonwealth, global citizenship and civic values, and conservation and the protection of the environment. It is an important objective that schools from all communities and all faith groups have the opportunity to be represented. It is fundamental to the project that it should be fully inclusive, and that it should help foster understanding and friendship, amongst different communities in any one country and between all people in different parts of the world. Each school taking part is sent a resource pack (which is packed in a metre long postal tube), which includes the school's individual brief, briefing notes, a metre square of carpet canvas, a range of wools, yarns, materials and implements and a CD or videotape.  

The Victoria Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination, which is responsible for the cultural festival at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March 2006, is at this moment working to find and secure the ideal venue in Melbourne for the entire Golden Tapestry for the duration of the Games, and The Millennium Tapestry Company has been invited by the Commonwealth of Learning to mount a major exhibition in Vancouver, British Columbia next March for the Spirit of the Commonwealth Festival. They are also currently working on and planning exhibitions in England, Malaysia and South Africa, and hope to have exhibitions in further countries across the Commonwealth.  

The Queen has already seen a preview display of the tapestry at Buckingham Palace, when she was delighted with the progress of the Golden Tapestry and remarked on the wonderful ingenuity of the children's work. Don McKinnon, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, is also following the project closely and says “The Golden Tapestry is a project aimed at promoting the value of diversity throughout the Commonwealth. It involves Commonwealth schoolchildren and offers them an opportunity to express what it means to them to be part of the Commonwealth.” 

Please visit www.goldentapestry.com  for further information.