The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent nations. Its members are pledged to consult together and to cooperate in the common Interest of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace.
The Commonwealth consists of one quarter of the people and countries in the world. It draws its membership from all continents and embraces many races, religions and languages. The member countries display every stage of economic development from poor developing nations to wealthy industrialised nations.
Yet the Commonwealth is one of the strongest voluntary international groupings in the world. The association draws its strength from vital principles of partnership, equality and multi racialism which reflect its origin in the movement of decolonisation.
The summit of all Commonwealth activities is the meeting of Heads of Commonwealth Governments at two-yearly intervals. Through these meetings they have worked to advance cooperative programmes to fight poverty, combat racism and generate world peace. The Heads of Government have spelt out the beliefs which underline all their actions in two declarations, the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles (1971) and the Lusaka Declaration on Racism and Racial Prejudice (1979).
Commonwealth leaders have also used these meetings to set up a number of technical programmes through which member countries pool their experience to improve standards in agriculture, education, health and many other fields. The Commonwealth Secretariat located in London administers these programmes. They have also founded the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation through which experts are sent to work in member countries.
Commonwealth summits may be held in any Commonwealth country. The last six venues have been Singapore (1971), Ottawa (1973), Kingston (1975), London (1977), Lusaka (1979) and Melbourne (1981). New Delhi is hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November, 1983.
Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department is privileged to issue a set of two commemorative stamps on this occasion.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India
Stamps 
