By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
The Commonwealth Games Association of Sierra Leone (CGA-SLE) will officially launch the King’s Baton Relay on the 16th June, 2025, at State House, where His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio will officially launch the national campaign for the King’s Baton Relay 2025.
The King’s Baton Relay is a tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities from across the Commonwealth during the build-up to the Games and the journey to Glasgow 2026 will take 500 days and reach every corner of the Commonwealth.
The King’s Baton Relay began at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day, Monday 10 March 2025, when His Majesty, the King placed His Message to the Commonwealth that will be carried as part of the Relay into the first Baton.
For the first time ever, every Commonwealth nation and territory received their own Baton for their celebrations and has been asked to customize and decorate this Baton to represent their culture. All 74 batons will be reunited at the Opening Ceremony of Glasgow 2026, where the final Baton will be presented to His Majesty and the Message read aloud to declare the Games open.
For the first time as part of The King’s Baton Relay, Commonwealth Sport is partnering with the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) to deliver the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign – bringing much-needed attention to both ongoing ocean conservation efforts and interesting new solutions to plastic waste.
However, The Commonwealth Games Association of Sierra Leone (CGA-SLE), led by its President Prince Vandy Sualley officially presented its proposal for the 2025 King’s Baton Relay to the Chief Minister at State House in Freetown.
The presentation which marks a key step in Sierra Leone’s preparation for participation in the 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland,
According to Ahmed Khanou, the Acting Secretary General and Chief Development Manager of the Commonwealth Games Association, had disclosed that the King’s Baton is with them as part of a revamped relay initiative, noting that this change allows each country to activate their five-day participation window which will begin on June 16, before carrying the Baton directly to the host city in 2026.
“For Sierra Leone, the relay is not just about sports, it is also tied to a significant campaign the Commonwealth ‘Clean the Ocean Plastic’ initiative — which highlights the growing threat plastic waste poses to our environment,” he stated.
Khanou continued that the King’s Baton Relay will serve as a catalyst to energize Sierra Leone’s preparations for Glasgow 2026, adding that they want to leverage the power of the Baton to mobilize the entire nation, from government ministries and public institutions to athletes and schools, rallying everyone around this unifying event.
He confirmed that after the official launching, the Baton will be showcased at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British High Commission, followed by a presentation to the Mayor of Freetown. A major coastal cleanup will mark the symbolic start of the “Clean the Ocean” campaign.
The CGA’s Chief Development Manager continued that after Freetown, the next leg will take the Baton to Lungi and Port Loko, Makeni and Kenema, as they will be engaging schools, holding postcard campaigns, and promoting awareness on responsible plastic use.