Be there to cheer as the Queen's Baton Relay makes it way to your country

Be there to catch all the action as the Queen's Baton Relay heads across 71 nations as a symbol of the unity and diversity.

Symbolising the unity and diversity of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Queens Baton Relay is one of the greatest traditions of the Commonwealth Games.  Similar to the Olympic Torch Relay, the Queen's Baton Relay which was introduced at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff is a relay around the world that held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The baton relay which traditionally begins from the Buckingham Palace carries a message from the Queen who happens to be the Head of the Commonwealth. The Queen entrusts the baton to the first relay runner who then hands it over to the next runner. The baton passes through all the commonwealth nations with one runner passing it to the other before the final relay runner hands the baton back to the Queen or her representative at  the Opening Ceremony of the Games who then reads the message and declares the games officially open.

With the 20^th Commonwealth Games all set to begin at Glasgow next year. Preparation has already been made for the Queen Baton’s Relay. Though the design of the baton is yet to be unveiled, it is understood that this time the baton will travel to 71 nations and territories in seven months before arriving in Scotland for a 40 day tour across the nation. In this process the baton will cover about 190,000km which is far longer than the Olympic Torch relay and the 2010 Delhi CWG.

The baton will leave from Buckingham Palace on 9 October 2013 for Glasgow before landing in India on 11 October. From India, it will then make it make to other commonwealth countries before returning to Scotland for the final tour across the nation in June 2014. On an average the baton will spend on at least one to four days in each nation with extended days in the UK.