En route to Carrara Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018), the Queen’s Baton Relay will arrive at Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus shortly after 11am on Wednesday morning (April 4).
In some ways it is on this campus that the QBR journey started for Keri Algar who has been to close to 30 different countries on the Queen’s Baton odyssey since she took up the position of Public Relations and Media Operations Specialist for Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC).
“I probably wouldn’t be doing the work I’m doing now if I hadn’t decided to come to Griffith,” Keri says.
Over a period of time, the liveability of the Gold Coast had grown on the New Zealander just prior to her decision to return to study and focus her career on journalism, public relations and communications. Griffith’s School of Humanities seemed the right choice in the right place at the right time.
Keri (below left) graduated with a Master of Journalism and Mass Communication in 2010 and this postgraduate degree, combined with a wealth of previous life and professional experience, put Keri on the path to her current role.
“Our media team are tasked with ensuring that people know about the Queen’s Baton Relay, where it’s happening and know what it’s about,” she says. “The Queen’s Baton has been through some of the world’s largest countries and smallest territories, some of the poorest and richest nations. It’s an event that unites, it’s about including everybody.”
With the GC2018 Queen’s Baton Relay set to arrive at Griffith so close to the end of its global trek, Keri encourages all present for the on-campus celebrations to take a moment to consider its journey.
“This single Baton has been passed through the hands of so many different people around the world, from Her Majesty The Queen to farmers and fishermen in Africa to Muslim women in Malaysia, just an incredible diversity of human beings.”
Queen’s Baton on Gold Coast campus
The Queen’s Baton 388-day journey will see it take the G:Link light rail to Griffith’s Gold Coast campus arriving at 11.16am on Wednesday morning when three Griffith representatives will have the honour of being GC2018 batonbearers
Professor Mark von Itzstein will take the Queen’s Baton first and hand over to student Bianca Archer who will hand over to PhD candidate Krystal Lockwood. Professorvon Itzstein is the Director of Griffith’s Institute for Glycomics and a world-leading scientist in the fight against diseases like childhood leukaemia, melanoma and malaria.
Bianca is a Bachelor of Architectural Design student and Abedian Foundation Griffith Futures Scholarship recipient. Krystal is PhD researcher at Griffith Criminology Institute and a Charlie Perkins Scholarship recipient.
To celebrate, Griffith will be holding special festivities for students, staff and the local community from 10am to 1pm. There will be plenty on offer for the entire family including free events, music and a chance to meet GC2018 mascot Borobi. All are welcome.