Following the 14th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers held in Halifax, Canada, in November 2000, the Commonwealth Secretariat organised a seminar with the theme 'A Commonwealth Framework for Heritage, Multiculturalism and Citizenship Education' in Johannesburg, South Africa, in April 2002. This publication was compiled from the papers and proceedings of the seminar. It is a result of collaborative work undertaken by educationalists, curriculum developers and leading experts to develop a framework for an innovative approach to citizenship education, to strengthen a culture of fairness, equity, tolerance and respect. This ground-breaking approach involves the key elements of heritage, multiculturalism and citizenship. The framework, easily adapted to individual countries, serves as a basis for organising curriculum and for teaching and learning resources.