“One Commonwealth, Many Families” exhibition celebrates the spirit of the Commonwealth in Glasgow  

As Glasgow welcomed athletes and spectators from across the Commonwealth for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, a new exhibition at the University of Strathclyde is invitied the city's visitors and residents to explore a different kind of connection: the shared family histories that link Commonwealth nations together.

"One Commonwealth, Many Families," organised by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, ran from 23 July to 2 August 2026 at the university's Technology and Innovation Centre in Glasgow. The exhibition brought together partners from across academia, archives and the heritage sector to explore the shared stories that connect Commonwealth nations, using interactive experiences and historical records to highlight how migration, identity and family history continue to shape communities today.

The exhibition's timing and location were designed to reflect the spirit of the Commonwealth Games themselves as nations gather together with deeply intertwined histories and shared heritage. Taking place in the same city and at the same time as the Games, the exhibition drew a direct link between the athletic competition and the personal journeys of discovery that family history research can offer.

Chris Pattenden, Country Experience Manager for FamilySearch UK, Ireland & Nordics, said the timing and location of the exhibition were no coincidence.

“As the Commonwealth came together in Glasgow, 'One Commonwealth, Many Families' reminded us that the strongest connections between nations are often found in the stories of ordinary families. The exhibition demonstrated that family history is about much more than discovering names and dates, it’s about discovering people, understanding where we come from, and strengthening our sense of identity and belonging. It was inspiring to see history, technology and personal stories come together to help visitors explore the journeys that have shaped both Scotland and the wider Commonwealth. At FamilySearch, we believe every record represents a real person, and every discovery has the power to connect someone more deeply with their family, their community and the human story we all share.”

The partnership with the University of Strathclyde brought institutional reach to the initiative. The university worked alongside FamilySearch specialists to curate records relevant to Commonwealth nations, ensuring the exhibition reflected the breadth of histories represented among Glasgow's visitors during the Games.

On the ground floor, the exhibition traced individual stories of migration and achievement across the Commonwealth, including the journey of Dr Ihsan Ullah Khand. In 1965, Dr Khand travelled from Lahore to Glasgow with his wife and young family after being awarded a Commonwealth scholarship to study for a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde. He went on to co-discover what became known as the Pauson–Khand reaction, a chemical process still used and studied by scientists around the world today. His briefcase, displayed as part of the exhibit, stood as a personal artefact of that journey and served as a reminder that behind many contributions to science, medicine and public life are families who crossed borders in search of education and opportunity. Three generations of the Khand family have since made Glasgow their home.

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Upstairs, visitors explored their own family connections through a series of interactive screens, searching their family names to uncover historical records, discovering the meanings behind their surnames and even finding out which notable figures they might be related to.

Drawing on FamilySearch, one of the world's largest free genealogical databases, the exhibition allowed visitors to search digitised historical records, including census documents, birth and marriage certificates, and migration records from across the Commonwealth. Trained guides from FamilySearch were on hand throughout to help visitors navigate their searches, with sessions designed to be accessible to those with no prior experience of genealogical research.

The exhibition also hosted a special reception for guests active in the family history and genealogy field, who heard discussions from FamilySearch specialists on new developments. The reception underlined the exhibition's appeal beyond casual visitors, drawing in those already engaged in preserving and researching family and community histories across the Commonwealth.

FamilySearch has been helping people discover their family histories for more than a century. Today, its free online platform holds billions of historical records and family trees contributed by people around the world, making it one of the most widely used genealogical resources available.

The Commonwealth Games, which returned to Glasgow for the second time in the city's history, celebrate the spirit of competition and friendship among nations with a shared past. "One Commonwealth, Many Families" offered a complementary way to mark that shared past through stories, records and relationships that connect Commonwealth communities across generations.

FamilySearch is available at FamilySearch.org. Its resources help people of all backgrounds discover and preserve their family histories. FamilySearch is a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.