Bruce Bucknell

Last week, we formally opened the new Visa Application Centre in Minsk.  This was a satisfying moment as we had been working on this for much of last year. The new centre in Minsk is part of a global programme to close visa sections in embassies, and transfer the application process to privately run application […]

We are going home for Christmas.  But we’re only back for less than three weeks, and we won’t be living in our house.  So we won’t have the complete British Christmas that I described last year.  But we’ll be spending time with family and friends, and re-visiting favourite places. I’m looking forward to it. As […]

Stereotypes about nations are dangerous things.  I read recently that national stereotypes exist for a reason.  Maybe, but they can breed prejudice – in the sense of “pre-judging” people or places based on a stereotype before you encounter them. What of stereotypes about Britain?  I hope many of  my previous blogs have challenged some of […]

I give many talks in English because there is a good demand for me to do so.  Most of my audiences are younger people at universities, and one asked earlier this year how different young people in Belarus were to those in Britain.  I had to think hard before I gave my answer. Much of […]

Political life has been fascinating in the last few weeks in Britain. I was lucky enough to be in London in mid-September and watched, listened and read lots from the British media about the Scottish referendum. Like any good contest, the outcome was not certain. There was lively debate and on the day, a high […]

I recently received an invitation to talk about dress. A business club wanted to hear my views about how to dress for business meetings. I’m always happy to speak in public, but I wasn’t sure that I was the best person to give advice on this subject. I probed for more detail. Apparently, some business […]