This blog post was published under the 2015 to 2024 Conservative government

Jeremy Hobbs British Ambassador to Paraguay

Jeremy Hobbs

Former British Ambassador to Paraguay

Part of UK in Paraguay

27th May 2015 Asuncion, Paraguay

Getting ‘out and about’

Ambassadors tend to live and work in capital cities – not surprising, as that is where most government ministries and business people operate. Asuncion is no exception.

Like many Ambassadors I spend a lot of time in official meetings and diplomatic receptions of one sort or another. These provide good opportunities for progressing Embassy business. Internal management tasks and clearing my inbox can also take up a lot of time. With so much Asuncion-focused activity there are risks of getting trapped in ‘diplomatic bubble’ and disconnecting from reality.

One way to avoid the trap is to make a determined effort to get ‘out and about’. Now the new British Embassy is firmly established I have been doing just that.

In February, my wife and I visited the small rural community of Luz Bella in the department of San Pedro. There we saw how a British government funded project has helped empower small farmers to protect their traditional crops and lifestyle.

Visita a la comunidad rural de Luz Bella en San Pedro
Visita a la comunidad rural de Luz Bella en San Pedro

The focus on rural issues continued in March with a visit to the Escuela Agricola San Francisco run by the Fundacion Paraguaya. The Foundation has taught thousands of young people the key entrepreneurial and leaderships skills necessary to run a successful farming business – whether dairy, market garden or pigs. This award winning and sustainable Paraguayan approach to poverty reduction is now being replicated in Africa. How impressive is that?

Conversando con alumnos de la Escuela Agrícola San Francisco en Cerrito, Presidente Hayes
Conversando con alumnos de la Escuela Agrícola San Francisco en Cerrito, Presidente Hayes
Visita a la Escuela Agrícola San Francisco en Cerrito, Presidente Hayes
Visita a la Escuela Agrícola San Francisco en Cerrito, Presidente Hayes

The same day we attended the Techauka education fair in Villa Hayes and presented the British Government’s scholarship scheme to enthusiastic crowds of young people. Investing in young people is a priority for the Embassy.

El stand de la Embajada en la feria educacional Techauka en Villa Hayes
El stand de la Embajada en la feria educacional Techauka en Villa Hayes

Recently, separate visits to Tobati and Caazapa provided opportunities to delve into Paraguay’s rich cultural heritage. Tobati is home to some very talented lady potters who still produce beautiful hand made ceramic figures. It was a privilege to watch them at work.

Artesana de la zona de Tobatí trabajando en figuras de cerámica
Artesana de la zona de Tobatí trabajando en figuras de cerámica
Artesanías de cerámica hechas a mano
Artesanías de cerámica hechas a mano

I was equally impressed by Caazapa – a small, well kept and slightly out of the way town. The small church of San Pablo on the town’s attractive main plaza has one of the most beautiful carved wooden altars in Paraguay.

El altar de madera tallada de la iglesia de San Pablo en Caazapá
El altar de madera tallada de la iglesia de San Pablo en Caazapá

My most recent visits have been to the border cities of Salto del Guaira and Ciudad del Este. It was clear from our discussions that border business is facing tough times with turnover down by as much as 50%. But we were able to identify niche opportunities for British companies, which the Embassy will follow-up in the coming months.

I plan to get ‘out and about’ more in the coming months: the Chaco (Filadelfia and Neuland) is currently top of my list; Pilar and Humaita (Neembucu) are not far below. Perhaps you can suggest others?

3 comments on “Getting ‘out and about’

  1. Hi Jeremy,
    Many congratulations on becoming an Ambassador. It is well deserved.
    I am not sure how well you remember me, but we traipsed over half of Mexico a decade ago doing talks on Restorative Justice.
    Just to let you know I am back out there again tomorrow doing some training for CIDE, and there is one of the central states asking for some training later in the year as well.
    Sending a cerebral hug,
    Mike.

  2. Dear Ambassador Hobbs, may I suggest a visit to Villarrica (Guairá), one of the oldest cities in Paraguay and renowned for being the “craddle of culture” of the country. We would be glad to have you here in one of your forthcoming “out-and-about” visits.

    With kind regards,

    Fernando

    1. Dear Fernando. I would be delighted to visit Villarrica. I passed through briefly on my way to Caazapá but didn’t have time to visit the university and museums.

      Jeremy

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