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Marianne Young

Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Part of Stay Ahead of the Games UK in Namibia

5th August 2011 Windhoek, Namibia

London 2012 Olympic Games: one year to go and Namibia is raring…

Left to right: Mr Barry Young, HE Mrs Marianne Young, British Council Country Director Dr Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, Frank Fredericks

The final 12 month countdown to the greatest show on earth has now started. London 2012 will explode into action in the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, on 27 July next year.The preparations are all on track. The Park’s construction is now 88% complete and set to provide a spectacular showcase for the very best in British design, engineering, creativity and security. London’s unique vision to hold the first sustainable Olympic Games is well on the way to delivery.

The event promises to be a spectacular celebration of sport, culture and the best of British design in the world’s greatest city. I am also delighted that Namibia already has plenty to celebrate as part of this great adventure.

The country’s own Olympic superstar Frank Fredericks helped Lord Sebastian Coe to plant the final piece of turf in the main stadium back in April.

Now Namibian shooter Gaby Ahrens and cyclist Dan Craven have both qualified for the London 2012 Games and hopes are high that Namibian triathlete Abraham Louw is on the verge of qualifying. Runners Daniel Nghipandulwa (1500m) and Tjipekapora Herunga (400m) are also both expected to qualify.

Millions of people around the world have also been following the progress of another young Namibian sprinter, Merlyn Diamond (aka the Cheetah of Namibia), as her journey towards the Olympics is tracked by the BBC’s World Olympic Dreams series.

HE Mrs Marianne Young, Dr Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, Merlyn Diamond, Abner Xoagub

HE Mrs Marianne Young, Dr Becky Njoze-Ojo, Merlyn Diamond, Abner Xoagub

I was therefore delighted to welcome Frank, Gaby and Merlyn, and other great Namibian sporting names and senior officials, to the British High Commission Residence yesterday to celebrate the One Year to Go benchmark milestone at a special reception. The event, held jointly with the Namibian National Olympic Committee, was a wonderful chance to celebrate Namibia’s proud record of sporting excellence in such august company.

It was also an opportunity to provide local sportsmen and women with a sneak preview of what is waiting for them in the breath-taking Olympic Park. The main event of the evening was a special screening of Going for Green, a film documenting the sustainable construction and tremendous energy going into the creation of the park, the largest construction project in Europe. We crowned the event with footage of Merlyn training to get there and Frank planting the final piece of turf at the venue itself.

The evening was a wonderful chance to underscore both our countries’ commitment to upholding the spirit of the Olympic Games, and to build up our joint excitement for what is set to be an unforgettable sporting event. Our shared journey towards the Games is helping to mark a real high point in bilateral relations for both our countries.

Read my speech here, and Frank Fredericks’ here

The British High Commission in Windhoek now looks forward to continuing its work with the Namibia National Olympic Committee to help build up local awareness in the approach to the Games. We will be running a programme of joint outreach activities and visits to local schools in the coming months. We plan to offer local learners the chance to win some fantastic London 2012 merchandise as prizes for Olympic-themed art and writing competitions.

If you have any creative competition ideas for both primary and secondary students, we would be delighted to hear them. Do send us your ideas via a comment on the blog.

But in the meantime, let the countdown to the Games begin in earnest – and join me in keeping my fingers firmly crossed for more superb young Namibian athletes to qualify in the coming months.

About Marianne Young

Marianne Young is the current British High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia. She arrived in Windhoek in June 2011 and presented her credentials to the President of the Republic of…

Marianne Young is the current British High Commissioner to the
Republic of Namibia. She arrived in Windhoek in June 2011 and presented
her credentials to the President of the Republic of Namibia on 3rd
August.
Mrs Young joined the FCO in 2001 following a career in international
journalism, including time spent running an Asian maritime press office
in Singapore and a traineeship on the UK’s Times newspaper.
Her first role in the FCO was as a Press Officer in News Department,
after which she went on to be Head of the Great Lakes Section in Africa
Directorate and then Head of the East Africa & Horn Section.
In 2005, she became the first Head of Communications for the Engaging with the Islamic World Group.
She moved to the British High Commission in Pretoria in February 2007
and served as the Head of the External Political Section and Deputy
High Commissioner to the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland.
Mrs Young moved across to the British High Commission in Windhoek in
June 2011, and presented her credentials to the President of the
Republic of Namibia on 3rd August 2011.
On her appointment as British High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia, Mrs Young said:
“I am honoured and delighted to be appointed Her Majesty’s High
Commissioner to Namibia. I look forward to working to strengthen the
many commercial, political and cultural ties between our two countries,
and to help the many British nationals who holiday there. My family and I
are particularly thrilled to be remaining in southern Africa – and to
have the opportunity to explore this beautiful country further and
discover more about its people and culture.”
Curriculum vitae

Full name:
Marianne Young

Married to:
Barry Young

Children:
Two daughters and one son

 
June 2011
Windhoek, British High Commissioner

2007 – 2011
 
Pretoria, Head of External Political Section and DHC for the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland

2005 – 2006
FCO, Head of Communications, Engaging with the Islamic World Group

2004 – 2005
FCO, Head of East Africa & Horn Section, Africa Directorate

3/2003 – 8/2003
FCO, Head of Great Lakes Section, Africa Directorate

2002 – 2003
FCO, Press Officer, Press Office

2001 – 2002
FCO, Departmental Report Editor, Press Office

2001
Joined FCO

2000-2001
Senior Correspondent, Fairplay Group, UK

1995-2000
Staff Editor and then Asia Editor, Fairplay Group Singapore

1994-1995
Graduate Trainee at The Times newspaper, UK

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