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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

12th June 2015

Expo 2015: UK and Holy See make a buzz

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The Holy See Pavilion at Milan Expo, 11 June 2015

It was Holy See day this week at Expo 2015 in Milan. Expo is like a world fair, with this year 145 countries represented including 53 national pavilions (the Holy See has one) based around the theme “Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life”. Reminding us that “man does not live by bread alone”, the Holy See took an imaginative line, emphasising the family table as a place of human encounter and dialogue, over a meal, while doing the homework, or talking about the issues of the day. Tintoretto’s Last Supper loomed above us, reminding us that faith as well as dialogue springs from the table; a place where through meeting, talking, listening and prayer – followed by action – humanity’s many problems can, if we have the will, be solved.

It was a useful reminder that Expo is more than a trade fair, although some of the national pavilions I saw did seem most intent on selling things or advertising the country brand. The first such event the Holy See attended was the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, at a time when the UK and Holy See still did not have diplomatic relations. They have also been at the great world fairs of St Louis in 1904, and New York in 1964, where Michelangelo’s Pietà was a star attraction.

There, as in Milan, the Holy See was reminding us of the human values behind commercial activity and technological ingenuity. This was emphasised by the orchestra the Holy See invited to provide musical accompaniment to their national day. Esagramma is made of 50 musicians, 25 of them with severe learning disabilities, who played pieces from Dvorak, Grieg and Beethoven. It was a brilliant example of nutrition being as vital for the soul as for the body, and they rightly received a standing ovation.

HM Ambassador Nigel Baker admires the hive at UK Pavilion, Milan Expo 2015. 11 June 2015
HM Ambassador Nigel Baker admires the hive at UK Pavilion, Milan Expo 2015. 11 June 2015

The UK pavilion, opposite the Holy See, is one of the most innovative and creative examples of how to present the best of a country without the hard sell, and is deservedly one of the most popular. Its brilliant design leads visitors through a wildflower meadow towards a giant metal hive, vibrating to and illuminated by the activity of 50,000 bees in a real beehive in Nottingham through some extraordinary digital technology. Science, art and nature combine to give a clear and bold message about the importance of man’s stewardship of the natural world to his future prosperity. You can also get excellent food and drink at the Anton Mosimann restaurant on site!

I am partisan, but the UK and the Holy See provide two of the most thought-provoking experiences at Expo Milan 2015. If you have a chance before the end of October, I recommend you get there to see for yourself.

About Nigel Baker

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as…

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Havana, Cuba (2003-6) and then as British Ambassador in La Paz, Bolivia (2007-11). In July 2016, Nigel finished his posting, and is currently back in London.

As the first British Ambassador to the Holy See ever to have a blog, Nigel provided a regular window on what the Embassy and the Ambassador does. The blogs covered a wide range of issues, from Royal and Ministerial visits to Diplomacy and Faith, freedom of religion, human trafficking and climate change.

More on Nigel’s career

Nigel was based in London between 1998 and 2003. He spent two years on European Union issues (for the UK 1998 EU Presidency and on European Security and Defence questions), before crossing St James’s Park to work for three years as The Assistant Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. At St James’s Palace, Nigel worked on international issues, including the management of The Prince of Wales’s overseas visits and tours, on the Commonwealth, interfaith issues, the arts and international development.

Nigel spent much of the early part of his FCO career in Central Europe, after an initial stint as Desk Officer for the Maghreb countries in the Near East and North Africa department (1990-91). Between 1992 and 1996, Nigel served in the British embassies in Prague and Bratislava, the latter being created in 1993 after the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into the separate Czech and Slovak Republics.

Nigel joined the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in September 1989. Between 1996 and 1998 he took a two year academic sabbatical to research and write about themes in 18th century European history, being based in Verona but also researching in Cambridge, Paris and Naples. The research followed from Nigel’s time as a student at Cambridge (1985-88) where he read history and was awarded a First Class Honours degree, followed by his MA in 1992.

Before joining the Foreign Office, Nigel worked briefly for the Conservative Research Department in London at the time of the 1989 European election campaign.

Nigel married Alexandra (Sasha) in 1997. They have one son, Benjamin, born in Bolivia in September 2008.

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