26th February 2026
Different Memories, Shared Futures: Why Inclusive Remembrance Matters for Serbia and the Region
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
22nd December 2025
Continuing to grow the global alliance for women and girls
17th December 2025
MAKING LIFE SAFER, FOR EVERYONE
22nd November 2016 Jerusalem, Israel
Preserving a Palestinian Tradition
The olive harvest season in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Families get up early in the morning and journey to their land in the mountains and fields in order to pick those small green or black olives. They work under the hot sun for hours, have a traditional Palestinian meal and […]
22nd November 2016 Bangalore, India
Connected cities – seeking new opportunities for global partnership
I arrived in India after an exciting few days at the Innovate 2016 event in Manchester, co-hosted by Innovate UK and the Department for International Trade. Cities of the future were an important theme of the event, showcasing UK innovation. Panel sessions and presentations covered topics ranging from urban living to autonomous transport, and digital […]
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21st November 2016 London, UK
Rolls-Royce for EL AL: How we landed the biggest UK-Israel trade deal in history
I’ve always been fascinated by jet aircraft, especially those used by commercial airlines. As a kid, it was a real holiday for me when my father would take me for a drive on a Sunday to see the aircraft taking off and landing at London Airport – now Heathrow. More recently my interest has been […]
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21st November 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Remembrance Day Commemorations in North West Russia
Every November we recognise the brave British and Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen who served in North West Russia during World War One, including the Allied Intervention period of 1918-19, and World War Two. This was a particularly important year as we commemorated the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the first of the Arctic […]
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21st November 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Preserving the Historic Buildings of Romania
I was really pleased to host last week with the Romanian Ministry of Culture and the NGO Monumentum an event which highlighted two new initiatives to help in the raising awareness about, and preservation of, Romania’s cultural patrimony. The first was the “Ambulance for Monuments” project being piloted by Monumentum in Southern Transylvania; a means […]
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21st November 2016 Beirut, Lebanon
To 365 Days of Independence
Mabrouk, Lebanon! There is a positive new mood in the country. Posters have gone up, and flags been hoisted. Just last week I was treated to a truly stately guard of honour and credentials ceremony at Baabda Palace, and was honoured to finally present my credentials to President Aoun. It has been a long time […]
21st November 2016 Chennai, India
Yashoda’s story: burn survivors of violence against women and the need for a support system
On Wednesday, I will launch British Deputy High Commission Chennai’s violence against women (VAW) project at Kerala’s Baby Memorial Hospital (BMH) in Kozhikode (Calicut). Here’s a great blog by Rudy Fernandez who’s leading on this project which we’re running across several Indian states over the next couple of months to support better government responses and […]
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21st November 2016 Athens, Greece
Conflict, Poetry and Remembrance
Conflict within and between societies is, it seems, a regrettable, tragic constant in human existence. During the twentieth century, conflict reached a previously unimaginable scale. Through two worlds, and many other murderous animosities, the idea of human civilisation flickered and paled. In the First World War, the total military war dead alone reached some nine […]
21st November 2016 Mogadishu, Somalia
UK support to Somalia’s Justice System’ – governance and Rule of Law go beyond the justice programmes
Good governance, economic development and security forces that maintain order without repression are among the fundamental building blocks of a stable, peaceful democracy. But it’s the rule of law, and by extension, competent, capable and independent justice systems, that are the mortar holding it all together. The UK is driving a number of key justice […]
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21st November 2016 Tokyo
The network that puts British science and innovation on the map
From sniffer bees to inflatable incubators, shaking hands with robots and with royalty, a job in the UK Government’s global Science and Innovation Network is never dull. Made up of 90 staff based in British Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates, the network helps build research and innovation partnerships with more than 30 countries around the […]
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