25th April 2024
Reflect & Remember: Anzac Day 2024
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
23rd April 2024
Good English – A Key to Panama’s Future Success
21st March 2024
Forests in focus on International Day of Forests
16th June 2016 London, UK
Olympic Games: 50 days to go!
2016 is already shaping up to be a great year for sport. From football and tennis, to cricket and rugby, it’s not hard to get excited about the number of sporting events taking place this summer, and that’s before TeamGB and ParalympicsGB arrive in Rio! With less than eight weeks before the Olympic Games, it’s an […]
15th June 2016 Dhaka, Bangladesh
Forced marriage outreach: A good news story from Bangladesh
It was a hot summer’s day; the temperature was surely pushing 35 °C. My colleague and I reached a village nearly 200 kilometers away from Dhaka where we had come to visit a 17 year old British girl. We were sitting in small dark room, with no windows and a ceiling fan which was doing […]
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14th June 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
#Adiosistanbul 7: street food
Let’s be honest. In four years in this great city I have experienced too many #reasonstolikeistanbul to sum them up in a few farewell blogs. Sorry. Your city is too extraordinary. Maybe that’s not a bad problem to have. For example, people often ask me about my favourite shops, restaurants and cafes. But there are countless […]
14th June 2016 Skopje, North Macedonia
When an accident happens who do you call?
If you have ever had to ring fire/police/ambulance, you’ll perhaps agree that you have never been more dependent on someone else’s planning and ability to deliver a timely, effective and coordinated response. How do they do it? I found some of the answers recently when I met a group of visitors from the UK Fire […]
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13th June 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Some ‘Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ of Diplomatic Etiquette
Tidying out an Embassy cupboard recently, a colleague found a booklet that I first read when I joined the Diplomatic Service in 1986. Even then the 1965 Guidance to Diplomatic Service Officers and Wives posted to Diplomatic Missions Overseas seemed quaint and outdated. Looking at it now some of the advice seems better suited to […]
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10th June 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
#Adiosistanbul 6: the Bosphorus
The Bosphorus stands out amongst #reasonstolikeistanbul. It’s central; spectacular; and every Istanbullu craves a “Boğaz manzarası” (Bosphorus view). This matters for the Turkish economy. Not only tourists are attracted by great views. Quality of life is a key to attracting the mobile economic talent and inward investment which is vital for any economy. How can I […]
10th June 2016 Paris, France
Kick start your trip to Euro 2016
It feels like a long time since the groups were announced in the draw last December as we eagerly await the weekend’s opening games, looking in on the teams final training sessions with anticipation. Whether you’re watching from the comfort of your own home, your local pub, or soaking up the atmosphere across the channel, […]
10th June 2016 Canberra, Australia
Modern diplomacy: Working the Network
When I joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), a former Ambassador gave me a piece of advice that I remember to this day. He said that a diplomat is only as good as their network. It stuck with me, because he was right. To be an effective diplomat, you need great networks. No […]
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9th June 2016 London, UK
Promoting Human Rights
As the Foreign Office’s Social Media Manager I spend much of my time distilling the intentionally nuanced and traditionally multilayered world of diplomacy into something engaging and consumable. Case in point: The Foreign Office’s (FCO) annual flagship Human Rights and Democracy Report comprises around 50 pages of expert analysis of the issues the world and […]
9th June 2016 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Ramadan: An opportunity for peace
This week saw the start of the holy month of Ramadan. A time for reflection, for spending time with family and friends and for peace. However, this year many Yemenis will be spending Ramadan without adequate food, water, shelter, electricity and healthcare and fearing for the safety of their loved ones. This month, like the […]