1st October 2026
A Year Too Big for Two Suitcases: Notes From a Chevening Scholar
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
11th May 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: turning a global ocean agreement into UK law
9th April 2026
The Gulf, Berlin and the Commission on the Status of Women: building global alliances to advance women’s progress
4th May 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Visit to Rostov-on-Don – shared history of World War Two and twinning with Glasgow
My latest regional visit took me outside of the North West Federal District to the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, a 2.5 hour flight from St Petersburg. I had always wanted to visit Rostov-on-Don, a city that is twinned with my home city of Glasgow in Scotland. I was delighted therefore when I was asked […]
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3rd May 2016 London, UK
Secret No More: living as my true self, and transitioning gender in the FCO
FLAGG member Sophie Green shares her personal story about her gender identity and transition. I joined the office over 13 and a half years ago, and, during that time, everyone has known me as Karl. However, as of now, I am going to be known as Sophie. I identify as transgender. Outside of the office […]
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3rd May 2016 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Supporting Press Freedom
Today is World Press Freedom Day. So it was appropriate that I spent Saturday evening at the Sri Lanka Inquirer awards ceremony, an event celebrating the culmination of British High Commission funded training and some of the best recent investigative journalism in Sri Lanka and Maldives. There is no freedom so worth defending as Freedom of […]
3rd May 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
#Adiosistanbul 4: the Lycian Way
Ok. The Lycian Way is not in Istanbul. But having written a blog recently about longer walks outside Istanbul; and another about my favourite shorter walk, I thought I should record the fact that, amongst the many wonders of Turkey we should include the splendid Lycian Way. I walked the first 40 km of the Lycian Way in April. […]
3rd May 2016 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
World Press Freedom Day
Today is World Press Freedom Day. This is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the importance of freedom of information and to pay tribute to those journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Of course advancing freedom of the press is a global issue, yet I’m struck by how […]
2nd May 2016 Delhi, India
Free online course on copyright awareness launched on World IP Day
The UK Intellectual Property Office supported the Association of Publishers of India in the creation of an awareness booklet and free online course on copyright. The toolkit (booklet and 15-minute course) was launched at an event organised by FICCI on 25 April to celebrate World IP Day. The toolkit was conceived as a key step […]
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2nd May 2016 New Delhi, India
UK and India driving a success story
The Indian connection at the heart of the UK automotive boom, and the $4 billion opportunity for Indian companies. As I made my journey into what (on first impressions) appeared to be a rather nondescript northern English town, Crewe, I was surprised to see the number of Indians getting off the train, at the bus station and surprisingly […]
2nd May 2016 Delhi, India
Roundtable on feasibility of establishing a national IP court in India
Earlier this month, IIT Kharagpur’s IPR cell organised a roundtable to discuss the feasibility of establishing a National IP Court in India, under a project being funded by the UK Intellectual Property Office. The roundtable was chaired by Hon’ble Justice Prabha Sridevan (former Judge Madras High Court and Chairman Intellectual Property Appellate Board). Several senior […]
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29th April 2016
Britain and Human Rights
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report was published on 21 April. This report is aimed at increasing awareness of the UK’s role in promoting human rights work overseas, and to encourage countries to uphold and maintain their international human rights record. The Report lists 30 human rights priority countries: these […]
28th April 2016 Addis Ababa
HM Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th Birthday and Commemorating Shakespeare
I was pleased to welcome a large number of guests to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, at the British Ambassador’s Residence. The Queen’s Birthday party or QBP, as we call it in the Embassy, is an event hosted by all posts across the world to celebrate and cement relations between the UK and the corresponding country. This year we […]
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