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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
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25th November 2024
The climate crisis and gender-based violence
8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
14th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Celebrating Girls for a Pink Future
I have had a seriously colourful week. Magenta to be precise. Working with Plan International we have been painting the town pink, so to speak, by taking pink balloons to Congress and the Government’s National Palace and proudly wearing our pink t-shirts, badges and scarves. 11 of October is the International Day of the Girl […]
14th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The case for freedom of religion or belief
The question of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB in the international jargon) is a challenging and sensitive one. It is a fundamental right, touching the conscience of the individual, underpinning many other rights. As we focus on the issue of equality on Blog Action Day, we must ensure that FoRB remains at the top […]
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14th October 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Talking openly about mental health
Last Friday was World Mental Health Day. The World Health Organisation estimates that 450 million people worldwide have a mental health problem. In the UK, 90% of prisoners have some kind of mental health issue, as do 10% of children. Sri Lanka has the fourth highest per capita suicide rate in the world. Globally, one […]
13th October 2014 Sana’a, Yemen
TIME TO GET RID OF CORRUPTION
The National Dialogue outcomes made clear that tackling corruption was important to Yemenis. The Peace and National Partnership Agreement (PNPA) signed by all parties on 21 September has rightly put the fight against corruption back at the top of the political agenda in Yemen. When youth, women and civil society took to the streets in […]
13th October 2014 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Tourism
Last Thursday I joined other Tashkent Ambassadors in a visit to Samarkand to hear President Karimov’s speech at the opening of the 99th Executive Council session of the World Tourism Organisation. The president spoke about the value of tourism as a means of encouraging contact and understanding between nations, and about the rich history and […]
13th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Challenges and Opportunities for Europe
A new Swedish government has taken office. A new European Commission is about to. It seemed to me a good time to set out some thoughts on some of the big priorities facing the UK, Sweden and our EU partners over the coming months. Here’s a translation of the article I wrote for Saturday’s Dagens […]
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10th October 2014 Brasilia, Brazil
World Day Against Death Penalty*
Today is the 10th of October, the day we celebrate the World Day Against Death Penalty. The day that we join the international community and peers around the world to reaffirm together that the capital punishment has no place in the 21st century. The day that we position ourselves against this practice which, despite popular […]
10th October 2014 Budapest, Hungary
British Bobbies on the beat at Sziget Festival
Guest blog by Police Sergeant Natalie RANAHAN and Police Constable Steve WARDLE, British Bobbies visiting the Sziget Festival, organised by the Hungarian Police and the British Embassy. As police officers, both of us have a number of years experience within the Operations Department and in particular Support Group. This involves a variety of duties including the policing […]
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10th October 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia in 1987 and 1988
by Hazel Onn Hazel Onn lived in Bulgaria in the late 1980s when her husband Tony was Head of Security at British Embassy Sofia. Hazel kept many good memories of her time in Bulgaria, including of their diplomatic flat on Juliot Currie Str., Kuchia, the dog of their Russian neighbours, how once she was absolutely covered head […]
10th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Media should be responsible as well as free
I have on many occasions made the point that a free media is an important part of a functioning society – it can help free flow of information and ideas, to educate its audience, to hold those in power to account in areas such as exposing corruption scandals. But in each society there is a balance […]
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