Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

15th August 2014 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

From Trash to Treasure

The British High Commission had an exhibition stand at the National Environment Conference on 13 August organised by Asia Inc Forum. The theme of our stand was from global to national to local action. To highlight the negative impact that unchecked climate change will have on the world, we displayed the Human Dynamics of Climate […]

Read more on From Trash to Treasure | Reply

14th August 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Sziget Adventures – Day 1

Guest blog by Theresa Bubbear, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Budapest.   In 2012 I blogged about my first experience of Sziget.  Yesterday I went back to see what was happening and what had changed. This year’s festival is bigger and better than ever, with 400,000 visitors expected and some top […]

Read more on Sziget Adventures – Day 1 | Reply (1)

14th August 2014 Bucharest, Romania

Avatar photo

by Raluca Bragarea

Head of Communications, Bucharest

Volunteers for the summer

On 19th July, Mark Flewitt and Tim Tofts – Trustees of The Libra Foundation – visited the embassy on to talk about the charity’s plans for the future. The charity volunteers and trustees were excited about a 5 week programme that was about to start, full of activities aimed at improving the lives of disadvantaged […]

Read more on Volunteers for the summer | Reply

14th August 2014 Mumbai, India

Avatar photo

by Vijay Iyer

Senior Science & Innovation Adviser

Workshop on Advanced Manufacturing in Bengaluru

As a follow up to the UK-India manufacturing round table held in New Delhi in April this year, I’m collaborating with my UKTI colleague, Venkatesh, to organise a one-day UK-India workshop on advanced manufacturing in Bengaluru on September 12, 2014. If you’re interested in finding about the outcomes of the round table meeting, you might […]

Read more on Workshop on Advanced Manufacturing in Bengaluru | Reply (1)

13th August 2014

Avatar photo

by Sarah Dickson

Ambassador to Guatemala (June 2012 - June 2015)

Una muestra del Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas en Honduras

El 9 de agosto es el Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas, cuando alrededor del mundo se celebra la historia, cultura y derechos de los pueblos indígenas. La ONU lo proclamó así para abogar por la no discriminación e inclusión de los pueblos originarios en procesos legislativos en todos los niveles. En Guatemala hay más […]

Read more on Una muestra del Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas en Honduras | Reply

13th August 2014 Sana’a, Yemen

Jane Marriott, British Ambassador to Yemen

by Jane Marriott

British Ambassador to Yemen

اصنعوا السلام، لا الحرب

قال الفيلسوف الاسباني جورج سانتايانا “أولائك الذين لا يستطيعون تذكر الماضي يُحكم عليهم بتكراره”. لدى اليمنيين ذاكرة ممتازة ومع هذا فأن دورات العنف، والثأر والسلطة مستمرة. كما رأينا في مؤتمر الحوار الوطني غالبية الشعب اليمني يريدون السلام والاستقرار والحقوق الاقتصادية والاجتماعية الأساسية. وقد أعطت مخرجات مؤتمر الحوار الوطني اليمنيين خارطة الطريق للوصول لهذا الهدف بالرغم […]

Read more on اصنعوا السلام، لا الحرب | Reply

13th August 2014 Sana’a, Yemen

Jane Marriott, British Ambassador to Yemen

by Jane Marriott

British Ambassador to Yemen

MAKE PEACE, NOT WAR

Spanish philosopher George Santayana said that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Yemenis have very good memories and yet the cycles of violence, revenge and power continue. As we saw in the National Dialogue, most Yemenis want peace, stability and basic economic and social rights. The NDC outcomes gave Yemen a plan to get […]

Read more on MAKE PEACE, NOT WAR | Reply (1)

13th August 2014 New Delhi, India

‘IISc is very keen on expanding its network’

This month, Professor Balaram stepped down as Director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) after nearly a decade at the helm. He was also recently in the UK to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of York, recognising his enormous contributions to science. I caught up with him, just prior to his departure […]

Read more on ‘IISc is very keen on expanding its network’ | Reply (1)

13th August 2014

Avatar photo

by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Death to the Death Penalty?

The following is a guest blog by Steve Townsend, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy to the Holy See On 13 August 1964, Peter Allen and Gwynne Evans made British judicial history, although not in a way they would have appreciated. They were the last people executed in the United Kingdom. Throughout the […]

Read more on Death to the Death Penalty? | Reply (1)