Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

6th August 2014

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by Peter Millett

Ambassador to Libya, Tripoli

Guest Blog: ‘No one is born educated’ by Richard O’Carroll

In this month’s slot, I am happy to host a blog written by Richard O’Carroll, who is a Teacher of English at the British Council Jordan. He speaks fluent Arabic and his interests are in helping learners communicate effectively in intercultural business contexts. ‘We have a saying in Arabic which means ‘no one is born […]

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5th August 2014 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Green Brunei at the Singapore Power Shift

Our guest blogger for this week is Khairunnisa Ash’ari who is the Community Engagement Director for Green Brunei. With the support of the British High Commission, Khairunnisa attended the Singapore Power Shift, a kickstarter workshop to build up climate change knowledge and learn how to run successful campaigns. “The biggest threat to climate change is inaction.” […]

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5th August 2014

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by Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Australia remembers start of the Great War

Alongside Ambassadors and High Commissioners from many countries, representing both sides of the conflict, I took part yesterday in a moving ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1, at Canberra’s Australian War Memorial. Meanwhile in Glasgow, Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove, one of Australia’s most distinguished former soldiers, represented Australia at the Commonwealth […]

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4th August 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

"Innovation is GREAT: Regional Automotive and Aerospace Workshop" – Exploring the business potential in Central and Eastern Europe

One of my main professional targets as the Business Champion of Emerging Europe is to help increase the flow of trade between the UK and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Our economists reckon that there’s a potential of 20 billion Euros of business to be done if we could just get Central and Eastern European businessmen […]

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4th August 2014 Yerevan, Armenia

We have found an extraordinarily successful way to live together

The lamps are going out all over Europe.  We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime’ – Sir Edward Grey, British Foreign Secretary, 3 August 1914 Just a few days ago, I stood in the study of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef, in his summer villa in Bad Ischl, Austria, looking at the very […]

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4th August 2014

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by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

“The Great War – Lest we Forget”

On 3 August 1914, Europe saw the start of the worst human disaster experienced up to that time when the German Empire declared war on France. The subsequent World War (#WW1) cost the lives of at least fourteen million people and shattered the fabric of society. The war set in motion a chain of events […]

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4th August 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan

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by stevenfrancis

Navy & Air Advisor, British High Commission, Pakistan

WW1 Centenary – Pakistan’s Right to Commemorate

This is my first blog for the High Commission and a quick look at the archives tells me that it’s the first time in a long time that a member of the Defence Team has rolled up his sleeves and ‘put fingers to keyboard’. So when Alison Blake, our Deputy High Commissioner, asked me to […]

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4th August 2014

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by Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Commonwealth Games: well done Glasgow, over to Gold Coast

So, a very successful Commonwealth Games draws to a close in Glasgow. The city showed itself off to great effect, helped by some wonderful weather. The organisers and volunteers can take great pride in the welcome they provided. Scottish and English athletes shared triumphs together as part of Team GB at London 2012. Here they […]

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