17th July 2025
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
15th July 2025
International Day of Women in Diplomacy: UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls visit to Geneva
1st May 2025
The UN Commission on the Status of Women: My first visit as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls
5th May 2014 Paris, France
Aiming Higher: lessons from Tour de France Success
On May 6th we are organising an event here in the Embassy on the theme of applying innovation and excellence to raise achievement. We’re calling it ‘Aiming Higher’ and our star guest will be Sir Dave Brailsford
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5th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
HRH Prince Harry in Italy on 18-19 May
‘A nation that forgets its past has no future.’ Churchill’s words are still relevant today. On the 18-19 May HRH Prince Harry will visit Italy to attend a number of events commemorating the Allied Campaign in Italy during WWII, focussing on the 70th anniversary of the Battles of Monte Cassino. We are honoured that HRH […]
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5th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Press Freedom Day
Saturday was World Press Freedom Day. I marked the occasion by attending a celebration at the Omdurman University College for Press and Printing Technology. Apparently it’s the first time that an academic institution in Sudan has held such an event. It was well attended by a number of very senior, distinguished and courageous figures from […]
5th May 2014 Vientiane, Laos
April 2014 Monthly Snapshot
April 2014 View our activities this past month! Visit from Warwick University James Kennedy, Director of the International Office of the University of Warwick visited us again, sharing information about studying at Warwick and the UK government’s scholarship programme with Lao students from Soutsaka College and Oxford Education. #OneGreatYear On 2 April, we marked exactly one year since we […]
4th May 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Beautiful Rila
by David Pert David Pert lived in Sofia from 1996 to 2000 when he worked in the Visa, Consular and Political Sections of the British Embassy Sofia. I’m David Pert, and lived in Sofia from 1996 to 2000 when I worked at the British Embassy. I lived in the wonderful Boyana area of town with […]
3rd May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Media Freedom for a Better Future
Today is World Press Freedom Day #WPFD. The work that journalists do is often dangerous and difficult. Unfortunately, 2013 was one of the most dangerous years for the profession across the world, with 70 journalists killed. Many of these were caught in the cross-fire of armed hostilities. They had been trying in exceedingly difficult circumstances […]
3rd May 2014 Yerevan, ArmeniaLondon, UK
Journalism is a public duty
May 3 marks World Press Freedom Day. But this year it doesn’t feel like there is much to celebrate. Freedom House’s 2014 report finds that media freedom around the world has hit its lowest point in a decade. Only 1 in 7 people live in a country with a ‘free’ press: that means a country […]
2nd May 2014 Athens, Greece
Looking forwards to commercial revival
One of the parts of my job that I most love is the work we do to support British business here in Greece. Because of the deep and long recession, the market here is tough and British imports have fallen hugely. Last year, however, they rose again – by 8%: the first time in many […]
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2nd May 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
The First Visit of The Royal Ballet to Bulgaria
By Jane Burner Jane Burner lived in Bulgaria between 1970-1972 and 1984-1987, during the two postings of her husband Alan Burner to Sofia as 3rd Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission respectively. Previously, Jane told us about the difficulty and satisfaction of finding and buying food in Bulgaria in the 70s. This time, she shares a fond […]
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2nd May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Australian Defence Minister visits RN ship and sub as search enters new stage
With the search for Malaysian Airlines MH370 moving to a new phase this week, the two British ships involved – Hydrographical vessel HMS Echo, and submarine HMS Tireless – have been withdrawn from the search and are both in port in Western Australia. I invited Defence Minister, Senator David Johnston, to come on board to […]
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