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RENEWING OLD TIES: THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON
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?
6th April 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Dobre Doshli!*
by Dr Annie Kay Dr Annie Kay has been a regular visitor to Bulgaria since 1974. Annie has deeper knowledge of Bulgarian history, nature and cultural traditions than many Bulgarians. She is Chairman of The British-Bulgarian Society, an organisation aiming to promote friendship, understanding and cultural relations between the people of Britain and Bulgaria. In […]
4th April 2014 USA
Come Together, Right Now, Over to Liverpool!
When I was growing up, I remember hearing stories about the mass pilgrimages that people made to Liverpool in the hopes of hearing the Beatles play live. Although Beatlemania has just celebrated its 50 year anniversary, (is there now One Direction mania?), Liverpool still attracts millions of tourists who want to experience the city’s multiple […]
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4th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Clearing a Path for Development
Each year on 4 April we observe the United Nations’ International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance. This day aims to raise awareness of the threat caused by landmines to the safety, health and lives of civilian populations, and encourages Governments to develop mine clearance programmes. This global problem has an acute local dimension. Ethiopia is one […]
4th April 2014 London, UK
BoC Review: Making the EU Work for You
Yesterday I attended a launch event for the fourth set of calls for evidence on the balance of competences between the UK and the EU. The consultations, which will be open until the week commencing 30 June, cover a range of issues including Education, Enlargement, Information Rights and Economic and Monetary Policy. Together the first […]
4th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Queen meets Pres. Napolitano in Rome
Relationships matter. Yesterday I had the honour of welcoming HM The Queen to Rome for private meetings with the President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano and Pope Francis (on which Ambassador to the Holy See, Nigel Baker accompanied). I had the privilege of accompanying Her Majesty on the flight over for her fourth visit to Italy […]
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4th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Black-and-white or shades of grey?
Reporting and assessing events in other countries is one of a diplomat’s prime functions. We need to know about events, and then explain them to our governments. We have to explain complex events as briefly as possible and put them into a political and historical perspective. Our political masters don’t have time to read detailed […]
4th April 2014 Mumbai, India
Reciprocal visit to the UK’s research centres in offshore wind energy
As a follow up to our recent UK-India workshops on offshore wind energy, I led a 2-member Indian delegation to the UK on a 4-day visit, which included pit stops at the universities in Cranfield, Durham, and Strathclyde, as well as the National Renewable Energy Centre (NAREC). The delegation comprised Prof. V. Anantha Subramanian, Head […]
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3rd April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Queen Elizabeth II meets Pope Francis
Back in February, I wrote about the significance of the relatively few meetings over the years between British monarchs and Popes, not least The Queen’s own encounters with four different Popes since 1951. Each in its way has served as a milestone in the development of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Holy […]
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2nd April 2014 Sana’a, Yemen
WATER, WATER ALL AROUND… BUT NOT A DROP TO DRINK
The rains began in Sana’a this week. Once day it was dry; the next – almost 4pm on the dot, the heavens opened and the streets became flooded. Children rushed to play in the ankle-high puddles and adults hiked up their clothes to avoid them getting wet and sighed. Two weeks ago – 23rd March […]
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2nd April 2014 Windhoek, Namibia
Royal Naval backdrop helps showcase British security and prosperity excellence in Namibia
This week’s 3-day visit of HMS Portland – one of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigates – to the port of Walvis Bay provided a great opportunity to showcase British military, security and prosperity excellence in Namibia as well as the UK’s diversity accomplishments. As the UK’s first female British High Commissioner to […]
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