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
17th December 2013 Brasilia, Brazil
The Natural History Museum’s engagement with Brazil
The following is a guest post by Dr. Michael Dixon. When I first visited Brazil over two years ago as part of a UKTI Creative Industries Trade Mission, I was struck by the breadth of opportunities for the Natural History Museum. So I recently visited the country again and met with government ministries, research funders, […]
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16th December 2013 Washington DC, USA
Governing under the influence (of science)
In November, I was able to spend some time with Professor David Cope of Cambridge University – the former Director of the UK’s Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) – while he was at the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in Washington. In his time at GAO, David has been working with the Chief […]
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16th December 2013 Washington DC, USA
The Philippines Still Needs Our Help
Washington truly epitomises the holiday spirit. It’s my first holiday season here, and I’m seeing firsthand the spirit of giving across the city. Bell-ringers collecting for the homeless. Toy drives in offices all across town, including our own. Washingtonians’ generosity is making an impact from local neighbourhoods to the far side of the globe. This […]
16th December 2013 Havana, Cuba
¡Vaya bien Madiba!
Me sentí muy honrado al ser invitado en representación de Europa, a intervenir en el homenaje del gobierno cubano a Nelson Mandela que tuvo lugar el 11 de diciembre. A continuación les adjunto la versión completa de mi discurso. En febrero de 1990 después de veinte y siete largos años de cárcel, Nelson Mandela fue […]
16th December 2013 Madrid, Spain
Being in Benidorm, and being in “Benidorm”
On a recent trip to our Consulate in Alicante I was able to squeeze in a one night stay in Benidorm. Alicante is very important to us given the high numbers of British nationals who live and holiday there. In fact, a quarter of the 14 million Brits who come to Spain for their holidays […]
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16th December 2013 Havana, Cuba
Learning how to live in London – a Cuban fresher’s perspective
I’m very grateful to Aimée Gonzalez for this excellent guest blog. Aimée is Cuban and currently studying at the London School of Economics (the LSE) in the UK under the Chevening scholarship scheme. Two months have already passed by… and I’m still dazzled and struggling to keep pace with the vigorous current of London’s life. Instead […]
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16th December 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Branding the Creative industries
We talk a lot about brands these days. There is a lot of value in a strong brand. The worth of a brand is in how its distinguishes, or stands out, from other brands. As a British ambassador, I’m very much part of the “British brand”. My role entails a variety of activities, from supporting […]
16th December 2013 London, UK
2013: A year in review
A timeline taking a look back at some of the major events that took place in 2013.
15th December 2013 Sana’a, Yemen
مانديلا و وصيته لليمن
دفن نيلسون مانديلا اليوم في قرية أهله في كونو، جنوب أفريقيا. خلال الأيام القليلة الماضية كنت أسترجع حياة مانديلا وإنجازاته، وكيفلا – من خلال فن المسامحة والصفح والمصالحة وقوة الحوار – مانديلا أحدث تغييرا في الرؤية واحدث تغيير تاريخي في جنوب أفريقيا. ومع التغيير الذي يحدث حولنا في اليمن، كنت أتساءل ماذا يمكن أن نتعلم […]
15th December 2013 Sana’a, Yemen
Mandela: His legacy for Yemen
Nelson Mandela was buried today at his family home in Qunu, South Africa. Over the last few days I have been reflecting on Mandela’s life, his achievements, and how – through the art of forgiveness, reconciliation and the power of dialogue – Mandela brought about visionary and historic change in South Africa. With the change […]