8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
17th October 2024
OSLOBOĐENJE BEOGRADA
11th October 2024
Busting the gender myths – women and organised crime
15th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Open House at the Residence
We opened up our Residence to the public this weekend as part of the “Windows on the World” contribution by the Diplomatic community to Canberra’s 100th anniversary celebrations this year. Westminster House has been the residence of British High Commissioners to Australia since 1953. The fifties wasn’t generally acknowledged as one of the great periods […]
14th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Yegna: The Sound of Girls
On International Day of the Girl Child, I was able to meet five young girls who are changing how young women are perceived in society here. These five, vibrant girls make up Ethiopia’s first girl band ‘YEGNA’, which means ‘ours’. I met them backstage as they were preparing for their debut live concert. Yegna is […]
11th October 2013 San Francisco, USA
New UK research gives hope for Alzheimer’s treatments
Scientific research may sometimes be portrayed as a series of breakthroughs, but in fact it is a gradual and labour-intensive process, especially when it comes to developing new drugs. However, this week’s announcement of an exciting result from Leicester University in the UK may well represent a turning point in the fight against degenerative brain […]
Read more on New UK research gives hope for Alzheimer’s treatments | Reply
11th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
600 million opportunities
We are aware of the particular and important role that girls play in economic and social growth, and so to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child we have a guest blog from Sara Del Cid, our Security and Justice Officer. Over to you Sara… The Global Gender Gap Report 2012 indicates that women […]
11th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Keep calm, and apply for a Chevening Scholarship
Recently we said farewell to one of our Chevening Scholars, Javier Brolo, who has now left Guatemala and arrived safely in the UK. Here’s guest blog from him with some first impressions. Over to you Javier… This is my first week of classes as a Chevening scholar at the University of Essex, and I wanted […]
Read more on Keep calm, and apply for a Chevening Scholarship | Reply (2)
11th October 2013 Boston, USA
Why I think Synthetic Biology is GREAT!
The US Science and Innovation Network kicked off a year-long campaign focused on synthetic biology last month in Boston. The goal of this campaign is to promote the fantastic synthetic biology research ongoing in the UK, boost current collaborations and inspire some new ideas for ways the two countries can work together. I am really […]
Read more on Why I think Synthetic Biology is GREAT! | Reply
11th October 2013 Vientiane, Laos
Laos through my eyes – Andy Rutherford
Laos was at the centre of unprecedented international attention for much of 2012 culminating with hosting the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) in November 2012, gathering the Heads of State and Government of ASEM’s 49 member countries in Vientiane.
11th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Naval Gazing
Sailing into Sydney’s magnificent harbour aboard HMS Daring, one of the Royal Navy’s most advanced warships, was a spectacular experience. We were part of a fleet of 40 naval ships from 19 countries, there to celebrate the Royal Australian Navy’s 100th anniversary. I had spent two nights at sea on HMS Daring, and developed a healthy respect […]
10th October 2013 Brasilia, Brazil
Hopeful signs for a diplomatic “abacaxi”
One of the first slang expressions I learnt in Portuguese was abacaxi (pineapple in English) used to describe a difficult issue. Iran’s relations with the international community could be described as an abacaxi. But are we at a moment of change in those relations with the arrival of President Rouhani? Since 2005, I have been […]
Read more on Hopeful signs for a diplomatic “abacaxi” | Reply
10th October 2013 Ottawa, Canada
CETA and TTIP (or how 1 + 1 = 3)
A study co-produced by my colleagues in Washington, TTIP and the Fifty States, got me thinking about the benefits to be had from a conclusion to both CETA negotiations and the recently started TTIP talks …