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
26th July 2013 New York, USA
The lasting Olympic impression
Exactly a year ago tomorrow, I sat down with my twelve-year-old son in the Olympic Stadium to watch the Opening Ceremony. Extra tickets had become available about a month or so beforehand – they weren’t cheap, but as a Londoner the chance to be there was too good to miss. We’d got there early, long […]
26th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Inspired by London 2012
Can it really be one year since the London Olympics!? To tell us how we are celebrating the anniversary, we have a guest blog from our very own Sigrid Pineda. Over to you Sigrid. When I started to think about this blog, I thought what inspires us? What is it that makes us want to […]
26th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Inspirados por Londres 2012
Puede ser que ya pasó un año desde los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres?! Para contarles cómo vamos a celebrar el aniversario, tenemos una invitada a nuestro blog, nuestra propia Sigrid Pineda. A ti Sigrid: Cuando comencé a imaginar sobre este blog, pensé qué es lo que nos inspira? Qué es lo que nos hace ser […]
26th July 2013 New Delhi, India
Are you ready for the Rolls-Royce India Open Innovation Challenge?
Chesbrough, who coined the term “Open Innovation” describes in his book “Open Innovation: the New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology” how companies have shifted from so-called closed innovation processes towards a more open way of innovating. Open Innovation can be described as combining internal and external ideas as well as internal and external […]
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26th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Man U and Liverpool bring the “great game” to Australia
Getting to watch Man U and Liverpool matches in the same week would be a treat even in England. Here in Australia it was a joy. And a GREAT chance to use sport to promote Britain a year on from the London Olympics. Football, or soccer as they call it here, is the weakest of […]
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26th July 2013 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Talking Climate Change is Fun and Relevant for All of Us
The following is a post by Joanne Manda, Climate Change and Environment Adviser, DFID Bangladesh. Talking climate change may initially seem daunting (too technical), boring (all that climate science puts me to sleep) or just plain weird (something just for those whose greatest ambition is to hug a tree or save a polar bear!). But I […]
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25th July 2013 Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica: First impressions
I’m very lucky to be High Commissioner in Jamaica – that’s my over-riding first impression. When I think of the many other places I could have been posted to, this one is hard to beat. I arrived five weeks ago, so “first” impressions are no longer quite correct. I’ve had a bit of time to […]
25th July 2013 Washington DC, USA
The Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice
Saturday marks the 60th anniversary of the Armistice that concluded the Korean War. The Korean Peninsula was divided by American administrators along the 38th parallel following the Japanese surrender in September 1945. On 25th June 1950, North Korea invaded the South. The United States of America provided 88 per cent of the 341,000 international soldiers who aided the Republic […]
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25th July 2013 London, UK
It’s not just about tweeting links | Part 2
In my previous post, we looked at creative ways to use digital channels when organising event. Specifically we focused on how digital could help us from the planning stage to the point of promotion. Now, I’m going to continue the theme looking at delivery through to after the event and monitoring your success. Delivery It’s tempting […]
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25th July 2013 Warsaw, Poland
GREAT Mini Run Kraków to Budapest
6 GREAT hours of opportunity WOW! We travelled the scenic route from Kraków to Budapest. Some GREAT mountain ranges providing a superb backdrop for the 3 GREAT Polish Minis: GREAT Mini One; GREAT Mini Cooper and GREAT Mini Countryman. A GREAT run and lots of opportunity along the route. One thing really sticks out – […]