Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

31st January 2013 Montréal, Canada

A science talk-show on a crucial issue: Women in Science

Thursday January 24th was a very warm day at the McGill Faculty Club. The British Consulate-General in Montreal invited Fellows of the Royal Society of the UK and of the Royal Society of Canada to discuss their experiences as women scientist. Together with Ariane Lucas, our Public Affairs Officer, we were thrilled to organise this […]

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31st January 2013

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by Sarah Dickson

Ambassador to Guatemala (June 2012 - June 2015)

To give and to get

One of the objectives we have for British Week is to make some money for charity. Last year we were able to raise US$32,800 for Education for the Children and Hospitatlito Atitlan. You can see from the photos that the money raised made a real difference to those projects by equipping classrooms and helping buy […]

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31st January 2013

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by Martin Harris

British Ambassador to Ukraine

Time for #Twiplomacy

Last week we hosted a seminar in Bucharest on social media for colleagues from Embassies across the region and London. The aim was to learn, discuss and share experience about the new opportunities and challenges that social media like Facebook and Twitter, blogging and YouTube, present for our work. This is a new and unfamiliar […]

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31st January 2013

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Homage to Cappadocia

A tear-drop forest of twisted rock-forms rears up, stretching into the distance.  Each fantastic shape has been hollowed out over the millennia by unknown hands to form dwellings, monasteries or, between the 4th and 11th century, painted churches. Welcome to Cappadocia. We all know that Turkey teems with outstanding historic and tourist sites.  Yet Cappadocia, […]

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30th January 2013 Washington DC, USA

by Major General Buster Howes

Defence Attaché

Pipes and Drums roll into US for the start of 2013 Tour

The following is a guest blog by Major Andrew Halliday from the Black Watch. Major Halliday is currently taking part in the Pipes and Drums of The Black Watch and the Military Band of the Scots Guards 2013 US tour. This is his first post as they roll into Philadelphia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. […]

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30th January 2013

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Humanitarian crisis in Syria: How Britain is helping

Guest blog by Henry Kenrick, Political Officer at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey The eyes of the world are on the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Syria – right on Turkey’s doorstep. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 50,000 Syrians have died. More than 700,000 people have become refugees; and more […]

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30th January 2013 Washington DC, USA

Maeve Atkins

by Maeve Atkins

Communications Officer

Six Nations Rugby: How You Can Cheer Stateside

I happened to be in Dublin four years ago when Ireland’s Rugby team won the Six Nation’s Tournament, sending the country into a swirl of excitement culminating in daylong welcome home celebration on the River Liffey, as well as the first I heard of team captain Brian O’Driscoll – nicknamed The BOD – a player […]

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30th January 2013

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by Paul Johnston

Ambassador to Ireland

The development of development

The British government, like Sweden, is a strong supporter of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. Our Prime Minister is honoured to be co-chairing the UN High Level Panel on the future of international development, which will make recommendations later this year on what the new international agenda should be after 2015, when the MDGs are […]

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30th January 2013

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by Peter Millett

Ambassador to Libya, Tripoli

Syria: Stepping up to the Plate

Zaatari Camp for Syrian Refugees

The flow of Syrian refugees entering Jordan has now reached crisis point. What started as a trickle over 18 months ago has now become a flood. Even a few weeks ago the UN was reporting 300 – 400 new arrivals each night. Now it is 3,000 – 4,000 most nights. These are bald figures. Like […]

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