9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
3rd August 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Girl learning journey
And what might that be? Well, here it’s an opportunity to experience a journey that reflects a typical day in the life of an Ethiopian girl and discover more about her community and hopefully encouraging her at the same time. Organised by the Girl Hub Ethiopia, which is part-funded by the UK Department for International […]
2nd August 2012 Lima, Peru
The magic of the Olympic Games in Lima
by Lucía Vásquez – Communication Section – British Embassy After years of preparation, thousands of athletes, sports fans and spectators all over the world witnessed the opening of the Olympic Games London 2012. The great spectacle –masterminded by movie director Danny Boyle – was based on the social and economic transformation of theUK, from the […]
2nd August 2012 Nairobi, Kenya
Celebrating Somali Olympic heroes
The following is a guest blog by Fionna Gibb, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Office for Somalia. As Ambassador Matt Baugh is on leave, last Friday I had the pleasure of hosting the British Office for Somalia’s reception in Mogadishu to celebrate the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. As the sun set […]
2nd August 2012 London, UK
Olympic Spirit in the Heart of Borneo
Ask any British diplomat what makes them tick, and the answer often has three parts: something to do with “Queen and Country”, something to do with “making a difference”, and something to do with the intrinsic interest of “getting under the skin of another culture”. My plate, during this Olympic year, has contained large helpings […]
1st August 2012 Harare, Zimbabwe
Reflections from the former Head of the PRT’s Socio-Economic Development Team
I have invited members of the PRT to use my blog to talk about their work and experiences in Helmand. Anna Morris the former Head of the PRT’s Socio-Economic Development Team has kindly written about her time here. As I approach the end of my 16 months in Helmand questions from colleagues, friends and family […]
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1st August 2012 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Preparing for our Royal Visit!
Now that St James’s Palace has revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be visiting Malaysia from 13 to 15 September to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, I thought you might enjoy a unique insight into what it’s like to prepare for a Royal Visit. I plan to blog again just […]
1st August 2012 Budapest, Hungary
2012 London Olympic opening
Guest blog by Olympic Torch Bearer Andrea Snow After my “moment of shine” experience just a few weeks ago, I had the privilege to be present at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012. That day something special was in the air. The XXXth Olympiad, the 2012 summer Olympic Games Grand opening was a wonderful […]
31st July 2012 Budapest, Hungary
Olympic D-Day
Well it’s tough to write about anything but the Olympics right now. At last the day has come and the competition is on for more than 10,000 athletes from 205 countries. And so far it’s every bit as exciting as we’d hoped. Did you see the opening ceremony? We organised a small event on Friday […]
30th July 2012 London, UK
Kosovo: Olympic Dreams
Like many athletes, Majlinda Kelmendi realised a sporting dream by competing at London 2012. But another, perhaps more important, aspiration remains sadly unfulfilled: the ambition to compete at the Olympics for her own country. Whereas every one of Majlinda’s competitors sported uniforms adorned with three letter code that signifies their country of origin, Majlinda did […]
30th July 2012 Dublin, Ireland
A long but GREAT day
Olympics opening day began early! I was at Polish Radio at 0700, fortified only by a double espresso. The toughest question by far: “Can you explain the rules of cricket?” I noted that it was the only game which could last two hours or five days and included a tea interval. But I am already […]