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Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
31st March 2012 Harare, Zimbabwe
A New Dawn for Sangin?
Its not often in recent years that there has been a carnival type atmosphere in the Helmand district of Sangin. Internationally Sangin is known for the large number of ISAF casualties – 100 British, and many US Marine deaths since they took over the battlefield in 2010. But this week saw a unique event […]
30th March 2012 USA
Earth Hour at the British Embassy in Washington
The following is a guest post by Sangeeta Ahuja, First Secretary Energy, Environment & Resource Security at the British Embassy in Washington. Earth Hour starts at 8:30 in the evening on Saturday 31 March. In a co-ordinated gesture last year to promote environmental protection, the lights were turned off in 5,200 cities in 135 countries […]
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30th March 2012 Guatemala City, Guatemala
Howzat! Cricket in Guatemala
The sound of leather on willow, quintessentially British but now being heard around the fields of Guatemala thanks to the efforts of a friend of this Embassy, Luke Humphries, who, with his dad and some eager friends, have launched Guatemala’s first Cricket Club. His guest blog, below, reveals all. But be warned: cricket comes with […]
29th March 2012 Lima, Peru
Ecobuild: cost effective low carbon designs, products and solutions
By Juan Luis Reus, Deputy Director UKTI, Peru Time flies they say and that is true at Ecobuild (20to 22 March), the world’s largest event for sustainable design, construction and the build environment. Two days had passed at ExCel, where this huge world class event was being held when I wrote this second blog. Huge […]
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29th March 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Simon Fraser in Mexico
I am delighted to have Simon Fraser, Head of the UK Diplomatic Service, as my guest blogger today. During his recent visit to Mexico, Simon Fraser spoke about the important and growing bilateral relationship between the UK and Mexico in a range of areas, including politics, education, trade and investment. Watch the video blog:
29th March 2012 Ottawa, Canada
“Some chicken! Some neck!”
On Monday evening the High Commissioner and I attended a reception at the Canadian House of Commons to celebrate the opening of a Library exhibit commemorating 70 years since Churchill’s world-renowned “Some chicken! Some neck!” speech. Few Canadians, I know, will be confused by that reference. But for the uninitiated, this was from Winston Churchill’s […]
29th March 2012 Budapest, Hungary
Building the Olympics
I can’t wait for the Olympics to start. I love to watch sport and the Olympics is really special. It’ll be even more special this year in London. I didn’t get any tickets in the public ballot so I’ll be watching the Games on TV. But the quality and diversity of the competition will be […]
28th March 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Visiting Scotland
In a recent blog, I noted after a visit to Northern Ireland the importance for British ambassadors abroad of understanding the country they represent. I spent last weekend in Edinburgh, at the kind invitation of the Scottish Catholic Bishops Conference. My programme included: meetings with the Catholic Bishops of Scotland, including Cardinal Keith Patrick O’Brien; […]
28th March 2012 London, UK
In Europe sticking to the rules matters
I was struck by the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) recent report that highlights how well Member States implement EU legislation that they have signed up to. I was pleased to see how the UK fares. From time to time the ECJ faces criticism in the UK that it looks to interpret EU competence too […]
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28th March 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Linking London and Bucharest Stock Exchanges
This week the Bucharest Stock Exchange established a partnership with the largest financial market in the world – the London Stock Exchange. When the UK’s Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green met the Foreign Investors Council in Bucharest earlier this month, one of the participants, Adrian Rosca of Chemco, made the far-sighted proposal that Romania […]
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