Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

11th November 2010 London, UK

Avatar photo

by David Lidington

Minister for Europe, London

Remembrance

It’s 11 November, Armistice Day. I recorded this video blog in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, standing right beside memorials to Diplomatic staff who have lost their lives to military conflict or to terrorism, whilst in the service of their country.

Read more on Remembrance | Reply

10th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Leigh Turner

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

Why I wear a poppy

Several Ukrainian friends have asked me recently why I am wearing a small, red flower – a poppy – on my jacket lapel. It’s because the United Kingdom together with other Commonwealth nations will commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11th. The poppy is the symbol of this day. The practice of wearing a flower dates […]

Read more on Why I wear a poppy | Reply

9th November 2010 Ottawa, Canada

“Lipstick In School”: Thanks and a partial reflection on the Montreal KT/KB workshop

I’d like to introduce our next guest blogger, Alex Bielak, who in trying to leave a comment ended up writing us an entire blog posting!  Alex has been a fixture in the science communication world in Canada, both as an excellent communicator and writer himself, but also through his knowledge translation & knowledge brokering activities at the Environment […]

Read more on “Lipstick In School”: Thanks and a partial reflection on the Montreal KT/KB workshop | Reply

9th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Why are logisticians a humourless lot?

Following the Lisbon Treaty, and the establishment of a permanent Presidency for the European Union, the role of the rotating Presidency that passes from one Member State to another every 6 months is evolving. And it is not entirely clear where it will end up during the Hungarian Presidency in the first 6 months of […]

Read more on Why are logisticians a humourless lot? | Reply

5th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Good news

So often, our newspapers and other media focus on the bad news stories. We watch the news, or read the front page, and depression sets in. “Good news is no news”, say the cynics. The event I attended on 4 November at Unduavi, in the Yungas of La Paz, breaks the trend. Even more so, […]

Read more on Good news | Reply

5th November 2010 Ottawa, Canada

Two UK Recipients Among the Canadian International Gairdner Award Winners

If you’re in a Canadian or international health science field, then you’ve likely heard of the Gairdner Foundation and the awards they distribute, and if not, then let me quote from their “About us” page: “The Gairdner Foundation was created in 1957 by James Arthur Gairdner to recognize and reward the achievements of medical researchers whose work contributes […]

Read more on Two UK Recipients Among the Canadian International Gairdner Award Winners | Reply

5th November 2010 Chevening, UK

Applied human rights? You mean it was never applied before?

I wanted to call this blog "the Clash and human rights" but Malaysian Chevening scholar Shazeera Zawawi wrote it so she gets to decide; The title of this piece of intellectual pursuit is a tribute to a close friend’s response to my recent announcement that I will be furthering my post graduate study in Applied […]

Read more on Applied human rights? You mean it was never applied before? | Reply

5th November 2010 New York, USA

Pivotal Partners

Guest blog: Susan Haird, Deputy Chief Executive, UK Trade & Investment I am delighted to be writing from New York, where at this time of year the city’s cultural and commercial calendars are humming. It is the latter that brings me here on this particular visit.  The US is by far the largest investor in […]

Read more on Pivotal Partners | Reply

5th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Blogjam of visits

We knew that there would be huge interest from the UK in Hungary in the run-up to their EU Presidency in the first half of next year. And so it is proving. The focus started, I suppose, with the highly successful visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in […]

Read more on Blogjam of visits | Reply

4th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Martin Harris

British Ambassador to Ukraine

Alba Iulia: Romania’s heritage, Romania’s future

Last month I joined a group of ambassadors visiting the vast and impressive Vauban Fortress at Alba Iulia. As a historian I found this a fascinating place to visit. All the different eras of Romanian history are represented here – the original Dacian settlement, the Roman legionary fortress and the magnificent Habsburg citadel in the […]

Read more on Alba Iulia: Romania’s heritage, Romania’s future | Reply