15th May 2020
17 May is IDAHOBIT, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. While there are many special days to mark throughout the year, this is an important one to me personally. Last September, my wife Martina and I took part in the first PRIDE march in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was a happy day for us, […]
31st May 2019 Skopje, North Macedonia
What is Ramadan? Of all the months, Muslims love Ramadan the most mainly because of the greater rewards found in this month. Ramadan is also significantly known as the month where the Quran was sent down to the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) as a guidance to mankind. But apart from this, there are also several […]
6th December 2018 Skopje, North Macedonia
Last week I hosted a meeting with nearly twenty people who work in various organisations in Macedonia on human rights issues and the support they provide to the people who are on the margins of the society unable to fully exercise their rights. I was particularly pleased that we also had among the guests a […]
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3rd July 2017 Kolkata, India
We now have the ability to surround ourselves with images that we record on our mobile phones. But the best images remain in your head. The monsoon rains have arrived in Kolkata. I was in my official car travelling through the city in the middle of a heavy storm last week. We passed an old […]
13th January 2017 Colombo, Sri Lanka
A cross section of staff from the High Commission lighting the traditional oil lamp during New Year celebrations. The inaugural International ‘Parity at Work Day’ was celebrated on Wednesday in London. This new International Day champions workplace diversity, and recognises the importance that everyone – regardless of age, gender or sexual orientation – is given […]
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27th August 2015 Sofia, Bulgaria
“The Embassy has run an internship programme for the last few years. The interns bring to the Embassy a fresh perspective alongside gaining valuable work experience. They are usually tasked with one big “project” (based on their own interests) during their time with us but, also quickly become an important part of Embassy life. I […]
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25th June 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia
I leave Macedonia today after a fascinating three years as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Skopje. There have been many developments across the political and economic spectrum during that time. I have had the pleasure of working with a dynamic team within this Embassy, and developed our cooperation in the fields […]
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2nd June 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia
This is not a political slogan. It is the title of an exhibition that the UK Parliament is hosting in celebration of 800 years of Magna Carta. The exhibition commissioned nine artists to produce banners for the historic and beautiful Westminster Hall, celebrating key moments along our journey to modern democracy. If you are not able to visit it in person, you can see the exhibition […]
17th March 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia
What’s the reason to mention the ‘Game of Thrones’ in a blog reflecting on Northern Ireland on St Patrick’s Day? Simple and glorious: this American fantasy drama television series is filmed in a Belfast studio and on location elsewhere in Northern Ireland, Malta, Scotland, Croatia, Iceland, the United States, Spain and Morocco. If you have […]
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1st March 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia
On Sunday 1 March along with Welsh citizens around the World, I will celebrate St David’s Day. Tradition has it that St David, or Dewi Saint in the Welsh language, died on this day in 569AD and from the 18th Century he was adopted as the Patron Saint of Wales, and the date celebrated as […]
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