27th February 2014
The last two winters in Minsk can’t be more different. Last year, we had snow on the ground continuously for five months. In the middle of March we even had a blizzard, метель in Russian, although I think it was called буря – storm – at the time. This year, I’ve learnt the Belarusian phrase […]
18th February 2014
An advantage for English speakers trying to speak another language is that so many of our words find their way into other languages. Russian is no different. But I can imagine that the creep of anglicisms into Russian is as galling for Russian speakers, as it is for speakers of other languages. One word that […]
7th February 2014
One of my favourite activities is to spend time browsing in a bookshop. When I was growing up, that was the most likely place I would go to when I visited our local town. I usually spent my pocket money on a book. Reading is still very popular in Britain. Radio 4, the main national […]
31st January 2014
Many Belarusians ask me about cooking in Britain. I’ve resisted writing about it so far, but next week the embassy will take part in the Minsk international Book Fair for the first time. We want to convey a better understanding of contemporary Britain. One of the themes we will feature is cooking. Britain hasn’t been […]
24th January 2014
I had written another blog for this week. But it didn’t seem right to publish something interesting but not especially important, while far more serious events are taking place in a neighbouring country. It is part of diplomatic work to keep an eye on those countries next to the ones you serve in. What goes […]
24th December 2013
Christmas is coming. I’m looking forward to it as I’ve been busy recently, and need a break. What is so special about Christmas in Britain? As it is the time when many of us Christians remember the birth of Jesus, Christmas is above all for our children. This is the time when we celebrate them, […]
16th December 2013
We talk a lot about brands these days. There is a lot of value in a strong brand. The worth of a brand is in how its distinguishes, or stands out, from other brands. As a British ambassador, I’m very much part of the “British brand”. My role entails a variety of activities, from supporting […]
3rd December 2013
There is limited, reliable data on it. It takes many forms, and isn’t necessarily physical. And it’s closer to us than we think. It’s also easy to talk about, but very difficult to deal with. I’m referring to gender violence, or as we tend to know it in Britain: domestic violence. This is the violence […]
18th November 2013
I’m often asked about co-operation between Britain and Belarus – what is happening, any good examples, and so on. Some of the best co-operation is in the voluntary sector. I recently opened a seminar on autism. The seminar was organised by a British charity, Voluntas, to pass to Belarusian medical experts and Belarusian parents of […]
25th October 2013
I hadn’t realised, but I’d passed the site many times before. It’s hidden on the side of a slope at a road junction. The memorial is in a pit where 5,000 Jewish prisoners were shot on 2nd March 1942. This week was the 70th anniversary of the liquidation of the Minsk Ghetto, and the pit […]