23rd October 2013
A Malay proverb says “clapping with the right hand only, produces no noise.” When it comes to being effective in our day-today work, how can we make sure we make noise, ie produce effective results that make a difference? One way is by working together better. Team-building is an essential part of running any office. […]
2nd October 2013
Did you know that enough sunlight falls on the earth in 1 hour to meet the whole world’s energy demand for a year? Exploiting this source of clean and readily-available energy must surely be a no-brainer. Promoting renewable energy used to be seen as a fad for environmentalists. And there is no doubt that there […]
18th September 2013
Last week the Jordanian national football team “Nashama” beat Uzbekistan in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out, inching closer to qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Brazil. It was a tremendous win and Amman erupted into celebrations as enthusiastic supporters drove round town honking their horns and waving flags. Unfortunately, some supporters also fired their guns […]
21st August 2013
Monday 19 August was World Humanitarian Day. Such days – which mark important international themes – occur regularly. But few can be as relevant and important this year given the severe refugee crisis caused by the tragic violence in Syria. There are now almost 2 million Syrians – 10% of the population – in neighbouring […]
10th July 2013
When our daughters were small, they used to read stories about Pippi Longstocking. She was a nine-year old girl with ginger plaits. She was unconventional and assertive with no respect for authority. She also had superhuman strength, being able to lift her horse with one hand. Our daughters learnt that girls can achieve anything if they […]
29th May 2013
Over the last few weeks I have heard lots of people talk about “The WEF”, as if there was a mysterious secret society that only a privileged few belonged to. Maybe you had to speak a coded language of “Weffery” to be in with the in-crowd. What were my impressions? The event was huge: over […]
1st May 2013
When people outside Jordan think about the Syrian refugees who have entered the country in the last 2 years, they usually think about the big camp in Za’atri. They have seen it on the news and from the numerous high-profile visitors who have been there. Headlines like “Record Numbers of Syrians Cross to Za’atri” encourage the perception […]
16th April 2013
We’re approaching the start of the student visa season. This is the time of year when students who plan to study abroad are waiting for offers of places from universities. The students – and their parents – are also thinking of all the arrangements they need to make once they get the acceptance from the […]
20th March 2013
What’s it like organising a royal visit? They don’t come round very often in a diplomatic career. But when they do, they present extraordinary opportunities. Last week’s visit by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall was just such an opportunity. It was made all the more meaningful because of the lasting relationship […]
13th February 2013
Political slogans are part of elections all round the world. They try to encapsulate a simple attractive catchphrase to make the voter support their candidate. They usually promise a better world and try to energise the voter: “Yes We Can”, “Tough on Crime” “The Buck Stops Here”. The trouble with election slogans is that they tend […]