There are many exciting activities coming up in the following months, which will require hard work, team coordination and much organisation. This last point has always been a weak one for me, and I’m grateful that this experience is actually helping me personally to improve in this.

It is up to each person to make the most of every experience. And that is exactly what I intend to do.

Lance Price

To mark International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia on 17 May, the Executive Director of NGO Kaleidoscope Trust, Lance Price, has written a guest blog.

We set up the Kaleidoscope Trust as the only UK-based charity working exclusively on international LGBT rights only last year. From the very beginning we have been delighted by the support and encouragement we’ve received from the British government, and the FCO in particular, but also from all the main political parties in the UK.

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, told us he wanted Britain to be a ‘beacon for reform’ of LGBT rights around the world. We won’t always agree with the government, and we will always be asking for more. We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t! But the FCO’s statement that ‘The UK believes that human rights should apply equally to all, and in this regard we oppose all forms of violence and discrimination against LGBT people’ is unambiguous and very welcome.

LGBT rights are human rights and human rights are LGBT rights, it’s as simple as that. And it should NEVER be a crime to be gay. Persuading some of our partners around the world, in particular within the Commonwealth, of those simple truths will not be easy. But our job, as a charity, is helped enormously by the knowledge that there is a political consensus in this country that human rights must be upheld without distinction or discrimination of any kind.

Our President, the House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, set out the world situation with great eloquence on 16 May here in London. I hope everybody will read what he said, and keep in touch with our work here on the Kaleidoscope Trust website.

Allegations by ex-prime minister Yuliya Tymoshenko that she was physically mistreated by prison guards, followed by counter-claims by prison authorities that this never happened, have caused controversy in the rest of Europe.  In an intense cycle of debate, there are reports that some politicians from EU countries will not attend the Euro 2012 football finals in Ukraine in protest.  Some heavyweight political journals have argued that EU political leaders should not attend.

This is a sensitive subject, with powerful arguments on each side.  But the debate highlights a key question: why are EU Member States taking such a close interest in Ukraine?  The answer has been set out many times before in this blog.  EU Member States are concerned that opposition leaders in Ukraine, including Ms Tymoshenko, have been tried and (in every case so far) jailed through a court process which appears both selective and politically influenced.  EU leaders feel so strongly that this marks a significant deterioration in Ukraine’s democratic record that they have made clear that they are unlikely to sign or ratify the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement until opposition leaders are free from prison and able to participate in political activity.

The linkage between signature of the Association Agreement and the imprisonment of opposition leaders is important.  Both the EU and Ukraine want the Agreement signed because it is the best mechanism to help Ukraine to become more like an EU country, boosting wealth and trade and promoting integration.  Yet despite their eagerness to see the Association Agreement signed, all EU leaders agree that for that to happen, Ukraine has to demonstrate that it adheres to European values, including on democracy and human rights.  The UK line on this was set out in full recently by Europe Minister David Lidington.

The UK hopes Ukraine will respond to the growing concerns from the rest of Europe about the state of democracy in Ukraine – not just for the sake of Euro 2012, but to ensure Ukraine can take the steps needed to continue their integration with, and ultimately to join, the EU.

I discussed these issues on Ukrainian Channel 5 on 14 May (in Ukrainian).

On day one of the New challenges, new partners, a new UN development system? conference, there has been a gradual fragmentation of the UN systems and its interventions. There are too many governance structures: some are overlapping and others are far from reality. The issue is also that of incoherence between the agenda setting functions and results delivery mechanisms of the UN, and lack of financing.

But there is good news. Delivering as One (DaO) is being implemented and is leading to increased ownership and efficiency. The creation of UN Women after consolidation of some of the UN agencies and their overlapping mandates has been a bold move.

However these changes are not irreversible and do not go far enough. For instance while DaO is perceived positively, it has limits and cannot guarantee strong leadership and that the funds will materialise.

The UN is in crisis both institutionally and in terms of relevance. Multiple non-UN and private players are emerging with their own monies on issues traditionally dealt within UN.

While crisis mode can lead to bold and strategic changes, many member States are not aware of this crisis within UN or the extent of it.

The last bold attempt to reform of the UN was over 40 years ago. The “Jackson Report” or “Capacity Study” on UN reform published in 1969, urged that UN projects should be harmonised with a country’s own development plan. While it provoked controversy and debate, very few recommendations were put to practise.

The current timing is strategic for UN reforms:

a. In autumn 2012, the General Assembly will give new policy directions to improve UN system support to developing countries through the quadrennial comprehensive policy review (QCPR).

b. There is a need to think of the role of the UN in the post MDGs scenario.

c. The UN Secretary General has been given a second term and has the time and the opportunity to carry out the reforms.

The FUNDS project aims to understand this crisis of the UN and in the reform process. More than two-thirds of the 3350 people who responded to the FUNDS survey felt that the UN is capable of handling global challenges. Among agencies perceived to be more relevant than others were WHO and UNICEF.

And there are more UN optimists than UN skeptics. Among UN optimists, lack of financing is a key challenge while among UN skeptics the key challenge is ineffectiveness of the UN. Among the donor countries (DAC), the focus is on having fewer UN agencies while for non-DAC countries, the key issue is to increase financing.

The results from the FUNDS survey match with findings from a similar survey done by UN Foundation on the perception of US citizens on UN. Overwhelming number of US citizens held a positive perception of the UN and felt that US should engage with the UN and pay its dues.

The FUNDS survey opens new insights. The sample for the FUNDS survey should be increased to get further results and analysis, and comparisons between Surveys carried over different years should be made. Some newer aspects should be brought into future FUNDS surveys, namely what does the UN deliver and whether it is the UN in crisis or it is the multilateral system itself in crisis? Furthermore there is a need to get greater information on newer and non-UN players emerging on the scene.

There is a need to think that if the UN is not reforming (or not reforming far and fast enough), then what are the alternatives? Which are the needs that are being met within the UN and those that are not? Can UN reforms take place without reforms in other aspects of multilateral systems?

There is lack of coordination between UN system and the national public sector. Most of the UN support is being channeled outside of national government structures, for instance through NGOs and the civil society, and is thereby weakening governments. Operating outside of governments may deliver islands of success but that cannot be equated to national development.

Emerging countries are being asked to give greater financing to the UN systems. However they are being asked to share greater responsibilities without giving them greater privileges or commensurate changes in the global governance structures.

The UN has to make an impact not just through financing available with it but also through its other functions such as rule making and regulatory role to allow it to pull punches above its weight.

Romel Pascual, Deputy Mayor of LA, convinced me how wrong I was in our very cheery discussion on Friday.  It turns out that LA met Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gases 4 years ahead of schedule.  The City already gets more than 10% of its energy from renewable sources and the plan is to increase LA’s use of renewable energy to 40% by 2020.  Water security is a priority, and so – despite an increase of more than 1 million people since the late 1980s – LA’s water consumption has remained steady.  And there is an aggressive plan to reduce emissions from the Ports of LA and Long Beach, in addition to switching the public fleet of vehicles (street sweepers, rubbish trucks, buses etc) to alternative fuel vehicles.  A million trees will be planted during the Mayor’s Administration (I suspect finding enough grass to plant on may be a challenge, mind you).  I must admit I was surprised.

We arranged a busy programme for them, meeting Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Richard Marles and shadow Foreign Affairs minister Julie Bishop. They had a useful session with the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, and I hosted a dinner with a number of Australian MPs. They also had a round table meeting with DFAT and PM&C officials.

They found the Australian government heavily engaged in Commonwealth issues, having just hosted the successful CHOGM in Perth last October, and currently retaining the chairmanship. Foreign Minister Bob Carr’s visit to London for the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) in April, had been one of his earliest international engagements in his new role. He had agreed to be CMAG vice chair. CMAG had played an important role following the unrest in the Maldives earlier this year.

Most of the politicians were broadly positive about the Commonwealth and the role which it can play in the world. Some emphasised the importance of the organisation demonstrating that it could deliver results in the modern world, and not just rest on historic ties. Others noted that it could play a valuable role in promoting its core values such as democracy, human rights and good governance. Some said that the fact that new countries, without traditional links, were seeking to join was a strong demonstration of its value.

It should not come as a shock that Americans are watching events across the pond intently. It is a sign of the closeness of the EU-US relationship that they realise changes in Europe have a significant effect in the US.

As in Europe, it is the economy above all else that will decide November’s Presidential elections. The US economy is recovering, the last six months has seen positive growth and reduced unemployment figures. Because our economies are so closely linked, they are conscious of the knock-on effect that a further downturn in Europe could bring.

It is easy to forget that between us, the EU and the US account for approximately half of the world’s GDP.  Trade between the two sides of the Atlantic accounts for a third of global trade flows. In Boston, it was interesting to hear from US business leaders their perspective on how we should be tackling the economic challenges through our trade relationship. I agree that trade is vital to growth in both our economies, and hence the UK is fully supportive of progress towards an EU-US free trade deal.

During the visit I also had the opportunity to speak to students at both Harvard’s Center for European Studies in Boston, and at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington on the issue of the transatlantic relationship.

These discussions reinforced the view that the EU’s partnership with the US has always been a vitally important one.  It is central not only to our prosperity, but also to our security, and common values. Many of the threats we face are the same, and we tackle them together – whether it’s preventing and countering cyber attacks, or working together on sanctions to put pressure on the Iranian regime, through to fighting insurgency in Afghanistan, and protecting trade in the Gulf of Aden through our NATO alliances. My meetings with the Administration reinforced the importance of this work, particularly ahead of the NATO Summit in Chicago later this month.

On the flight home, my dominating thought was that what happens in Europe matters hugely to the US. From businesses to academics, all stake a claim in developments here in Europe, and view the transatlantic relationship as essential to a wider partnership between the two continents.

Lord Green and Minister Fast following the Signing of the Canada/UK Joint Innovation Statement

The ceremony was attended by a small audience, and in case you were following our twitterfeed:

Can you guess where @narbour and our Montreal Consulate General team are for the S&I event this afternoon? http://t.co/7wGujcNu

May 8, 2012 8:09 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@UKinCanada

UK in Canada

Montreal Pump House (in Old Montreal) where the Canada/UK Joint Innovation Statement was signed!

As you are likely aware, last fall, our two Prime Ministers jointly endorsed the Canada/UK Joint Declaration “A Stronger Partnership for the 21st Century” (for more detail, or if not aware – see blog posting here).  Within this context, I’m happy to report, Science and Innovation featured fairly prominently.  The Joint Innovation Statement is an addendum to that, building upon the initial PM agreement, and helping to define priorities in the Canada/UK relationship on which to build.  To demonstrate the value specifically, let me draw your attention to work we’re currently doing in the area of Marine Renewable energy, particularly Wave and Tidal.

You may not be aware of it, but both Canada and the UK are leaders in this developing field of renewable energy, which looks to harness the power of the ocean (through waves and tides), and also rivers (unidirectional currents), in order to create a clean, secure and reliable source of renewable energy.   In both the Joint Declaration, and the Joint Innovation Statement the UK and Canada commit to working more closely together on the commercialisation of this technology, the specific text in the Joint Declaration is:

“We will encourage the development of technology systems necessary for commercial-scale electricity production from marine energy. We plan to lead the world in moving forward from pilot wave and tidal energy devices to exploring actual power generation stations connected to our respective electricity grids.”

How can this affect people and communities onthe ground?  Well, in the Orkney Islands, North of mainland Scotland, where the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) is located, development of the marine energy sector has resulted in an increase in high paying highly technical jobs to the local economy (EMEC has a partnership with the Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE), a similar facility in Nova Scotia) . It is a large part of the reason that the Orkney Islands are recognised internationally as having some of the best resources in Europe for the research, development and testing of wind, wave and tidal technologies.

These technologies not only offer the opportunities for remote coastal (and river side) communities to become self-sufficient (in terms of energy production), but will also be an employment draw for engineers and technicians building, installing and maintaining theses facilities, thus further supporting local economies. This is but one example of how these kinds of agreements could provide longer term, on the ground benefits, and others could easily follow.

 All this to say that within these documents we’re looking to foster additional collaboration between Canada and the UK in applied research, in  areas that will directly affect people on the ground, bringing the research out of the lab and into society, be that through commercial, health or social benefits (none of which are mutually exclusive). The priorities identified within this document are areas that both of our countries recognise as priorities, and as we move forward on increased work in these areas, this document provides us with both a  road map to areas both governments have identified as important going forward, but also with the additional leverage of the commitment made by our Ministers, to deliver on this statement and to develop these areas of research to the benefit of their constituents (us), our countries, our economies, and the international community.

These are the priority areas identified within the Canada/UK Joint Innovation Statement (watch this space for future blogs working on the delivery of these governmental commitments, by the UKinCanada Science & Innovation Team, and all our Canadian and UK partners)

• Health research: Facilitating the translation of advanced knowledge into life-changing therapies for the benefit of patients, healthcare institutions and industries. Areas of specific focus may include: neurosciences; ageing; infectious diseases; regenerative medicine; stratified medicine; cancer imaging; and global health;

• Sustainability, renewable energy and clean technologies: Encourage joint collaboration on technology development and knowledge sharing between both countries to accelerate the development, demonstration and deployment of technologies and process to support the marine energy sector. Other priority areas may include bioenergy, hydrogen and fuel cells, and sustainable construction;

• Advanced manufacturing: Foster collaborations in applied research that address specific industry needs, in particular capitalising on existing support mechanism in aerospace and exploring opportunities for collaboration between institutions of both countries;

• Innovation policy: Develop a structured exchange of ideas and best practice on the role of government in supporting innovation, and the effective operation of national innovation systems;

• Entrepreneurship: Enhance linkages between start-up campaigns and entrepreneur groups to help young, high-growth companies access global markets and bring an international dimension to entrepreneurial learning;

• Social innovation: Working with academic, government, and civil society partners to leverage research and innovation activities for greater societal benefits.

I want to pick up this theme – but also highlight one of the many and vital successes. This is of course, Jamal Osman, recently named journalist of the year at the One World media awards in London this week.

The awards recognise outstanding journalism on the developing world. Jamal was awarded the title for his portfolio of exceptional work on Somalia, including coverage of Somali athletes training for the London Olympics later this summer – a truly inspiring story of athletes, like Abdinasir Ibrahim, a 5,000 metre runner who competed at Beijing and hopes to compete in London, striving to achieve great things for themselves and their country.

Jamal’s work has also covered more distressing issues – including last year’s drought and the appalling conditions facing many refugees. His bravery brought the unfolding tragedy in southern Somalia to an audience of millions.

So as we honour those journalists killed in the line of duty in Somalia and strive for greater freedom of expression and protection of journalists in Somalia, it’s only right that we salute the outstanding work of Jamal Osman – One World Journalist of the Year.

The other positive development last week was the unanimous adoption by the Parliament of the law implementing Romania’s new Civil Procedure Code. This is one of the main planks of Romania’s effort to reform the judicial system and tackle corruption through the EU’s Cooperation and Verification Mechanism. I see this reform as fundamental to all others, since it lays the foundation for a successful economy and the efficient working of the state. There has been good progress in recent months, notably the adoption of legislation on extended confiscation and the processing of high level corruption cases. One of the government’s main priorities should be to ensure that this is sustained.

What struck me was the lively discussion around sustainability in the country. Every paper seemed to have plenty of coverage. The country has been hit by a number of natural disasters recently, with heavy floods in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland already this year. The new carbon price, due to be introduced in July, was being heavily covered in the media. And there was ongoing debate about the relative merits of mining, forestry and conservation.

Against this background, it was interesting to see how sustainability was being promoted as a selling point in many parts of Tasmania. This is perhaps understandable in a region blessed with so much open space and natural attractions. But it did indicate that a growing sector of the economy thinks that sustainability is a selling point for their business. This applied to food and drink (e.g. restaurants promoting their fresh food), accommodation (e.g. hotels and cottages promoting their undisturbed location), and travel services (e.g. eco-tours to see dolphins and other wildlife). 

Different studies will give you different figures. But a trawl of the literature suggests that ecotourism is currently responsible for about 7-10% of the global tourism market, and worth around $70 to $100 billion each year. Some experts predict that by 2025 the ecotourism market could represent 25% of all travel, and be worth over $700 billion annually.

A good case study is Freycinet Eco Retreat.  Near the  town of Coles Bay on the East Coast, the 1200 hectare property is  certified at the advanced level under a scheme administered by “Eco Tourism Australia”.  The accommodation comprises two lodges and a shack in the middle of the bush, where we stayed – with lots of wallabies, possums and wombats for company. The houses have a number of interesting features: all water is collected from rainwater catchment; solar panels have been installed, and the building materials are from recycled sources as far as possible. The owners estimate that the overall property absorbs about 2,000T of CO2 each year – a significant amount. All of which gives an attractive ecotourism destination with a negligible impact on the environment.

An encouraging sign that, hopefully, it can be possible to have a successful business and be “low carbon”. And that the move to a sustainable economy is gaining pace across the world, including in sectors like tourism.

Professor Costel Coroban has researched and presented the extraordinary story of the Scottish women’s ambulance corps (known as the Grey Partridges because of the colour of their uniforms). This formidable group of women provided medical help to soldiers on the Romanian front in the most difficult days of the First World War. They came out of the suffragette movement in the UK which campaigned for women’s right to vote, and were trained doctors and nurses. When the war broke out they wrote to the War Office in London offering their services as medical staff. The reply they got was ”Madam, keep quiet and stay at home!”

Suitably emboldened by this response they approached Britain’s allies and were encouraged by the French to go to the Romanian front. They reached it after a long and arduous voyage through the Baltic Sea, across Russia and down to Odessa where they reported for duty to the Russian General Staff. Then they set out for the front and set up a hospital at Medgidia treating the wounded in terrible conditions under bombardment and in retreat as the front collapsed.

I know well the quality of these women from Scotland who so surprised the Russian generals with their efficiency and bravery. They came from Edinburgh, which is my home town. My grandmother came from similar stock. My wife did too, and my daughters are shaping up to be suitably feisty heirs to this tradition!

At the book’s launch, thanks to Costel’s hard work, we drew on the inspiration of these incredible women as an example of the friendship and solidarity that should exist between allies, their humanity and compassion in serving wounded and sick soldiers and the great spirit of duty which they showed as volunteers in the war effort. Their story is known and commemorated in Scotland and I’m glad that Costel has brought it to a Romanian audience too.

Ambassador Martin Harris and Costel Coroban, former intern with the British Embassy in Bucharest

The first of these focuses on Health in Helmand and has been written by Sim Nemvalts from the PRT health team and Dr.Rahmatullah Mohammadi, Deputy Director from the Helmand Department of Public Health.  

Siim Nemvalts – Co-Head, Health Team, Helmand PRT

The PRT Health Team supports and advises the Helmand Provincial Department of Public Health (DoPH). The DoPH has opened health clinics all over the Province to provide better access to free healthcare to the population.  According to DoPH figures, 80% of the Helmand population now have access to health services. The public healthcare system in Helmand is largely functioning well. There are 58 health facilities in the Province, of which 55 are functioning and providing health services.

The purpose of the Bill is very straightforward. It simply provides for Parliamentary approval of a Treaty change which makes explicit the ability of eurozone countries to set up a European Stability Mechanism or ESM so that they support fellow eurozone members in financial trouble.

Although the UK is not in the eurozone, the Treaty amendment is important to us. When the Prime Minister agreed to the Treaty amendment at the European Council in March 2011 he also secured agreement from all EU members to a commitment which means that the UK will not be liable through the EU budget for any future EU eurozone bailouts once the ESM comes into force. Ratifying the Treaty amendment is an important part of that deal and this Bill is part of that process.

The ESM will be funded by the eurozone, for the eurozone and will play an important role in EU-wide efforts to bring financial stability to the Eurozone. A stable Eurozone is directly in the UK’s interest – growth there will help growth here.  After all, we rely on the Eurozone for over 40% of our trade.

You can find further information on the Bill on the Parliament and FCO websites.

These legal processes are significant and address issues fundamental to the health of contemporary society. But it is equally important to remember the positive role of a free, responsible media in modern democratic society. One aspect of this is education and information about current affairs and policy. The development of mass, including broadcast, media has made a huge contribution to raising awareness of peoples and places outside our immediate experience. Almost every day I learn from the BBC World Service about events ‘beyond the Coasts of Bohemia’, as William Shakespeare might have written.

A second aspect of media’s positive role concerns the `checks and balances` that hold to account those in positions of power or authority in democratic societies. A third is the creation of public space for debate of difficult questions, including moral and ethical ones.

The media can also help shape society through increasing awareness and understanding of our own environment. Journalists can expose corruption, wrong doing and incompetence. They can reduce mistrust and prejudice by educating us about different communities. They can even act as role models for underrepresented groups.

The digital age presents challenges as well as opportunities to the media. Anyone (even an Ambassador) with a keyboard or touch screen can reach an audience of thousands. Consumers can choose from a vast number of sources of information and opinion. Information (and disinformation) can spread like wildfire. Traditional journalism faces competition that may not operate within the same legal, institutional or societal constraints.

Nevertheless as a healthy society we look to the media to behave responsibly and accountably as a force for good in the digital jungle. This week in Prague, eminent Czech and British journalists meet to debate topical issues. The Prague Press Forum will conclude with a round table discussion on the media as a force for good in society. I look forward to hearing what the practitioners have to say.

The topics of our respective talks were similar as well: the role of Asia in UK and US foreign affairs.

Secretary Hague’s central message was direct and clear: “Those who might think that British engagement with Asia is a thing of the past, or that we will become a partner of declining relevance, could not be more wrong,” he said. “We are setting our country firmly on the path to far closer ties with countries across Asia over the next twenty years; and on a completely new footing from the past.”

This new and renewed focus on Asia is part of the UK’s effort to engage with emerging powers and growing economies. Of course, this means China and India, who combined are home to a full third of the world’s population, and are projected to account for more than 30 per cent of the increase in global energy demand as their economies continue developing and modernizing.

But growth in Asia is not limited to the two giants on the continent. From Indonesia and Singapore in the Southeast to the Gulf States and the Caucasus region, Britain is forging new partnerships across the world’s largest continent.

As I spoke with the students at SAIS, many of them asked about the United States placing more emphasis on Asia and the Pacific Rim. Did this signal a declining Europe? Would traditional partners like the UK be left out in the cold?

The answer I shared with them—and one that William Hague shared in Singapore—is that increasing US interaction with the Asia-Pacific region is an opportunity for Britain and America to work together in our common interest.

As William Hague said, “At a time when the United States is shifting its focus towards the region and we wish to see the European Union take a more active role, there is a great deal for us to work on with them and many areas where we can align our efforts.”

Take trade, for instance. The rapid population growth and economic development across Asia means billions of new customers for innovative, world-class goods being created in Britain and America. Working collaboratively to open access and promote fair competition in Asian markets will benefit both of our economies; for proof, look no further than the US-South Korea free trade agreement ratified last year—a $10 billion boost to American exports.

We also have a common interest in security matters across Asia. From the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran to the long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan, Asia’s problems could quickly reach the doorstep of Britain and the United States. There has also been significant progress recently, such as democratic reforms in Burma and Indonesia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. We will remain an engaged and active partner of the US in Asia as we support these developments over the years ahead.

The best course of action may not always be the easiest one. The legacy of British colonialism and American interventions in Asia means we will both have challenges to overcome. But facing those challenges and looking to the future means we can enjoy a partnership with Asia that makes us all safer and more prosperous.

Something I always dread happened the other day. A lunch guest bounced up to me enthusiastically and asked me how I felt about the President’s announcement.  I was uncharacteristically but completely nonplussed.  I’d been in back to back meetings all morning in Sacramento (hearing a rather different view from that of the Bay on economics and innovation in California) and hadn’t had a moment to check my blackberry (something that always makes me twitchy!) and so had no idea of the news of the morning – or, indeed, what I felt about it.  Bluffing – though tempting – is not a good option and so I had to profess my ignorance (and tried not to feel justified in my blackberry addiction which would usually prevent this kind of thing).

Dr Layla McCay and Rosalind Campion

There were family and friends, vows, rings, readings and speeches. There was cake and a first dance (the learning of which nearly killed me). There were presents and there were tears.  And it was followed by a glorious honeymoon in New York City (where, in fact, we first contemplated that perhaps we should be aspiring to live and work “somewhere like America”).  So in many ways it was very much like a traditional marriage ceremony. Under the proposals which the British Government is currently consulting on, we would be able to convert our civil partnership into a civil marriage.  But I suspect that we’d end up having a civil marriage ceremony, nonetheless. For us, if same-sex marriage does happen in Britain it will be such a statement about how far the debate has come in the UK that we’d feel that we should. At least until we remembered how much our civil partnership cost – and that we’ve both put on too much weight since then to fit into our old wedding attire…

From the Olympic Stadium, we were able to broadcast live content, including photos, to our fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter throughout the event. This was on top of UK and Greek TV and radio interviews for the Ambassador, notably a live broadcast to millions watching the BBC coverage.

Watching the ceremony itself was an incredible experience. We felt privileged to see this shared moment between the UK and Greece – a moment which clearly marked the significance of our strong bilateral relationship and our shared historical connections to the Games themselves. And this strong relationship even extended to our small media team, which was made up of two Greeks and two Brits, with the Greek staff feeling proud of their cultural heritage, and the UK staff showing enthusiasm ahead of what promises to be the most modern and diverse Games yet.

During the ceremony, the Flame was lit by the rays of the sun in the Temple of Hera. Only a small number of people were able to view this ritual, however we were lucky enough to watch the dress rehearsal the day before, where we gained an up-close insight of how the Flame is lit.

On the day, after the Flame was ignited, the Priestesses performed a ceremonial dance in the stadium, before the High Priestess appeared at the top of the hill with the Flame. This was a spectacular moment, and it was amazing to see the Flame be passed to the first Torchbearer, Spyros Gianniotis, a British- born Greek Olympic hopeful, who kicked off the Greek leg of the Olympic torch relay in style.

This year London becomes the first city to host the Games for the third time, but this ceremony really highlighted the deep historical roots of the Games. The first Olympic Games took place in Greece in 776BC, but it is interesting to note that the UK played a significant role in establishing the modern Games – in the UK county of Shropshire in 1890, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee, was inspired to create the modern Games, which first took place in Athens in 1896. In fact, Baron de Coubertin’s heart is interred in Olympia in a monument celebrating the revival of the Games.

All in all, this was a momentous occasion, and it is exciting to think that we are now getting ever closer to London 2012.  Next week sees the Flame being handed over to the UK in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, before it begins its journey to London on 18 May.

* This blog was written by Kirstie Smith, Andra Bean, Aspa Giannopoulou and Maria Kikida

Suntown Camp Foundation is a charity based in Negros, in the Visayas region of the Philippines.  It brings together children who are ill with cancer or in remission, children whose parents have been diagnosed with cancer, and children with serious illnesses. Once a year, they hold a week-long summer camp to help children accept and understand their illness, express their feelings, and to let them know that they are not alone in their struggle.

Handing the cheque to Comm. Millie Kilayko (3rd from right) of Suntown Camp Foundation Inc. (From L-R) Mrs. Tima Lacson & Comm. Millie Kilayko of Suntown Camp, Me and Nell Belgado, Project Manager, British Embassy Manila

The money was raised in January by Embassy staff to give to a local charity.  We chose Suntown Camp as the beneficiary, following a suggestion from one of our own employees, Nell Belgado, who is herself a cancer survivor.  Nell says:

“I’ve heard of Suntown Camp from my network of cancer organizations in the Philippines. I think that everyone, at some point, has been affected by a particular illness either in them or through a loved one and I am sure that all our colleagues in the Embassy will be delighted to know that even our small contribution will be able to create a great impact on a child’s life.”

We have an active community of Britons on the island of Negros, and I plan to get across to see them later this year.   As I told Commissioner Kilayko, I hope there may be a chance to visit Suntown Camp while I’m there.

 ”As many of you may remember, the UK had an Embassy here until 2003 when it was closed for economic reasons.  One of the earliest policy decisions of the current UK coalition government was the need to put more resources into our relations with Latin America.  The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, focused on this in his Canning House speech in November 2010 and said he thought that for decades the UK had not devoted enough attention to Latin America but that this would change. 

In May 2011 it was announced that part of this change of policy would be the re-opening of our Embassy in El Salvador and I am honoured, a year later, to have been given the opportunity of putting that policy into practice and helping to strengthen our relations with El Salvador.

We are still in the process of establishing our permanent office space in the new Torre Futura and finishing off the new Residence.  But that does not stop us from operating as an Embassy now.  With new technology it is possible to operate anywhere, and we already have a series of events planned over the next few months to show that the UK really is back in El Salvador and ready to do business.  We will be concentrating on a few priority areas and working with the El Salvador government to ensure benefits for both countries from our reinvigorated relationship. 

We have a unique opportunity over the next few months with 2012 being such a special year for the UK.  Events are planned to mark the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and also to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  With UKTiES (UK Trade in El Salvador) we will be showcasing British business here and looking for good opportunities to develop our commercial relations.

In the Embassy we are all very excited at the prospect of working together with El Salvador to develop our relations.  And I look forward to finding out more about the people and country of El Salvador.”