Julie Chappell

Supporting Guatemala's future leaders

It was an honour today to meet Maria Villeda and Javier Paz - this year's Chevening Scholars. "Chevening" is a scheme that the Foreign Office (with the British Council) has supported for many years. It aims to help rising stars, who will come back and use their year's study to drive positive change in their country. Maria will study law at Essex and hopes then to advise less privileged groups in Guatemala. Javier aims to use his business studies from Manchester to help Guatemala develop its ecotourism potential.

I'm a big fan of Chevening. It's a long term investment that builds deep relations for the UK. I remember, for example, a meeting in June 2003 with ex-Chevening Scholars in Iraq. They were brilliant people and keen to work with us.  

Our Chevening Scholars with Eduardo from the Embassy team

This week, I have also met the editors of some of the key newspapers here. We look to work very closely with the press as they both influence and inform public opinion. We also share interest in many of the same issues, notably climate change and human rights in the region.

In the busy offices of Prensa Libre with Editor Gonzalo Marroquin 

Posted at 11:51 07 August 2009 by Julie Chappell  |  Comments[4]