Tag: freedom

10th December 2018 Skopje, North Macedonia

Rachel Galloway

British Ambassador to Macedonia

Lighting the lights on International Human Rights Day

This year the 8th day of Chanuckah falls on 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Chanuckah is celebrated as a festival for children. This is the story we tell them. Long ago, the Jewish people in Israel lived under the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes. He did not want to rule over a place with many […]

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29th April 2016

Stephen Townsend

Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy to the Holy See

Britain and Human Rights

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report was published on 21 April.  This report is aimed at increasing awareness of the UK’s role in promoting human rights work overseas, and to encourage countries to uphold and maintain their international human rights record. The Report lists 30 human rights priority countries: these […]

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19th February 2015

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

#freedomtobelieve

Most of the world’s population lives in countries where freedom of religion or belief is restricted in some way, and over a third where such limitations are extreme. Some 60 countries retain on their statute books laws against blasphemy, or apostasy, with often draconian punishments for those who transgress. And yet, as long ago as […]

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4th June 2014 Dublin, Ireland

Robin Barnett

by Robin Barnett

Former Ambassador to Ireland, Dublin

Poland – 25 amazing years

Even in a year of important anniversaries for Poland, the 25th anniversary of Solidarity’s victory in the elections of 4 June 1989 is a special moment. I arrived in Poland for the first time exactly seven years earlier. I would like to be able to say that I predicted what was to come. But I […]

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21st May 2014 Dublin, Ireland

Robin Barnett

by Robin Barnett

Former Ambassador to Ireland, Dublin

World War One – a sacrifice never to be forgotten

The fourth of August will mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War One. The world was a very different place with Poland not even on the map of Europe. A proud independent, free Poland only emerged from the ashes of the war. But that did not mean that the Great War, as […]

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9th May 2014 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

Engagement is Not Just About Cute Cats and Hashtags

I joined three events in the last week on power in the digital age. The first was with online activists and entrepreneurs, with @AUB_OC at the American University #SMCL2. I had first met them shortly after arriving in Beirut in 2011, and talked about riding the digital tiger, and tips for twiplomats. Two years on, […]

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11th April 2014

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Modern slavery: Church and State working together

“An open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge on upon the body of Christ. It is a crime against humanity”. With these words, Pope Francis addressed the second international conference in the Vatican organised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales and the Metropolitan Police on “Combating Human Trafficking: Church […]

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27th March 2014

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Defending freedom of religion or belief worldwide

Earlier this week, the Senior Minister of State and Minister for Faith, Baroness Warsi, held the first meeting of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Advisory Group on freedom of religion and belief. The group usefully supplements the FCO’s regular dialogues with religious leaders by bringing together lay experts from a wide spectrum of faiths […]

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31st July 2013 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

The Support to Match Their Courage

Tomorrow is Army Day in Lebanon. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) will parade, and the Lebanese people reflect on the role the military have played in maintaining stability over the past year, and the sacrifices they have made. I’ll join other Ambassadors in admiring the march past as Lebanese political leaders salute the LAF colours, […]

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26th June 2013

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Freedom of religion or belief: a fundamental right

The European Union – as an institution, and as individual member states – is often criticised for not doing enough to protect and promote freedom of religion and belief around the world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is very clear on the issue, we are often reminded. And yet, the critics say, amongst the […]

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