Tag: soft power

9th November 2018 London,UK

Paul Brummell, British Ambassador to Romania

by Paul Brummell

Head of Soft Power and External Affairs Department, Communication Directorate

Culinary Design

Bompas and Parr’s website tells you that their company are “the leading expert in multi-sensory experience design.” A key component of these multi-sensory experiences involves the taste-buds, and their Bermondsey studios are centred on a large kitchen. I met Sam Bompas in a room dominated by what looks like a large church organ. That, says […]

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29th October 2015 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

Soft Power Superpower

One phrase stood out from the Italian Prime Minister’s speech at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana yesterday. Prime Minister Renzi said that even though Italy might not be a superpower in some areas, it should be considered ‘a cultural superpower’ given the strength of its architecture, music and art. Having spent a few […]

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12th June 2015 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

#BritTalks

Last week, we held the first #BritTalk in my house. In a fascinating presentation, Lord David Triesman, in Havana on business, shared his experiences of working with FIFA and Sepp Blatter when he was Chair of the Football Association. The audience was gripped by Lord Triesman’s tales of sleaze and abuse of power, by his […]

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4th June 2015 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

‘El Cubano de la Uni’

This is the third in a series of blogs by Cubans who received Chevening scholarships and have studied or are studying in the UK. This week, Carlos Rangel Irola writes about his experiences, studying an MSc in Finance and Banking at the University of Essex in Colchester. Thanks to Carlos for this great blog! Don’t expect this story to […]

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6th November 2014 Brasilia, Brazil

From soft power to hard action – the Chevening network

As this year’s application window for Chevening scholarships moves into its final stretch (applications close on 15th November) it seems an appropriate moment to bring Chevening back into Speaker’s Corner and focus on what makes this scholarship programme such a unique tool for the work we are trying to accomplish here in Brazil. Chevening is […]

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20th October 2014 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

Britain through Cuban eyes

I’m still smiling. We’ve just come to the end of ten very successful days of British culture in Havana; ten days of British music, history, theatre, science, film and dance. There were events throughout the city, at all times of day and night and for a range of audiences, including kids. We explored the breadth […]

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21st March 2014 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

When Winston Churchill went to war in Cuba

In a week when Russian aggression in Eastern Europe has brought back memories of the Cold War, it seems appropriate to write about Sir Winston Churchill, the great British statesman who coined the term ‘the iron curtain’. Churchill’s inspiring, determined, brilliant leadership during the Second World War is known to all. Less well-known are his […]

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20th February 2014 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

A musical journey, from the UK to Cuba and back again!

My thanks to UK singer Holly Holden for this guest blog on making music in Cuba and how a chance meeting in Havana led to her touring Europe’s top festivals with UK dub-step pioneer DJ Mala. When I was thirteen my mother took me to see the documentary film Buena Vista Social Club. I remember leaving […]

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6th February 2014 Brasilia, Brazil

David Bowie is… very British – guest blog by Beatriz Correa

During the pre-opening of the “David Bowie is” exhibition for the press, Alex Ellis, British Ambassador to Brazil, began his speech by saying that Bowie is “international, global and ‘very British’”. The ambassador’s words made me think about how Bowie translates perfectly the reasons that make the UK, and the British culture as a whole, […]

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