Pirates, puddings and public diplomacy

My first week as intern at the British Embassy to Luxembourg

From a room full of distinguished Naval officers and politicians discussing the threat of piracy on British trade to the arrival of thirty home-made cakes and accompanying Brownie Guides, my first week as an intern at the British Embassy to Luxembourg was varied and exciting.

      Piracy in Africa, British maritime policy, and a landlocked country seem like an unusual combination. But here in Luxembourg, at the heart of Europe, lies a complex network of European institutions, global businesses, and people of every nationality. This attracts interest from companies from all over the world who want to invest in Luxembourg’s wealth and trade opportunities. My week began with a lecture on dangers facing the maritime industry co-hosted by the Luxembourg Maritime Cluster and the British Embassy.  Despite Luxembourg’s land-locked position, it is an important base for shipping businesses and two speakers from the Foreign Office and the Royal Navy had come over to speak to the shipping community about the threat of Piracy and the affect on global trade. After being in Luxembourg just over 24 hours I was thrown into Embassy life and experienced firsthand the importance of the British Embassy in facilitating relations between British and Luxembourgish businesses.

The Ambassador welcoming guests 

             

   Less than a week later the same Residence was swarming with Brownie Guides and Rainbows who were anxiously awaiting the results of the Bake-Off competition. The Ambassador and Anne Faber, a Luxembourgish food journalist and celebrity cook, were presented with thirty cakes and marked them according to taste, texture, and appearance. Large amounts of sugar combined with the excitement of meeting the Ambassador in her very own house to create an air of excitement and conviviality. In fact, one Brownie Guide was compelled to ask the Ambassador, ‘Are you the Queen?’!


    

A selection of entries for the 'Great Guiding Bake-Off 2014'

      Public opinion can often be critical of government spending abroad and the expense of posting resident diplomats abroad. Telephones, emails, and video conferences all provide vital tools for doing business abroad without having to leave the office. Nevertheless, from what I have observed, the hospitality of the Ambassador and the genuine friendships that exist between the members of the Embassy team and the community of Luxembourg should not be undervalued. During my first week I have met a group of Luxembourgish Freshers bound for Cambridge, Supreme Judges at the European Court of Justice, Guide leaders, and senior business owners. These different groups have different motivations for maintaining a relationship with Britain. Some are motivated by money and investment opportunities and others are drawn to the educational benefits or the appeal of British baking! In each case, the friendship and hospitality of the Ambassador and her team goes a long way in promoting business and relations between the UK and Luxembourg.