BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//FCDOA - ECPv6.17.5//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:FCDOA
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for FCDOA
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Europe/London
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20230326T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20231029T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20240331T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20241027T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20250330T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20251026T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20260329T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20261025T010000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240702T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240702T120000
DTSTAMP:20240626T130741Z
CREATED:20240409T081055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240626T130741Z
UID:10000121-1719918000-1719921600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Online talk by Fergal Keane on 2 July 2024 is confirmed
DESCRIPTION:We just heard from Fergal Keane and the talk is going ahead as planned.\n\nFCDOA Online talk by former BBC war reporter\nFergal Keane  \nwith the title \nConfronting PTSD \n2 July 2024 at 11.00 am \nTicket £5 \n\nThe much-acclaimed BBC journalist Fergal Keane has covered conflict and brutality for over 30 years – including Rwanda\, Sudan\, South Africa\, Iraq\, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Driven by a compulsion to be where the night is darkest\, he has acquired a reputation for reporting with humanity and empathy in places afflicted by death\, serious injury and overwhelming tragedy. His book – The Madness: a memoir of war\, fear and PTSD – was The Irish Times 2022 book of the year. \nAt the same time\, he has struggled not to be overwhelmed by his ‘acute complex post-traumatic stress disorder’\, a condition arising from exposure to multiple instances of trauma experienced over a long period and which has caused him to suffer several mental breakdowns and hospitalisations. Despite this\, he has returned to report conflict again and again. \nFergal Keane will share his terror of PTSD\, his tips for living it with day to day and the people and poets he admires.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/online-talk-by-fergal-keane-on-2-july-2024/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-09-at-09.09.07.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240709T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240709T120000
DTSTAMP:20240701T092638Z
CREATED:20240604T131635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240701T092638Z
UID:10000122-1720522800-1720526400@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Online talk by David Crane: Empires of the Dead
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online Talk\nby \nDavid Crane\nwith the title \nEmpires of the Dead. How one man’s vision led to the national memorialisation of the war dead from WW1 and subsequent wars. \nRichard Hughes\, Trustee of the Western Front Association has kindly agreed to moderate the talk \nTicket £5 \n\n  \nAs we commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day and the building of a new D-Day memorial in Normandy\,  historian  David Crane will look back on the life of Fabian Ware whose vision and determination led to the creation of the War Graves Commission and the subsequent memorialisation of the nation’s war dead\, provided a model for other countries and helped the post war generation and future generations to come to terms with colossal grief and build a national sense of identity leading to the annual act of Remembrance. This is a moving story sensitive to the ambiguities and nuances of war and death\, which included ensuring that all who died in the cause of freedom were treated equally  with no distinction of class or rank\, . \nBiographical Note \nDavid Crane\, historian\,  read English Literature at Oxford\, and taught in Britain and abroad. Books include a biography of Edward Trelawny\, arch-Romantic Fantasist and Byron’s companion in the Greek War of Independence\, a life of Scott of the Antarctic and\, in 2014\, Empires of the Dead.  Now writing the biography of Alan Ross\, war-poet\, sportsman\, editor and champion  of Commonwealth literature. Lives on the West coast of Scotland.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/online-talk-by-david-ware/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/David-Crane-e1718263667884.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240923T143000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240923T160000
DTSTAMP:20240909T091402Z
CREATED:20240830T142407Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240909T091402Z
UID:10000127-1727101800-1727107200@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Joint FCDOA&DFIDAA Webinar: International Development: where next for the UK
DESCRIPTION:DFID Alumni/FCDO Association Joint Webinar \nInternational Development: where next for the UK\n14.30 on Monday 23 September 2024 on ZOOM \nAdmission free \n\nWith the UK election now over and a new Labour government in power with a large majority\, there is the prospect of some political stability. The new government has said it is committed to rebuilding the UK’s reputation internationally including on international development. It has announced some headline priorities on poverty\, climate and gender. For now at least\, international development stays within the Foreign\, Commonwealth and Development Office and returning the budget to 0.7% of gni remains an aspiration. \nBut the international is difficult. Global economic rebalancing is supporting rising nationalism and making the post WW2 international structures look dated. They are being challenged by wars in eastern Europe and the Middle East. Hard not soft power dominates debates. But the year of elections has so far shown that democracy in its many forms is alive and still able to deliver change. \nAnd domestically\, slow growth and struggling public services will restrict the government’s choices. \nSo what new international development opportunities are there and what should and will the new UK government do? \nThis joint webinar will aim to take a strategic view of the issues: \n\nWhat lessons should we draw from the last 25 years of UK’s contribution to international development?\nHas/will the 2024 year of elections change the international context significantly?\nWhere does it leave the prospects for multilateralism and rebuilding a consensus on international development?\nWhere should this focus\, given there isn’t much money around.\nThree months in\, how is the new UK government shaping against the pledges made?\n\nWe have assembled an excellent discussion panel comprising three experts: \n\nSir Mark Lowcock was DFID Permanent Secretary and then UN Humanitarian Coordinator. He and Ranil Dissanayake have written a history of DFID to be published on 3 October.\nTamsyn Barton who recently departed Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact.\nJanet Rogan\, formerly in the FCDO and now CEO of the Royal African Society as well as deputy editor of the FCDOA’s Inside Out magazine\n\nBaroness Minouche Shafik will attend and tell us about the review of UK international development that she is leading for the Foreign Secretary. The review will just be starting so Minouche will be able to talk about process not conclusions. \nPauline Hayes\, Chair of the DFID Alumni Association\, will moderate the event. \nThe webinar will last 75 minutes and is free of charge. Speakers will be asked to present for 10 minutes each\, leaving plenty of time for questions and debate. Participants will be eligible to receive a free copy of Mark and Ranil’s book ‘The Rise and Fall of DFID’ in hard copy or electronically. \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/joint-fcdoadfidaa-webinar-international-development-where-next-for-the-uk/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240924T123000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240924T133000
DTSTAMP:20240911T100402Z
CREATED:20240911T100402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240911T100402Z
UID:10000130-1727181000-1727184600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Women in Intelligence – with historian and author Helen Fry TEAMS
DESCRIPTION:Women in Intelligence – with historian and author Helen Fry \nColleagues in Trade Historians Group and DBT Gender Network are hosting a talk about “Women in Intelligence” as part of National Inclusion Week. \nWhen: 24 September 2024 12:30-13:30 (UTC+00:00) Dublin\, Edinburgh\, Lisbon\, London. \nMicrosoft Teams \nJoin the meeting now \nMeeting ID: 361 761 677 979\, Passcode: XYt6gu \nAs part of National Inclusion Week\, the Trade Historians Group in conjunction with the DBT Gender Equality Network are excited to announce a lunchtime talk on the theme of “Women in Intelligence” led by the historian and author\, Helen Fry. \nHelen’s book is the ground-breaking history of women in British Intelligence revealing their pivotal role across the first half of the 20th century during and between WW1 and WW2. During this time\, women took on an extraordinary range of roles in intelligence\, defying the conventions of their time. They ran spy networks and escape lines and interrogated prisoners. \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/women-in-intelligence-with-historian-and-author-helen-fry-teams/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241001T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241001T150000
DTSTAMP:20241001T093004Z
CREATED:20240724T122227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241001T093004Z
UID:10000124-1727791200-1727794800@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:PROFESSOR KERRY BROWN\, 1 OCTOBER 2024 14.00 BST AT THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
DESCRIPTION:THE GREAT REVERSAL: BRITAIN\, CHINA AND THE 400-YEAR CONTEST FOR POWER\nPROFESSOR KERRY BROWN\, 1 OCTOBER 2024 14.00 BST AT THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY\, at Burlington House \n30 places available \nAdmission Free \nhttps://rsaa.org.uk/upcoming-events/the-great-reversal-britain-china-and-the-400-year-contest-for-power/ \n  \n\nThe relationship between Britain and China has shaped the modern world. Chinese art\, philosophy and science have had a profound effect upon British culture\, while the long history of British exploitation is still bitterly remembered in China today. But how has their interaction changed over time? \nFrom the early days of the East India Company through the violence of the Opium Wars to present-day disputes over Hong Kong\, Kerry Brown charts this turbulent and intriguing relationship in full. Britain has always sought to dominate China economically and politically\, while China’s ideas and exports—from tea and Chinoiserie to porcelain and silk—have continued to fascinate in the west. But by the later twentieth century\, the balance of power began to shift in China’s favour\, with global consequences. Brown shows how these interactions changed the world order—and argues that an understanding of Britain’s relationship with China is now more vital than ever. \n  \nKerry Brown is Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College\, London. From 2012 to 2015\, he was Professor of Chinese Politics and Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney\, Australia. Prior to this he worked at Chatham House\, as Senior Fellow and then Head of the Asia Programme. From 1998 to 2005 he worked at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office\, as First Secretary at the British Embassy in Beijing\, and then as Head of the Indonesia\, Philippine and East Timor Section. He is the author of twenty books on modern Chinese politics and a trustee of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/professor-kerry-brown-1-october-2024-14-00-bst-at-the-royal-astronomical-society-and-online/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-24-at-14.14.17.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241009T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241009T120000
DTSTAMP:20241002T111727Z
CREATED:20240909T110415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241002T111727Z
UID:10000129-1728471600-1728475200@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by Professor Peter Lee
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online talk by Professor Peter Lee\nThe Human costs of Drone Warfare\n9 October at 11.00 am on ZOOM\nAdmission £5 \nThe moderator is Timothy Dowse CMG \n\nSince the advent of military drones with lethal capability at the start of the twenty-first century\, extensive research and commentary has been devoted to the harmful impacts of drone strikes in different parts of the world. However\, the benefit to states who possess advanced technology has led to drones becoming ubiquitous for both the conduct of nonconventional strikes – targeted killing for the purpose of counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency outside theatres of war – and for conventional war operations. This presentation will examine the enduring military and political appeal of weaponised drones\, the impacts on populations in areas where they are used\, the complications of rules of engagement in coalition operations\, the possibility of a proposed New Human Right to Protect the Freedom to Live Without Physical or Psychological Threat from Above being adopted\, and finally\, the psychological and emotional cost to RAF Reaper drone crews.  \nProfessor Peter Lee is a Professor of Applied Ethics and Associate Dean for Research in the University of Portsmouth Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. His research has spanned the ethical\, operational and other human aspects of UK Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (drone) operations\, the ethics of AI and autonomous systems\, and moral injury and mental harms in military and police personnel. In 2014 he contributed ethics insights to the International Committee of the Red Cross Conference: ‘Autonomous Weapon Systems: Technical\, Military\, Legal and Humanitarian Aspects’. From 2016-2018 he was granted unprecedented research access to the two RAF Reaper squadrons for his book\, Reaper Force: The Inside Story of Britain’s Drone Wars.  In 2020 Peter led a project which explored legal\, ethical\, and moral perspectives on advanced technology and emerging weapon systems. In April 2023 he commenced a collaborative EPSRC-funded project to create a Trustworthy Autonomous Robotic Drone System to Support Battlefield Casualty Triage\, while in 2024 he was part of an ASIS-funded collaborative project entitled\, ‘Autonomous Vehicles: Opportunities\, Threats and Challenges. Peter served as an RAF chaplain from 2001-2008. He taught at RAF College Cranwell from 2008-2017\, and is a member of the UK Ministry of Defence Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy Ethics Advisory Panel. \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/22218/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-01-at-13.53.14.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241015T120000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241015T130000
DTSTAMP:20241001T121429Z
CREATED:20240821T070224Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241001T121429Z
UID:10000125-1728993600-1728997200@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Online talk by Dr Michael Knights – 15 October at 12.00 noon
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA is organising an online talk on ZOOM by \nMiddle East security Expert \nDr Michael Knights \nwith the title \nEmbedding with Arab militaries in the Yemen War  \non Tuesday 15 October at 12.00 BST – 13.00 \nTicket is £5 \n\nDr Knights will talk about what was it like to be embedded with Yemeni\, UAE and Saudi forces on the frontlines of the Yemen war. This is a vantage point on modern conflict that very few military analysts and contemporary historians have gained but it is an important one. Watching non-Western militaries fighting other non-Western militaries\, gives a vital glimpse into the military strengths and weaknesses of our partners and adversaries. \nBio \nDr Michael Knights\, is senior fellow with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and one of the world’s leading experts on the Gulf and security challenges and  also a leading expert on the on-the-ground realities of wars in the Middle East. He will provide insights from the battlefronts of Yemen about why the war was fought\, who did the fighting\, and what we can learn about how Arab armies fight terrorists and Iran-backed militias. He is the  author of The Race for Mukalla (Profile editions\, June 2024)
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/online-talk-by-dr-michael-knights/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-21-at-10.12.26.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241021T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241021T190000
DTSTAMP:20241021T125012Z
CREATED:20241021T123345Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241021T125012Z
UID:10000135-1729533600-1729537200@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:UK Antarctic Heritage Trust: Port Lockroy: 80 years of an ever-evolving story
DESCRIPTION:Last chance to join tonight’s webinar!\n \nOnline Talk\nMonday 21 October 2024\n18.00 – 19.00 BST / 13:00 – 14.00 EST \nPlease join us tonight for Endurance: Behind the Lens\, the first in our fourth season of online talks\, Antarctica In Sight: Live! \nOur latest webinar features Natalie Hewit\, director of the new film Endurance from National Geographic Documentary Films. \nIn 2022\, a team of modern-day explorers set out to find Shackleton’s lost ship\, Endurance. In this free webinar\, UKAHT’s Chief Executive Camilla Nichol will chat with Natalie about her experience searching for the wreck\, her insights about Shackleton’s extraordinary expedition and the challenges of filmmaking in Antarctica. \nThe webinar is free to attend and will be streamed via YouTube. Attendees will receive a link before the event via their registered email address. \nGet your free tickets by clicking here.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/uk-antarctic-heritage-trust-port-lockroy-80-years-of-an-ever-evolving-story/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241120T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241120T120000
DTSTAMP:20240925T084509Z
CREATED:20240923T092658Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240925T084509Z
UID:10000131-1732100400-1732104000@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by Sir Simon Gass: What we must learn from the UK’s campaign in Afghanistan?
DESCRIPTION:FCDO Association is organising an online talk \nby Sir Simon Gass GCMG CVO \nwith the title \nWhat we must learn from the UK’s campaign in Afghanistan? \non 20 November at 11.00 am on ZOOM \nTicket £5 \n\nSimon will reflect on the 20 year history of the West’s direct involvement in the Afghanistan campaign\, drawing on his experience\, first as NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative in Kabul\, then as the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and finally as the Prime Minister’s Representative for the Afghan Transition. He will speak about expectations for the future of Afghanistan and seek to draw some lessons about how the West invested so heavily for success yet\, in the end\, failed to achieve its objective. \nSimon Gass was  the Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee from June 2019-2023. Sir Simon was the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Political Director from 2012 to 2015\, where he was responsible for policy on the Middle East\, Russia\, Africa\, South and Central Asia\, the United Nations and other international institutions. \nBefore that he held a range of policy and senior management posts within the FCO\, including NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan and British Ambassador to Iran and Greece.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-simon-gass-what-we-must-learn-from-the-uks-campaign-in-afghanistan/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-23-at-11.34.08.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241126T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241126T120000
DTSTAMP:20241003T111842Z
CREATED:20240909T104419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241003T111842Z
UID:10000128-1732618800-1732622400@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online Talk by Leigh Turner
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online Talk by Leigh Turner \nLessons in Diplomacy: Politics\, Power and Parties \n26 November 2024 at 11.00 on Zoom \nThe event will be moderated by Sir Stephen Wall \nFree admission \n\nRobert Leigh Turner CMG is a writer and former British diplomat. His final role was British Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the International Organisations in Vienna from August 2016 to September 2021.  \nLeigh´s previous roles included  HM Consul General Istanbul and Director General for Trade and Investment Turkey\, Central Asia and South Caucasus from 2012-2016\, and HMA Kyiv from 2008-2012.  \nLeigh will talk about his book “Lessons in Diplomacy: Politics\, Power and Parties” which is dedicated “To the many brilliant diplomats from whom I learned the lessons in this book”. Themes include How to survive a crisis\, How to understand Putin’s war on Ukraine\, How to Handle Politicians and How to make diplomacy reflect our changing world. The book will be [or was\, depending on timing] published on 24 September.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-leigh-turner/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/leigh-turner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241206T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241206T133000
DTSTAMP:20241205T152745Z
CREATED:20240724T094831Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241205T152745Z
UID:10000123-1733482800-1733491800@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:The 2024 FCDOA Annual Lecture
DESCRIPTION:The 2024 FCDOA Annual Lecture\nSpeaker: Sir Alex Younger\n The title: A spy’s view of a fragmenting world\nnew date due to Sir Alex’s busy schedule is 6 December 2024 \n11.00-13.30 \nThe Locarno Suite\, FCDO \nThe moderator is Sir John Sawers \nTickets £30\n\nSir Alex was for 30 years a career intelligence officer in Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service\, MI6. He served in Europe\, the Middle East and Afghanistan. He was appointed as Director of Counter Terrorism from 2009 to 2012\, Head of Operations from 2012 to 2014 and then Chief of the Service from 2014 to 2020. Prior to SIS\, Alex served in the British Army as an infantry officer. He attended St Andrews’ University\, where he read computer science\, among other things. \nSir Alex led MI6 during a period of unprecedented technological change\, when both digital threats and opportunities intensified. \nThe lecture will be followed by a reception. \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/the-2024-fcdoa-annual-lecture/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-24-at-11.41.53.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241211T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241211T120000
DTSTAMP:20241205T093006Z
CREATED:20240828T080335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241205T093006Z
UID:10000126-1733914800-1733918400@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Online talk by Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA is organising an online talk by\nLord Evans of Weardale KCB DL \non 11 December at 11.00 am on Zoom \nwith the title \nStandards in Public Life\nAdmission free \nThe moderator is Lord Simon McDonald GCMG KCVO \n  \n\nStandards in Public Life have been hotly debated in the last two or three years\, with some arguing that public standards have been eroded and that public trust in government has consequently fallen to an all time low. Jonathan Evans served as Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2018 to 2023 and in this talk he addresses why public standards matter\, whether our current standards model is fit for purpose and how best public standards can be upheld. \nBio \nJonathan Evans is a crossbench member of the House of Lords. \nJonathan’s main career was in the British Security Service (MI5) where he was Director General from 2007 – 2013. \nFrom 2013 – 2019 he was a non-executive director of HSBC Holdings. He is currently a non-executive director at Ark Datacentres Ltd and Chair of the Public Interest Committee at KPMG UK. \nFrom 2018 – 2023 Jonathan was Chair of the Committee for Standards in Public Life. \nJonathan is Chair of the HALO Trust\, Chair of the Skinners Charity Foundation\, a Visiting Professor at Kings College London and a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent. \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/online-talk-by-lord-evans-of-weardale-kcb-dl/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-28-at-11.00.55.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250114T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250114T120000
DTSTAMP:20250106T122458Z
CREATED:20240923T100657Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T122458Z
UID:10000132-1736852400-1736856000@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by Dr. Hamidreza Azizi
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online talk by Dr. Hamidreza Azizi \nThe future of Iran’s relations with nonstate allies in the “axis of resistance” or its relations with Russia \non 14 January at 11.00 am on ZOOM \nAmbassador to Iran\,  Rob Macaire will moderate the session \nTicket £5 \n\nBio \nDr. Hamidreza Azizi is a Visiting Fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. He is also a Nonresident Fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Doha and an associate researcher at Clingendael – the Netherlands Institute of International Relations. Azizi holds a Ph.D. in Regional Studies from the University of Tehran and worked as a lecturer at several Iranian universities\, including the University of Tehran (2016-2018) and Shahid Beheshti University (2016-2020). Azizi’s research interests include security and geopolitical issues in the Middle East and Central Eurasia\, Iran’s foreign and security policy\, and Iran-Russia relations.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-dr-hamidreza-azizi/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-09-23-at-11.33.25.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250122T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250122T120000
DTSTAMP:20250106T125214Z
CREATED:20241002T121642Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T125214Z
UID:10000134-1737543600-1737547200@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:The FCDOA Online talk by Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones: Is Europe ready and capable to deal with the multiple to threats liberal democracy?
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online talk by \nBaroness Pauline Neville-Jones\nwith the title \nIs Europe ready and capable to deal with the multiple to threats liberal democracy? \n  \n22 January 2025 at 11.00 on ZOOM\nThe session will be moderated by Timothy Dowse CMG \nTickets £5 \n\nGiven her expertise and experience in the security sector and\, coupled with her membership of the European Leadership Network\, Baroness Neville-Jones will explore the  current security situation in Europe; and comment on the readiness of European Leaders to deal with the multiple threats to liberal democracy from Russia and her allies\, as well as from far right and left movements and the collapsing rules based international system. \nThe Rt Hon Baroness (Pauline) Neville-Jones DCMG is a Conservative peer in the UK House of Lords. She sits on the Joint Committee for the National Security Strategy andwas Minister for Security and Counter Terrorism in the 2010 -2015 Coalition government. From 2013 to 2018 she was a member of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and is a member of the Quantum Strategic Advisory Board. She was a member of the UK Diplomatic Service from 1963 to 1995 during which time she was Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee.  As Political Director of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office she led the UK delegation to the Dayton negotiations on Bosnia in 1995. She has also been Chairman of the FTSE 250 UK technology company QinetiQ and served on the governing board of the BBC.  She has been on the governing Councils of City University\, London University and Oxford University and is currently Deputy Pro Chancellor of Lancaster University.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/the-fcdoa-online-talk-by-baroness-pauline-neville-jones-is-europe-ready-and-capable-to-deal-with-the-multiple-to-threats-liberal-democracy/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250204T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250204T120000
DTSTAMP:20250106T103139Z
CREATED:20241227T140426Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T103139Z
UID:10000138-1738666800-1738670400@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online Talk by Major General Mungo Melvin about Ukraine
DESCRIPTION:FCDO Association is organising an online talk by \nMajor General (Retd) Mungo Melvin CB OBE MA \nTuesday\, 4 February 2025 at 11.00 on ZOOM \nwith the title: \nA Country on the Edge:\nThe Causes\, Character and Consequences of the War in Ukraine \nModerated by Dr Olesya Khromeychuk \nAdmission free \n \n\nSince Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 we have all been reminded of the stark realities of total industrial war – last seen in Europe eight decades ago. Now approaching its fourth year\, the present conflict seems set to grind on as doubts surface as to the duration and efficacy of Western support. \nNot only are the armed forces of Ukraine bravely defending their homeland\, but also the Ukrainian civilian population is suffering great deprivation and suffering under a Russian blitz of aerial bombing\, missile strikes and drone attacks. This war is not a ‘quarrel in a faraway country\, between people of whom we know nothing’ (Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain\, 1938). Rather\, it concerns the very survival of an independent state in the face of wanton aggression. \nUkraine deserves both our respect and support for its struggle has become as much our war in the defence of democracy and the associated values we hold dear. Hence we must continue to give Ukraine the assistance it requires and at the same time strengthen NATO’s capabilities to deter and to defend in future. \nMajor General Mungo Melvin\, a military historian who knows Ukraine well\, will give us a personal view on the war’s origins and dynamics\, explaining why its outcome will shape Europe’s security landscape for decades to come. \nMungo Melvin retired from the British Army in 2011\, following a career of 37 years in the Royal Engineers and General Staff\, much of it spent in Germany. He attended the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Hamburg\, 1986-88\, served as the chief planner in 1st (UK) Armoured Division during the First Gulf War and commanded an engineer regiment in the Balkans. Later highlights included Chief Engineer of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps and General Officer Commanding of the British Army’s Support Command in Germany. He also taught strategy at the Royal College of Defence Studies. \nFollowing his retirement from active service\, he served as a reservist 2011-2018\, employed principally as a military historian and senior mentor. He was a specialist military advisor to the UK’s House of Commons Defence Committee from 2012 until 2017. During this period he was also President of the British Commission for Military History. Since 2012 he has been a Senior Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute\, London. From October 2016 to June 2024 he served as Chairman of the Royal Engineers Historical Society\, and has been an Honorary Vice President of the Western Front Association since 2018. \nHis biography\, Manstein: Hitler’s Greatest General (2010) was awarded as the best military biography of the year by the US Society for Military History in 2012. As the British Army’s senior advisor for the First World War centennial commemorations\, Mungo Melvin edited the Army’s Battlefield Guide to the Western Front of the First World War (2nd edition\, 2015). His next major work\, Sevastopol’s Wars: Crimea from Potemkin to Putin\, was published in April 2017. \nAlongside editing the latest volume of the Royal Engineers official history\, covering the period 2000-2019\, published in April 2024\, he has also embarked on a major new study into the role of decisive battle in warfare. Mungo Melvin continues to advise NATO and UK forces\, and support various studies of battlefields\, both ancient and modern.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-major-general-mungo-melvin/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Major-Mungo-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250226T143000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250226T153000
DTSTAMP:20250210T110814Z
CREATED:20241120T132438Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T110814Z
UID:10000136-1740580200-1740583800@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by Daniel Snowman
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA is organising online talk by \nDaniel Snowman\nwith the title: \n‘Misunderstanding of the present is the inevitable consequence of ignorance of the past.’   \non Wednesday 26 February 2025 at 14.30 pm on ZOOM \nThe event is moderated by Professor Alexander Evans \n\nDaniel Snowman\, in the footsteps of the great French historian Marc Bloch\, argues that an informed understanding of the past has never been more important than now: a time when all-important decisions about the wider world are imminent. \nIs our story that of the ‘rise and fall’ of a once great civilisation? Or has the latter-day marriage of new (digital) technology and cultural democratisation led us – via the catastrophe of Coronavirus – into the threshold of a new era? These are the kind of large issues the colourful travelogues\, thought-provoking anecdotes and celebrity encounters are there to serve. \nJust Passing Through is a richly illustrated memoir in which many of Daniel Snowman’s own experiences are presented against the wider historical context of the times in which they occurred. The book is broadly chronological and\, for all the diversity of its subject matter\, it is held together by a powerful central theme: the recurrent attempt to cross traditionally accepted boundaries – personal\, religious\, cultural\, intellectual\, political\, institutional\, geographical et al. All a bit of a high-wire act – and perfect for seeing today’s troubling\, transitionary times in historical perspective.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-daniel-snowman/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Screenshot-2024-11-20-at-14.54.32.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250304T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250304T120000
DTSTAMP:20250204T142536Z
CREATED:20241216T152102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T142536Z
UID:10000137-1741086000-1741089600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online Talk by Peter Ford with the title Passport To Adventure
DESCRIPTION:The FCDO Association is organising an online talk by \nPeter Ford\nwith the title  \nPassport To Adventure\non 4 March 2025 at 11.00 on ZOOM \nAdmission free \n\nA talk with slides\, anecdotes and stories covering the highs and lows of a 28 year career as a mainstream officer\, working for the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and numerous photo agencies around the world. \n  \nFrom Soviet Department to Chief Photographer for the Office via Karachi\, Hong Kong\, Vienna\, Kyiv\, Jakarta\, Shanghai\, Kyiv\, Tbilisi\, and Luanda.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-peter-ford-with-the-title-passport-to-adventure/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screenshot-2024-12-16-at-16.21.50-e1734362641995.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250319T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250319T120000
DTSTAMP:20250313T125356Z
CREATED:20241227T141201Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250313T125356Z
UID:10000139-1742382000-1742385600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by Mohamed Cassimjee
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA is organising an Online talk by \nMohamed Cassimjee  \nwith the title: \n“UK-African Relations: Time for a re-set?” \non 19 March at 11.00 on ZOOM \nModerator is Janet Rogan \nAdmission free \n\n  \nIn the absence of a hegemonic power and the presence of a multipolar world order\, major global shifts focusing on alliance building are taking place. Major\, traditional and emerging powers are actively engaged to try to influence and shape the global order. \nAs a result of the growing importance of Africa on the global stage and the option of Africa to choose a policy of non-alignment\, Africa is being courted as an important strategic partner. It therefore becomes imperative for the UK\, to pursue a deeper relationship with Africa and to base the relationship on an equal partnership approach. \nMr Cassimjee will speak on the theme of  whether the time is right for a UK-Africa Strategy and the importance of having such a strategy \n  \nBiographical Note \nMohamed Cassimjee is a  geopolitical consultant at Global Compass and presently a public affairs officer at the Oxfordshire County Council. \nHe was a senior diplomat for South Africa for over 26 years. He served as deputy ambassador to Germany from 2016-2020\, and prior to that served abroad in Washington DC\, Uganda\, and Senegal. He also served in various positions as a director at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)\, covering both bilateral and multilateral relations. \nHe is a mentor at the Blavatnik School of Government\, a Research Associate at the Centre for African Studies at Oxford University\, and Associate Fellow at the British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG). He is also an advisory board member of the SA/UK Chamber of Commerce in London.\nHe attended the Netherlands Institute for International Relations as part of his diplomatic training. He presently lives in North Oxfordshire with his family. \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250328T104500
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250328T130000
DTSTAMP:20250226T122141Z
CREATED:20250226T121615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250226T122141Z
UID:10000142-1743158700-1743166800@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Visit to Benjamin Franklin’s house on Friday 28 March at 10.45 am
DESCRIPTION:Visit to Benjamin Franklin’s house\nFriday 28 March \n10.45 am \nTicket £13 \n\nThis will be a history and architectural tour for up to 30 people of Benjamin Franklin’s house at 36 Craven Street\, close to Charing Cross station. It is the only remaining house of Dr Franklin. Following restoration\, it opened to tours on 17 January 2006\, the 300th anniversary of Franklin’s birth. He lived there for nearly 16 years between 1757 and 1775. It is now a Grade 1 heritage listing on account of the Franklin connection and its many Georgian features. \n  \nThe 5-storey building has no lift. \nFor more information please contact Cynthia Butterworth at Cynthia.Butterworth@fcdo.gov.uk \nDeadline: Friday 14 March
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/london-tour-friday-28-march-at-10-45-am/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-26-at-13.57.17-e1740571163959.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250408T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250408T120000
DTSTAMP:20250210T110951Z
CREATED:20250204T141634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250210T110951Z
UID:10000141-1744110000-1744113600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online Talk by Lieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer OBE: Wilfred ‘Biffy’ Dunderdale – the most famous man you’ve never heard of
DESCRIPTION:The FCDOA is organising an online talk by \nLieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer OBE\non Tuesday 8 April 2025 at 11.00 on ZOOM \nwith the title: \nWilfred ‘Biffy’ Dunderdale – ‘The most famous man you’ve never heard of’ \nThe event is moderated by Christine Mc Queen   \nAdmission £5 \n\nA Suspicion of Spies: The life of an extraordinary spy\, Wilfred ‘Biffy’ Dunderdale and his forty year espionage career. Biffy was the greatest spy most people have never heard of. A Suspicion of Spies is the first biography of ‘Biffy’ Dunderdale and tells the intriguing story of an extraordinary man – suave\, sophisticated\, genial and rich but also a ruthless and effective spymaster. Following his career\, that spanned the Russian Revolution to the Cold War and beyond\, A Suspicion of Spies is awash with stories of adventure\, bravery\, glamour and exoticism. This biography is the story of the complicated intrigues of the world of intelligence. It is what the British are good at and Biffy was one of the best. Biffy’s story and his many connections with Russia\, Poland\, Germany\, France and the USA will have resonance with today’s international situation. \nLieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer OBE  \nDuring his 20 year military career he saw active service in Northern Ireland\, the Falklands Campaign\, the Gulf War and Bosnia\, as well as serving in the Far East\, Cyprus and Germany.  Key appointments included Chief of Staff of an Armoured Brigade\, Instructor at the Army Staff College\, Staff Officer at the Directorate of Special Forces\, Military Assistant to General Sir Peter de la Billiere\, Military Assistant to General Sir Michael Rose in Bosnia and Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion Scots Guards. In 1992 he was awarded the OBE for Operational Service in Northern Ireland. \nDuring his military career he developed extensive knowledge and skills in Complex Relations and Negotiations\, Intelligence\, Counter Terrorism\, Protective Security and Media Relations. Since 1996 he has been at the forefront of the development of the Private Security Industry worldwide and has been a very significant contributor to the debate over the industry’s global contribution to government security initiatives. In 2001 he formed Aegis\, which quickly developed a reputation for excellence. Aegis has worked in all areas of Private Security. Clients have included: The US Government (DOD\, DOS\, US AID and others)\, The UK Government (MOD\, FCO)\, The Italian Government\, UN\, UNDP\, the Oil & Gas Sector\, Banks\, Insurance\, Construction\, Accountancy and Law firms. \nAs well Protective Security\, Tim developed a very effective Community Relations and Reconstruction program in Iraq\, and founded The Aegis Charitable Foundation. Aegis was also awarded the first ever UN contract for training a wildlife Anti-Poaching Unit. \nIn addition to Iraq\, he has extensive Security experience in Afghanistan\, Yemen\, Somalia\, Libya and throughout Africa. Currently he works as a Strategic Consultant and is involved in countering the threat to wildlife in Africa. \nHe has written three books: ‘An Unorthodox Soldier’ – a biography\, ‘A Dangerous Enterprise’ – a history of the 15th Motor Gunboat Flotilla\, and ‘A Suspicion of Spies’ – a biography of Wilfred “Biffy” Dunderdale. \nOther interests include collecting art\, music\, game fishing\, shooting\, stalking and dangerous game hunting.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-lieutenant-colonel-tim-spicer-obe-wilfred-biffy-dunderdale-the-most-famous-man-youve-never-heard-of/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/TS-Book-Photograph2-.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250429T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250429T120000
DTSTAMP:20250317T090255Z
CREATED:20250311T083348Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250317T090255Z
UID:10000143-1745924400-1745928000@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:The FCDOA talk by Sir Adam Thomson on Russia\, Ukraine\, and Euro-Atlantic Security
DESCRIPTION:The FCDOA talk by  \nSir Adam Thomson \nRussia\, Ukraine\, and Euro-Atlantic Security: what could a ‘solution’ look like? \non Tuesday 29 April at 11.00 London time on ZOOM \nModerator Sir John Sawers \nTicket:£5 \n\nAs Director of the European Leadership Network until this January\, Adam Thomson has been closely engaged in non-governmental guerrilla diplomacy with Russians\, Ukrainians\, Europeans\, and Americans in pursuit of a cessation of hostilities.  He offers an informed outsider’s view on what an easing of the Russia-West confrontation might now look like. \nBio \nSir Adam Thomson is a Senior Associate Fellow of the European Leadership Network and was the ELN’s Executive Director from 2016 until January 2025.  The ELN is an independent\, non-partisan network of past\, present and future security policy leaders from all across the continent dedicated to a safer Europe. It helps to prevent existential conflict in Europe and beyond. \nAdam served for 38 years in the British Diplomatic Service. His final posting was as PermRep to NATO 2014 – 2016. Other postings and roles included Moscow\, Washington\, the UN\, New Delhi\, Islamabad\, Soviet analyst for the Joint Intelligence Committee 1989 – 91\, ) and seconded to the Cabinet Office and head of the FCO’s Security Policy Department 1998 – 2002. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/the-fcdoa-talk-by-sir-adam-thomson-on-russia-ukraine-and-euro-atlantic-security/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/161109.-Adam-Thomson-large-official-photo-e1741683016680.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250514T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250514T120000
DTSTAMP:20250507T132504Z
CREATED:20250312T094631Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250507T132504Z
UID:10000144-1747220400-1747224000@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online Talk by Lieutenant Colonel Tobias Ellwood VR
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online Talk by  \nLieutenant Colonel Tobias Ellwood\nwith the title \nStrengthening European Engagement\non Wednesday 14 May 2025  \nat 11.00 am BST on Zoom \nModerated by Robert Ondrejcsak \nAdmission free \n\nThe importance of and how to engage most effectively with the EU and wider European relations for our mutual good and to respond effectively and collectively to the multiple challenges facing the free world. This is a very topical and critical issue at present and we are keen to stimulate a dialogue\, especially around security and defence. \nBio \n\n\n\n\n\n\nFormer United Kingdom Minister for Africa.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLieutenant Colonel Tobias Martin Ellwood VR is an American born former British Conservative Party politician and soldier who served as the Member of Parliament for Bournemouth East from 2005 to 2024.\n\n\n\n\n\nRobert Ondrejcsak\n\nFormer Ambassador of Slovakia to the United Kingdom (2020–2025) and State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic in two governments (2010–2012 and 2016–2020). He also served as the director of the Centre for European and North Atlantic Affairs (CENAA) (2007–2010 and 2016–2020)\, a Bratislava-based international relations and security think tank active in Central Europe\, Ukraine\, the South Caucasus\, and beyond. He is the founder of another security policy think tank\, STRATPOL – Strategic Policy Institute (2016).
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-lieutenant-colonel-tobias-ellwood-vr/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-12-at-11.37.51-e1741772700895.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250528T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250528T120000
DTSTAMP:20250527T094657Z
CREATED:20250318T130031Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T094657Z
UID:10000146-1748428200-1748433600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:A Visit to 25 Kensington Gore on 28 May at 10.30
DESCRIPTION:Visit to 25 Kensington Gore\non 28 May at 10.30 pm \nTicket £25 including tea/coffee and biscuits \n15 people \n\n \n  \nA visit to 25 Kensington Gore has been arranged for 15 people on 28 May at 10.30.  The cost is £25 for tour and tea/coffee and biscuits.  This historic house was built by Sir Samuel of Samuel Montague Bank from 1873-75.  At the turn of the century\, it housed the head of the Sassoon family. \n  \nThe building has 6 stunning reception rooms\, a billiard room\, a dining room to accommodate 32 people to dinner\, 8 bedrooms\, 9 bathrooms\, 4 kitchens\, an indoor swimming pool with 3 showers\, 4 guest powder rooms\, a magnificent gym and wine cellar.  The roof gardens overlook both Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. \n  \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/a-visit-to-25-kensington-gore-on-28-may-at-10-30/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-19-at-16.46.26.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Cynthia Butterworth":MAILTO:cynthia.butterworth@fco.gov.uk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250605T153000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250605T170000
DTSTAMP:20250321T074828Z
CREATED:20250128T122641Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T074828Z
UID:10000140-1749137400-1749142800@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY: The 5th Transatlantic Panel Discussion with our US and Canadian counterparts
DESCRIPTION: The 5th Transatlantic Panel Discussion with our US and Canadian counterparts\nwill take place \non Thursday 5 June at 15.30-17.00 BST on ZOOM\nTopic of Discussion:\n‘The Future of NATO’\n\nThe UK panellist: \nDame Mariot Leslie was the UK’s permanent representative to NATO from 2010-2014.  A career British diplomat\, her prior appointments included head of the Foreign Office’s policy planning staff; minister and deputy head of mission in the British embassy in Rome;  ambassador in Oslo; director defence and strategic threats and counter-terrorism envoy; and immediately before her NATO appointment\, director-general for defence and intelligence in the Foreign Office. \nThe US panellist: \nRobert Hunter was U.S. Ambassador to NATO from 1993-1998.  Previously\, he was Vice President for International Politics at CSIS\, a member of the NSC Staff\, foreign policy advisor to Senator Edward Kennedy\, senior fellow at the Overseas Development Council\, research assistant at the IISS\, and advisor to VP Humphrey.  He also was director of the Center for Transatlantic Security at the National Defense University\, a member of the Secretary of State’s International Security Advisory Board\, and a member of the Senior Advisory Group to the U.S. European Command. \nThe Canadian panellist: \nKerry Buck was Canada’s Ambassador to NATO from 2015-2018.  A career diplomat\, she was Political Director and Assistant Deputy Minister for International Security and Political Affairs\, Canadian Representative at the UN\, G7\, NATO\, OAS\, and OSCE on issues of human rights\, security\, disarmament\, terrorism\, and humanitarian affairs\, and Assistant Secretary to the Treasury Board\, Economic Sector.  She is currently a senior fellow a the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa\, the Bill Graham Centre at Trinity College\, and Senior Mentor at the Canadian Armed Forces College. \nThe Moderator: \nStephanie Smith Kinney is a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service.  Her diplomatic career included tours of duty in Europe and Latin America as well as multilateral diplomacy under the auspices of the United Nations.  Ms. Kinney was one of the three chief U.S. negotiators for the original Framework Convention on Climate Change.  A recipient of the Department of State’s Lifetime Achievement Award\, she has recently worked as a change management consultant in the private sector\, State Department\, the American Foreign Service Association\, and the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. \nThis will be an important and extensive discussion. Do join us \nAdmission is free. \nPlease do register here or by contacting Lucie Portman at lucie.portman@fcdo.gov.uk.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/the-5th-transatlantic-panel-discussion-with-our-us-and-canadian-counterparts/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/USCAUK.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250611T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250611T163000
DTSTAMP:20250609T122547Z
CREATED:20250506T122020Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250609T122547Z
UID:10000148-1749650400-1749659400@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Visit to the 1901 Arts Club
DESCRIPTION:FCDO Association is organising \nVisit to the 1901 Arts Club\non Wednesday 11 June at 2 pm\n7 Exton Street\, London SE18UE\nExton Street close to Waterloo Station and Waterloo East\, is off Waterloo Road before the church of St John’s Waterloo. No 7 is on the right and side \nTickets: £17\n\nInspired by Europe’s salon culture and housed in a converted schoolmaster’s residence\, the 1901 Arts Club has elegant facilities for chamber music performances\, rehearsals\, corporate and private meetings and entertainment on licensed promises.\n  \nCynthia Butterworth has arranged for an FCDOA visit to the Arts Club on 11 June at 2 pm. The programme will commence with a short presentation and talk by Glenn Kesby\, the club general manager\, about the history of the former schoolmaster’s residence\, its refurbishment and transformation into the 1901 Arts Club. At 3 pm there will be a 30-minute piano recital by Adam Heron or another talented young musician followed by tea\, coffee or water plus cakes and sweet treats on the first floor. After tea\, we will be at liberty to explore the club and ask questions. The suggested departure time is 4.30 pm. \n  \nTickets £17 per person can be bought via the FCDOA website or by sending a cheque made out to the FCDO Association in a SAE to: \nCynthia Butterworth \nFCDOA \nRoom KG.15 \nKing Charles Street \nLondon SW1A 2AH \n  \nClosing date is Wednesday 21 May\n  \n  \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/visit-to-the-1901-arts-club/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-06-at-15.31.05.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Cynthia Butterworth":MAILTO:cynthia.butterworth@fco.gov.uk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250613T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250613T120000
DTSTAMP:20250313T130658Z
CREATED:20250313T130658Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250313T130658Z
UID:10000145-1749812400-1749816000@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA AGM 2025 registration
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA AGM 2025 \nwill be held on Friday 13 June at 11.00 GMT on ZOOM \nJoin Zoom Meeting\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/87917122813?pwd=bwpfkka4Ns0UPsRA6dQbusN6Y9l8IZ.1 \nMeeting ID: 879 1712 2813\nPasscode: 469009 \nYour FCDOA
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-agm-2025-registration/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/AGM-thumbnail.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250624T110000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250624T120000
DTSTAMP:20250331T140952Z
CREATED:20250319T131019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T140952Z
UID:10000147-1750762800-1750766400@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FCDOA Online talk by Gillian Angrave: Tales from the Other Side of the Desk – An Alternative View of Diplomatic Life
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Online talk by  \nGillian Angrave\nTales from the Other Side of the Desk – An Alternative View of Diplomatic Life \non Tuesday 24 June at 11.00 on ZOOM \nFree admission \n\nIntroducing Gillian Angrave:  Author and Travel Writer \nBorn in Oadby\, Leicester\, in 1945\, Gillian was educated at Guthlaxton Grammar School and the Leicester College of Technology.  After three years working as a PA for an architect\, an engineering company\, and a branch of The Rank Organisation\, she joined P&O as an Assistant Purser in 1967\, sailing in CANBERRA and ORIANA until 1974. \nAfter a brief spell ashore\, she again got itchy feet and in 1976 joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office as Ambassador’s PA.  Her postings took her to the Philippines\, Peru\, Guatemala (expelled because of Belizean Independence)\, Chile (during the Falklands conflict)\, Mexico and Hungary.  She retired from ‘The Office’ in 2005 on her 60th birthday. \nSingle (her love of travel somehow always seemed to get in the way of marriage)\, upon retirement Gillian became\, and still is\, a Registrar of Marriages in West Sussex\, a job she also loves.  Now she marries everyone else! \nA keen photographer\, Gillian is also a self-published author\, having charted the course her itinerant life has taken in her books.  Her hobbies also include\, modern languages\, bellringing\, Tai Chi\, and golf (1991 Hungarian Ladies Open Champion). \n“My life has been spent fulfilling my dream of travelling the world”\, she explains.  “I count myself so lucky and privileged to have sailed the Seven Seas and worked for the Diplomatic Service in such exciting\, often dangerous\, but always fascinating countries. Travel has been my constant companion\, and I wouldn’t have missed the experience for the world.  I intend to keep travelling for as long as I can.” \nCivil Service Pensioners Alliance about my time in the Office and coping with retirement afterwards.  (“A Leap into the Dark” – https://civilservicepensions.lnk.to/podcast ) \nWebsite: https://www.gillangrave.co.uk \nemail: info@gillianangrave.co.uk
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-gillian-angrave-skirting-the-world-my-life-as-an-ambassadors-pa/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gillian-Angrave-as-Registrar-of-Marriages-e1742389810705.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250708T080000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250708T170000
DTSTAMP:20250708T072057Z
CREATED:20250708T072057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250708T072057Z
UID:10000149-1751961600-1751994000@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:FORUM: fifteenth issue\, June 2025/quinzième numéro\, juin 2025
DESCRIPTION:We invite you to download the fifteenth issue of FORUM\, for June 2025. Please click on the link below. If this link does not work properly\, let us know and we can forward a PDF version of the newsletter. \n  \nhttps://forumdiplocan.ca/forum
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/forum-fifteenth-issue-june-2025-quinzieme-numero-juin-2025/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250909T123000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250909T133000
DTSTAMP:20250910T091931Z
CREATED:20250709T070423Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250910T091931Z
UID:10000150-1757421000-1757424600@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:Well-being workshop on 9 September 2025
DESCRIPTION:FCDOA Flier – Wellbeing Workshop \n  \n \n 
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/well-being-workshop-on-9-september-2025/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250910T143000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250910T153000
DTSTAMP:20250901T095703Z
CREATED:20250811T081948Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250901T095703Z
UID:10000154-1757514600-1757518200@fcdoa.org.uk
SUMMARY:In conversation with Dr Fiona Hill CMG and Sir Jeremy Greenstock: Britain’s Strategic Defence Review on 10 September at 14.30 BST
DESCRIPTION:In conversation with\nDr Fiona Hill\nBritain’s Strategic Defence Review from conception to implementation\nModerator: Sir Jeremy Greenstock\n10 September at 14.30 BST on ZOOM \nTickets £5 \n\n  \nRussia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 dramatically reshaped the landscape of European security\, revealing deep vulnerabilities in a defence system that has eroded over many years. In response to this shifting environment\, the United Kingdom has published its Strategic Defence Review (SDR)—a groundbreaking defence strategy document that stands out as one of the most significant in the nation’s post-Cold War era. One of the three lead reviewers of the SDR\, Dr. Fiona Hill CMG\, will be joining us to discuss the review and how it will shape Britain’s future defence policy\, both at home and abroad. \n  \nBio: Fiona Hill \nDr. Fiona Hill CMG is a senior fellow in the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution and Chancellor of Durham University. Hill served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for European and Russian affairs on the U.S. National Security Council from 2017 to 2019\, as well as national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the U.S. National Intelligence Council from 2006 to 2009. Hill has researched and published extensively on issues related to Russia\, the Caucasus\, regional conflicts\, and strategic issues\, as well as the link between deindustrialization and political populism. She is the author of the bestselling memoir “There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century” and co-author of “Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin.” In December 2023\, Hill was recognized by the United Kingdom as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George\, for services to international relations and in July 2024\, Hill was appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to be an external reviewer for a Strategic Defence Review for the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom.
URL:https://fcdoa.org.uk/event/fcdoa-online-talk-by-fiona-hill-strategic-defence-review-10-september-at-14-30-bst/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://fcdoa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Fiona-Hill-MASTER-scaled-e1756130296653.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR