Marking 80 years since VE Day at the Tower of London
Danae Dholakia
@danaedholakia.bsky.social
British Deputy Ambassador in Moscow. Formerly Beijing, Pretoria, Brussels, National Security, Prosperity, Climate, Health, Inclusion.
Just finishing off this wonderful domestic history of the Victorian Foreign Office. Never have I read a book more deserving of being made into a period TV drama. In case Netflix are reading, some thoughts on the first couple of episodes:
“Some who have read the book, or at any rate have reviewed it, have found it boring, absurd, or contemptible; and I have no cause to complain, since I have similar opinions of their works, or of the kinds of writing that they evidently prefer.” - Tolkien (forward to LOTR)
“A frightful day in which everyone lays hand on every box they can find, crams into it all the worst and most complicated files, and throws them at my head” From the diaries of Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Alexander Cadogan, 84 years ago today.
If you’re interested in diplomacy, you might like the thread below - not only my modest Brit Dips starter pack, but all the others I’ve found so far. If you’re in diplomacy and not in the below lists, please do reply with your details or starter pack. #BlueskyDiplomacy
Danae Dholakia@danaedholakia.bsky.social · 2y agoI can’t at all claim to be a dab hand at starter packs - but here’s a fledgling one for Diplo-Bluesky. I hope to expand considerably very soon - with your help! go.bsky.app/LFoxg2C
Utagawa Hiroshige, 'New Year's Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree, Ōji,' ca. 1857
British Diplomats often stand lost in the beauty and significance of Holbein’s Ambassadors (which is handily just down the road from our HQ). This brilliant thread explains it 👇 Thanks @davidclay.bsky.social for drawing my attention to it
Dr Bendor Grosvenor FRHistS@bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social · 2y agoI don't see many long threads on here, but I'll try one - it's about Holbein's Ambassadors, his 1533 masterpiece in the National Gallery. It's often presented as a great mystery, but I think once we understand the circumstances in which it was made, its meaning becomes clearer. 1/
One of the great joys of a life in diplomacy is the opportunity to learn languages. Although I wouldn’t describe myself as a naturally gifted linguist, I’m currently deep into studying my seventh and though it might be helpful to share what I find useful (and get some tips in return!)
1/2 Maud Chadburn (L) & Eleanor Colley-Davies were among first women to train as surgeons. They worked at New Hospital for Women in Euston Rd then raised funds to open a hospital solely for women & children. In 1912 the small South London Hospital for Women was opened on Clapham Common Southside …
NEW RECORD: 2024 is the first year in history when wind, solar and hydropower generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the UK.
Hope for a better future in #Syria isn’t enough. Am pleased that 🇬🇧 is increasing humanitarian aid for the people of Syria by £11m to help the @UN and NGOs meet the needs of the most vulnerable. An estimated 370,000 people have been displaced by recent events. ➡️ gov.uk/government/new…
1949 Foreign Office advice for junior diplomats heading off to a job in the US: “To appear superior is the eighth deadly sin. Let Mr and Mrs John Bull be their natural selves and never, never behave as if their name was Mr and Mrs Cholmondeley Haugh-Haugh.”
Hey! We’ve compiled a starter pack of museums, galleries, archives and libraries in the UK who are right here on Bluesky 🦋 go.bsky.app/9o1sRWp
Every year the kind people of Norway give the Foreign Office a bit of Christmas cheer, with a special gift. Here, in all its glory, is this year’s lovely 🎄
With sunset now before 4pm, an evening visit to the twinkling lights and beautiful plants of Kew Gardens is balm for the soul
Visit of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH to Hamburg this week and first Ministerial since signature of 🇬🇧🇩🇪Trinity House defence Agreement on 23/10
Optimist: The cup is half-full Pessimist: The cup is half empty Diplomat: The cup has the potential to be full and we’re working on a resolution to address the remaining capacity
King Algamemnon@adamrothman.bsky.social · 2y agoOptimist: The cup is half full. Pessimist: The cup is half empty. Historian: The cup, 1789-1914
Finding new starter packs full of friends feels like opening a 🎁 - with thanks to @weixinwindow.bsky.social for forwarding and @christiangoebel.bsky.social for compiling - here are some great China ones 👇
Christian Göbel@christiangoebel.bsky.social · 2y agoIn the 🧵 below, you will find all China-related starter packs that I know of, reverse sorted by number of people today. I occasionally search for new ones, but won't find them if the post (!) which introduces them doesn't contain certain keywords. Adding #Chinastarterpack facilitates search.
Nice to see @harryvx.bsky.social newly joined here - 🇬🇧 High Commissioner in Trinidad and Tobago - well worth a follow
Some Friday reading on #ScienceDiplomacy: this year we’ve been working on a major project to review how Science Diplomacy has evolved since a major Royal Society - AAAS report we published in 2010. As part of that work, we’ve produced a special issue of “Science and Diplomacy”
sciencediplomacy.org
Hello! I thought a list of women scholars in conflict and security studies could be helpful! Let me know if you want to be added/removed! go.bsky.app/Np3NivX
A tile in one of the quite beautiful ‘Weijin’ (Wei & Jin Dynasty period: 220-420CE) family tombs (魏晋墓葬) outside Jiayuguan in China’s Gansu province - so many vivid - cartoon-like - depictions of ordinary life #TileTuesday
A group of researchers have recreated the clothing of medieval Nubian royalty and clergy from the wall paintings in the cathedral of Faras, which sits at the border of modern Egypt and Sudan.
If you're into archaeology, the ancient world, and related fields, here are some starter packs you will like 🧵 1/? go.bsky.app/J2BAdwu