British Ambassador delivers speech to mark the Celebration of HM Queen Elizabeth II Birthday in Guatemala
The British Ambassador, Carolyn Davidson spoke at the celebration of HM Queen Elizabeth II birthday celebration in Guatemala.
QBP in Guatemala City 2019
Welcome and many thanks for joining us today in our national party to celebrate the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. While today is a celebration, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that this has been a difficult week for the embassy and the British community. We have all been touched by the very sad news of the young British tourist who lost her life in Guatemala. I would like to pay tribute to Catherine Shaw and her family who have been extremely grateful for all the support provided to them by the Guatemalan authorities and the people of Guatemala, especially those around Lake Atitlan.
This celebration today is actually our way of showing how grateful we are to all of you. It is our way of saying thank you to those who have worked with us over the past year, in a vast variety of fields: during our presidency of the G13; as we worked with Guatemala after the tragic Fuego eruption last year; in our joint efforts to increase commercial and economic links between our two countries, welcoming British trade missions and supporting the launch of our British Chamber of Commerce in Guatemala; championing human rights, the fight against corruption and the rule of law; and feeling immensely proud when our Chevening scholars return to Guatemala after a year studying in the UK at some of the best universities in the world and sharing the knowledge acquired.
This year, as last, our celebration falls during our 15 dias del Reino Unido. It may also not have escaped your attention that, unlike last year, it falls during a very interesting week – casi una coyuntura - in British politics. Indeed, the British parliament is voting as I speak on whether or not to request an extension of the date of our departure from the EU. I am not able, or foolish enough, to make predictions about the vote, but what I do predict is that whatever happens Europe will remain one of the UK’s most important partners, we will continue to share the same values and we will continue to work together on the global challenges we all face. I also predict that the UK will continue to be an important global player, a champion of free trade and with an international and outward-looking agenda. As a permanent member of the Security Council, we remain strong supporters of the UN and the rules-based international system which underpins the various multilateral bodies. But most important is that we are European and will remain European.
Our values matter. They determine how we tackle problems and challenges in our own country, as well as how we engage with our international partners. Sometimes we see things differently; I make no apology for that. Embassies exist to enable countries to talk to each other in good faith about issues where they agree as well as, and perhaps even more importantly, where they disagree. Two examples where we do not agree are, with the proposed reforms to the law of Reconciliation and NGO’s currently under consideration in Congress. I am not telling Congress what to do, I am simply pointing out how this issue is seen by the UK, and others. No country, not even the United Kingdom it turns out, is an island.
On the subject of values I also wanted to say a word about the two themes of our Queen’s Birthday Party today. The first is beyond plastics. The event today is completely free of single use plastic, as are all the operational processes of the British Embassy in Guatemala. The British Foreign Office committed a year ago to removing all single use plastic from our operations in London and has done so by a staggering 97%. We are implementing that same drive here in our embassy and are delighted to be joined by some of our partner organisations today, as well as representatives of municipalities who have lent their weight to this campaign.
Our other key theme is one which you can’t see around you but one which is fundamental to the UK and to democracies everywhere – media freedom. You can’t see it but when it is not present, we all suffer. The British Foreign Secretary has made this theme his number one priority for this year and we are delighted that together with Canada, we shall be hosting a global summit on press freedom in London in July this year. We hope Guatemala will attend.
Media freedom is especially important here as we move into the election campaign which will start next week. Tom and I arrived in Guatemala just before the last elections in 2015. It was a period of tremendous hope. I think it’s fair to say the atmosphere is different this year, but the fundamental issues remain the same. What sort of country and what sort of future Guatemalans want must be decided by Guatemalans. The UK, along with other members of the international community, stand ready to assist, but not to interfere. Delivering the elections is the job of the Tibunal Supremo Electoral. They have done it before with great success. We see no reason to doubt their ability to do so this year as well.
And as we move into the election campaign, may I offer this thought from a country which has seen itself very divided over the last two and a half years. Words matter, the tone of debate is extremely important and using labels to dismiss the views of others divides, rather than resolves, polarisation, stoking, as it does, people’s fears. Fear brings out the worst in us, hope brings out the best. Guatemala has a lot to be hopeful about – it has an overwhelmingly young population, it has the largest economy in Central America, it has amazing cultural diversity and some of the friendliest people you could ever hope to meet. It also, undoubtedly, has the best coffee in the world. As a nation built on tea, I do not underestimate the importance of a national drink! It also has the UK as a firm and committed partner. It would be great to see elections this year focused on that hope for the future of Guatemala.
One of my greatest hopes is that I live to be as old as Her Majesty The Queen, who not only celebrates her 93rd birthday this year, but does so as an active and thoroughly modern monarch. Last week she published her first post on Instagram – she is well ahead of me! Throughout her reign she has combined tradition with innovation, it is the secret of her success. We have tried to emulate that recipe here today, combining the traditional icons of the UK with our focus on a plastic-free future. I am very grateful to our sponsors for their help in supporting today’s event, particularly, Cemento Progreso, CSC, the Cerveceria Centroamericana, Distribuidora Marte, Fedecocagua, Twinings, Transequipos and Yantarni.
Before ending, please allow me a few words in English for my fellow British community: Thank you so much for all you do here in Guatemala. And if you are obsessing over what you read in the British press, remember the important thing is to Keep Calm and Carry on.
And finally a few words to my colleagues at the British Embassy. It is the last time that Tom and I celebrate here the Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen. We want to express our profound thanks to all of you. It has been and remains an honour to work with you. I would like to ask them, and you, to join me in a toast to the health and even greater longevity of Her Majesty The Queen.