British Council
30. The British Council also submitted a very comprehensive
memorandum to us in the course of our inquiry, in addition to
its annual report.[48]
It notes that continuing international tension over the last year
has made, "improved inter-cultural understanding between
nations and peoples an issue of critical importance."[49]
The Council has continued its sterling work in promoting this
understanding, focussing in particular on the Arab and Muslim
world.
31. Whenever we travel abroad as a Committee, we
always try to visit the local British Council and this year have
been privileged to see some of the work carried out by the Athens,
Rome, Damascus and Tehran offices and meet some of their staff.
As ever, we are impressed by the professionalism and dedication
we see in those working to promote long-term ties of mutual understanding
across national boundaries, especially among the young.
32. The Committee regrets that, owing to the pressure
of other work this year, we have been unable to take oral evidence
from representatives of either the BBC World Service or the British
Council, as we have done previously.[50]
We expect to be able to revive this practice next year.
33. We recommend that the FCO continues to fund
both the BBC World Service and the British Council at a level
which will enable both organisations to perform their invaluable
roles for the UK with increasing effectiveness and widening coverage
across the world.
46 House of Commons, Standing
Orders of the House of Commons: Public Business 2003, HC (2002-03)
175, No. 152 Back
47
Ev 111; also see: BBC World Service, BBC World Service Annual
Review 2002/03, 2003 Back
48
Ev 108; also see: British Council, British Council Annual Report
2002-03, 2003 Back
49
Ibid. Back
50
For example, see: Foreign Affairs Committee, Twelfth Report of
Session 2001-02, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Report
2002, HC 826, Ev 8 and Ev 26. Back
