The Alphabet of Life: Insights from UK Ambassador Fiona Gibb

News about this remarkable individual has been diverse, ranging from diplomatic negotiations and meetings with the president to participating in a half marathon and dancing at a book fair opening. She is a vibrant woman with a vibrant life. She spent three and a half productive years in Minsk and is concluding her diplomatic mission in Belarus this autumn. Today, Fiona Gibb, the UK Ambassador to Minsk, shares her alphabet of life.

G – Glasgow

This is my hometown, where I was born and went to school, and where my mother still lives. It’s the largest city in Scotland. Once, it was one of the largest industrial centers in the UK and was considered the second city of the empire. The architecture there is very interesting, with a Victorian style. It’s also a very cultural city. People often think that most cultural organizations are based in the capital, but that’s not the case. All the headquarters are in Glasgow: Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

My favorite place in Glasgow is the large country park, Pollok, in the south of the city. I love walking there. In the center of the park stands an old house: it was once the family estate of a wealthy family and is now a cultural and historical site, a house museum.

D – December

I love this month. Christmas is a beautiful time in Glasgow and in Belarus. People are in a great mood, anticipating vacations, buying gifts, and family evenings. It’s a cozy and peaceful time. When I spent my first December in Belarus, my mother came to visit. We spent the Christmas days in Grodno; it was my first time there. We visited the Lutheran church and the Great Choral Synagogue. For me, it’s not so much a religious holiday as an opportunity to spend time with loved ones.

Q – Queen

I am a big fan of the royal family. I greatly respect Queen Elizabeth II for dedicating her life to service. It was a great honor for me to meet her personally at Buckingham Palace with other ambassadors before the start of my diplomatic mission. This is a mandatory action since we represent her in different countries. My official title is Her Majesty’s Ambassador.

M – Meat

I don’t eat meat; I have been a vegetarian for almost 30 years. There were two reasons for this decision. The first is health. The second is that I am against violence towards animals, especially against hunting as a sport.

Is it difficult to be a vegetarian in Minsk? No, there is a large selection of vegetables and fruits at the Komarovsky market! Restaurants often do not have a purely vegetarian menu, but there are always fish dishes. I eat fish, eggs, and dairy products. My favorite dish is syrniki (a type of cheese pancake), and I also love Indian curry.

L – Lakes

There are many lakes in Belarus, and that’s wonderful! I often swim and recently spent a weekend at Lake Ortsy near the town of Miory. I love swimming in local lakes: the water is very clean, and the natural scent is amazing.

S – Sports

I regularly engage in sports: horseback riding, skiing, running, and playing tennis. Not as a professional, but as an amateur. I participated in the Minsk Half Marathon three times as part of the dream team. In Minsk, my favorite place to run is Victory Park, and in the mornings, I love to go for a run along the Svislach River (about 7 km round trip).

My diplomatic mission was supposed to end in November 2018, but I asked the UK Foreign Office for permission to extend my mission until August 2019 to be in Minsk during the European Games. And it was great! I visited the athletes’ village, met with the British team of athletes, and watched some disciplines (cycling, gymnastics). It was a big success for Belarus.

C – Chernobyl

Twenty years ago, I lived in Ukraine, but at that time, I knew little about Belarus, even though it was a neighboring country. I only knew about Chernobyl. And today, I respect all the residents of the country for how they survived that time. It is very important for the people of Belarus to understand the impact of the disaster; it is part of the country’s history. I haven’t watched the popular HBO and Sky series “Chernobyl,” but I plan to when I return to the UK. I also plan to read Svetlana Alexievich’s books about that time.

U – UNICEF

I value the opportunity to work with UNICEF. It is important to protect children and their rights. We have a number of joint social projects. For example, in Belarus, there is a practice where juvenile offenders receive prison sentences. Together with UNICEF, our embassy has a program aimed at introducing alternative forms of punishment: so that offenders are not sent to prison but can integrate into society and receive support from lawyers and psychologists.

With UNICEF, we had a number of charitable projects: for example, a large-scale celebration for the queen’s birthday for orphanage children. I also personally attended several fundraising dinners where funds were raised for charity.

A – Amber

I like to wear jewelry. I love gemstones: amethyst, moonstone, malachite. Before returning home, I plan to visit the trading house “Na Nemige” – there is a small corner with jewelry there. I was advised to visit it by the ambassadors of Sweden and the EU. I will buy jewelry for myself and friends. I will have a whole stock of gifts from Belarus!

Interviewed by Alyona Meshkut