On 1 September 2021, the British Embassy in Ashgabat celebrated Turkmenistan’s Day of Knowledge and Student Youth by donating more than 7,000 books on climate change, dual translated in English and Turkmen, to the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. The books will be distributed in schools and education centres around Ashgabat.

The UK is committed to working with all countries and joining forces with civil society, companies and people on the frontline of climate change to inspire action ahead of COP26. The decisions we make now will directly impact our ability to safeguard the environment for future generations and, by working together on climate action. We hope that this book, which has already gained international popularity, will be of interest to both young people and adults in Turkmenistan, as a valuable resource around the shared challenges of climate change and an educational tool that can help develop English language skills.

These beautifully illustrated books explain the history, dangers and problems of global warming, the causes and consequences of climate disruption, heat waves, floods and other extreme weather conditions in an accessible and interesting way. They illustrate the dangers that climate change poses to our environment, and solutions of the future – sustainable agriculture, new green technologies and other ways that we tackle this most pressing of global issues, together.

The VMD announced today that Abigail Seager has been appointed new CEO. An experienced Senior Civil Servant, Abi will succeed Professor Pete Borriello, who is retiring after ten years in the post.

Abi was appointed VMD’s Director of the Authorisations in May 2018 and previously held other leading roles in the VMD as Head of the EU Exit and International Office and Head of the General Assessment and Imports Team.

I’m very excited about this appointment” said David Kennedy, Defra’s Director General for Food, Farming and Biosecurity – “Abi is incredibly well placed to lead the organisation in the next phase. I look forward to working closely with Abi and VMD as they ensure veterinary medicines continue to be safe, together with growing their international business and leading our work on AMR

Before joining the VMD, Abi held roles in Defra and the Ministry of Justice spanning policy, strategy and operational delivery, including delivery of major programmes. Abi’s scientific background is in the field of microbiology and genetics.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is an executive agency of Defra and is responsible for ensuring the safe and effective use of veterinary medicinal products to protect public health, animal health, and the environment.

Chevening scholarship presentations, which kicked off in Ashgabat in early August marked the opening of the applications for the 2022/23 academic cycle.

Following the latest series of physical presentations delivered at language schools, the British Embassy is pleased to be able to offer Chevening presentations online too.

Thanks to the American Centre’s google meet platform, the Chevening presentation on 8 September was well attended by the education and knowledge enthusiasts.

Interested candidates from all walks of life from across the country enjoyed the presentation online and took the opportunity to find out invaluable information about the UK government’s flagship programme, understand what Chevening Scholarships are about, and its criteria and requirements.

Chevening applications are open until 2 November 2021. If you’re undecided, and would like to find out more, join us at our next presentation at the American Centre’s google meet platform on Wednesday 22 September 2021.