British Embassy celebrates emblematic 90th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen in Guatemala
Guatemala joined the celebrations worldwide to commemorate the emblematic 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II in a reception hosted by the British Ambassador, Thomas Carter, with friends and contacts of the UK.
QBP 2016
The event gathered members of the Government, private sector, civil society and British nationals, amongst other contacts; all of them who paid tribute to the UK’s longest reigning monarch. The melodies of a traditional Scottish bagpipe announced the start of the event as people started to flock into the British Residence.
Addressing his guests, British Ambassador Thomas Carter highlighted some of the Queen’s most memorable moments of her 64 years in the British throne. Amongst these, her leadership in the aftermaths of the Second World War when she became Queen in 1952, the UK’s accession to the European Union in 1973; and most recently, the London Olympic Games of 2012.
The event was also a celebration of the longstanding UK – Guatemala relationship. Ambassador Carter praised the way Guatemala set an example to the world in 2015 by fighting corruption and overcoming a political crisis. He also welcomed President Jimmy Morales’ efforts to continue pursuing the transparency agenda, and ratifying the presence of CICIG for two more years in the country.
Ambassador Carter also set forth the objectives of the UK in Guatemala, which include the promotion of universal human values of integrity, the respect of human rights, good governance and the rule of law. At a time when there had been discussions around the role of the Ambassadors, the United Kingdom wants to reiterate to his allies and partners that it pursues a safer, stronger and more prosperous world.
The reception also featured GREAT images showcasing the UK as a country of heritage, culture, sport, and innovation. The event also paid tribute to the 400 years of Shakespeare and the rise of the English language, by showcasing a fragment of Hamlet, played by the Guatemalan theatre company, ESCENARTE.