Great Britain 2017 by Diplomacy&Commerce magazine

D I P L O M A CY

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Great Britain IN FOCUS

LAR GEST ROYAL H O ME

BIG BEN IS THE BELL

WHA' D ID YO U SAY, MATE?

Windsor Castle is the largest royal home in the world, having been built by William the Conqueror around A.D. 1080.

Big Ben does not refer to the famous clock, but actually to the bell. This tower is one of London’s major icons.

In the UK, accents change noticeably about every 25 miles (40km).

B A N K SY

THE SHORTEST OF THE SHORT

The artistic antihero Banksy is the world famous for his guerrilla graffiti but his true identity is a secret.

The world's shortest scheduled airline flight lasts 2 minutes (record is 52s). It connects two islands in the UK, Loganair Westray and Papa Westray. The route is flown by Loganair, and costs £17.

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Photo: PIXSELL

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The UK is Leaving the EU, Not Europe! Over a year has gone by since the referendum but the Brexit negotiations – that are set to last for two years – were launched only five months ago

ur shared values have not and will not change. I want my sons (half-British, half-French, fully European) to feel at home in Europe, whether they end up living in the UK, France or Croatia, said British ambassador in Croatia Andrew Dalgleish. For Diplomacy&Commerce magazin. It's been more than a year since the British people have voted in favour of Brexit. Do they have a clearer picture

today of how life in the UK will be without the EU? › The UK wants a deep and special part-

nership with the European Union which ensures that Europe is strong, prosperous and well defended from threats. We will continue to play our leading part in our collective defence and security goals. We want to continue buying goods and services from the EU and to continue selling British goods and services to our EU partners. We want to welcome investors to

INTER VIEW

H.E. ANDREW DA L G L E I S H British Ambassador to Croatia

the UK's dynamic, business-friendly marketplace and to trade even more with the rest of the world. But we also want to be able to exercise better control over who is allowed to cross our borders and to ensure that we've got full authority over decisions that directly affect our citizens. What has changed in your work in Croatia compared to the time you came here, and Brexit was not even in the perspective? › My discussions regarding the EU are

obviously intensive and covering different subjects – the UK is still a member of the EU, so we speak about the EU issues as well as about Brexit negotiations - but are regular and positive. Our NATO cooperation goes from strength to

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strength. I'm happy to have worked on a number of crucial foreign policy issues where the UK and Croatia have stood shoulder-to-shoulder. The scope for deeper direct bilateral relationships has only grown and this is where Brexit, while creating some short-term uncertainty, actually creates opportunities. In one interview, you said that your main goal was to see the United Kingdom leave the European Union in a way that was good both for the UK and Croatia. From today's perspective, this could look like there was direct line between the UK and Croatia? › The EU-relationship between the UK

and Croatia following Brexit will be a function of those negotiations – in an EU framework, Croatia will enjoy the same

thusiast who has seen how great they are for getting kids excited about science and coding. And we're doing some quite innovative work with the Croatian Tourism Ministry and delivery bodies on extending the tourist season in Croatia and attracting a greater diversity of tourists based on the massive growth we've seen in tourism in the UK in recent years. What security challenges do you see as a threat to peace and security both in the region and Europe, as well as globally. How can we ease the constant tensions? › The security environment is constantly

evolving, whether it be from the threat of Daesh, the aggressive and provocative behaviour of certain regimes in defiance of the international community, the use

This year, more than 700,000 British tourists will visit Croatia

ing initiative, rather than depending on constant direction and instruction, comes naturally to many Croatians. Infrastructure and operating costs are relatively low too. But there are reasons for caution. The fiscal framework can be daunting – just how many taxes and parafiscal measures are likely to apply is rarely clear. The legal system can also be horribly slow. British investors know that sometimes things go wrong and require an answer in law, but they don't like the idea of having to wait ten years for that answer. Uncertainties over land ownership can also deter investors looking to open factories or other facilities but who have doubts over whether they can buy or rent the land out-right without the threat of a previous claim appearing. The Croatian government is putting a lot of effort into cutting red tape and reducing regulatory burdens, which will be welcome news to British investors. What will change for Croatian workers in the UK after Brexit? Should this issue be solved at the bilateral level or in Brussels? › The British Government has made it

clear that it wants to resolve as quickly as possible the situation of EU citizens resident in the UK- and the situation of British citizens living in the EU. The UK will treat Croatian workers in the same way as other EU citizens in a post-Brexit world. The transitional controls on the free movement of Croatian workers that are currently in place in the UK and several other countries are a part of that question and will be looked at by the UK as the negotiations proceed.

relationship with the UK as will any other EU member state. One specific aspect of that relationship that I'm already working on to try and improve is our commercial relationship. The level of trade between our two countries is really rather low. I think there are so many opportunities for doing more together. Aside from our relationship in the EU, I'm already seeing a significant deepening of our military cooperation, through NATO but also bilaterally and we will continue to use every opportunity for our armed forces to engage, share experiences and learn from each other. We've been doing some exciting work too on sharing our experiences on STEM education: BBC micro:bits, pocket-sized codeable computers designed in the UK, are now in the hands of thousands of pupils in Croatia thanks to a Croatian en-

of disruptive cyber-terrorism, or the unwelcome involvement of some states in the internal affairs of others . Our shared euro-atlantic values are at the foundation of the premise that the way to address tensions is through dialogue, diplomacy and a readiness to see things from the perspective of the other side. Commitment to the rule of law and international norms of behaviour are essential. And the fact that the UK will be hosting the Western Balkans Summit in 2018, to which Croatia is invited, is a good indicator of how absolutely committed we remain to this region. Since it has joined the EU four years ago, how interesting is Croatia to British investors? What attracts them to Croatia and what makes them cautious? › The workforce is well educated and in-

ventive – being a self-starter and show-

What do you think of the government programme for improving the business climate? › I think it's great that the Croatian Gov-

ernment is focusing its efforts on improving the business climate but it really is too early for me to assess what the impacts of that programme are.

Year-on-year, Croatia has been recording fantastic results in tourism. How much time do you have for meeting your fellow countrymen in Zagreb, or on the coastline? › The great news is that in the past few

years, the numbers of British tourist have been going up for 20% each year. And I`m enjoying discovering parts of Croatia that aren`t always on the traditional tourist trail - I`m in two minds about whether to share these experiences with my compatriots or keep these "secret" gems to myself! <

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PostIndustrial Revolution World's Financial Capital

hen we think about the British economy, what we will imagine and what image we will have in mind really depends on the decade and the century. The 19th century could be the image of working class flats and Dickens’ novels, the factories and the Industrial Revolution. At the beginning of the 20th century it could be something like the scene from Peaky Blinders. In the pre-Thatcher era it could be coal mines, while during her era it could the City of London and yuppies. Nowadays it is gentrified and polished, even in the areas of Manchester that were dangerous in 1985. It is post-Industrial. BIG, VERY BIG Well, the economy of the UK is, as the figures say, and which we will cite, the fifth-largest national economy in the world, measured in terms of nominal gross domestic product (GDP), the ninth-largest in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) and the nineteenth-largest measured according to GDP per capita, comprising 3.9% of world GDP. It is the second-largest economy in the European Union by both metrics, after Germany, of course. Now it is clear how much the EU is going to lose because of Brexit, but the UK economy is still very open to foreign investments and is traditionally liberal, even in the days of Labour rule, which is why it is one of the most globalised economies. It had the second-largest inward foreign direct investment and the third-largest outward foreign direct investment in 2016. Of the world's 500 largest companies, 26 are headquartered in the UK… Not bad at all.

ECO NO MY

SERVICE ORIENTATED One of the main features of the British economy is that it is service-orientated and has strong ties with the banking sector and real estate, all of which fuelled the financial crisis that was particularly harsh in the UK. Luckily, they had their pound and not the euro, like

Spain, otherwise they would have shared the same fate. The UK gradually relocated its agriculture to its colonies, while the remaining factories were shook up by Baroness Thatcher’s reforms, dubbed Thatcherism, i.e. neoliberalism. This makes the financial services industry particularly important, and makes London the world's largest financial centre. A lot of the economy is reliant on oil. This is all strikingly different from the image we have from the First and Second Industrial Revolutions. Well, those were the days! The British economy accounted for 9.1% of the world's GDP in 1870! The U.S. and Germany later accelerated their growth, but Britain remained strong.

POUND STERLING Before switching to the decimal system, the pound sterling was a strange currency, and its name was derived from the fact that one Norman ‘pound’ had 240 sterlings or silver pennies. This was a stubborn currency and, prior to decimalisation in 1971, the pound was divided into 20 shillings, with each shilling worth 12 pence, making 240 pence to the pound. That seems preposterous to us, but was normal for the Brits. However, forget the history... The UK pound is still strong: it is the world's third-largest reserve currency after the United States dollar and the euro, and is also one of the ten most-valued currencies in the world. This is not a joke, even if the Empire’s glory days are over. <

One of the main features of the British economy is that it is serviceorientated and has strong ties with the banking sector and real estate

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For Better Relations Between the Two Countries BBCC closely cooperates with its patron, the UK Embassy and DIT – Department for International Trade

s the key promoter of strengthening the commercial, social and cultural relationships between Croatia and the UK, BBCC gathers members from private and public sector, present in the UK and Croatian markets, or those willing to establish business ties either in the UK or Croatia. BBCC offers professional assistance, expertise, networking and useful connections to them with the view of supporting them in their investments, and with setting up and developing their businesses. The BBCC members are companies from a wide range of industries which seek to accomplish outstanding market results. The organization attracts both investors across a wide range of sectors interested in Croatian investment opportunities, as well as Croatian companies striving to establish connections and set up operations in the sophisticated UK market. The Chamber supports strong networking among its members with the purpose of sharing business expertise and know-how to facilitate the increase of their business opportunities and performance. Our services include providing information on trade fairs and conferences in the UK and Croatia; organizing events, conferences, seminars, workshops, gatherings with UK speakers and guests; sharing experiences and expertise with other members and partners; providing updates on the latest UK news and trends; and organizing tailor-made study tours to promote Croatian business in the UK. This year, BBCC launched Tourism Committee and Media and New Technology Committee. The Tourism Committee was established with the main goal of increasing tourism investment & development, and promoting, supporting

and boosting the exchange and trade between Croatia and the UK in the tourism and travel sector. The committee members are companies, hotels & resorts, medical clinics, as well as other subjects with an interest in enhancing business between the British and Croatian market. The main role of the Media and New Technology Committee is promoting Croatia as a business, investment, film & entertainment destination for the British market, and exchanging knowledge and experiences between Croatia and the UK in all creative industries. Apart from sectoral committees, BBCC has also established the Brexit

Task Force. The main purpose of the Task Force is to define the key challenges before the Croatian business and economy in the negotiation and post-Brexit period, and to give reccomendations to the Croatian government on what should be the main topics of the bilateral discussions. It should provide better platform for talks with the government representatives and other institutions, and secure quality input from the Croatian economy. Apart from the cooperation with British chambers in neighbouring countries,

BRITISH BUSINESS CHAMBER C R OA T IA

particularly with the Slovenian chamber, BBCC is a member of the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe (COBCOE). As such, BBCC participates in initiatives and projects implemented by COBCOE's international network of 40 business chambers and 8,000 businesses, ranging from major multinationals to SMEs. Currently, BBCC is involved in COBCOE's “Brexit Ambition – making Europe work” project launched immediately after the British EU referendum, in order to tackle main concerns, ideas and recommendations related to common interests between the EU27 and the UK. <

BBCC is involved in COBCOE's “Brexit Ambition – making Europe work” project

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Investments in Tourism Sector The interest of the British business sector continuously grows, and it will probably continue at such pace with Brexit approaching

he UK market is quite sophisticated and Croatian products need to meet these requirements in order to be present there. We are working together towards that goal - says Vedrana Likan, President of the Board of the British Business Chamber Croatia for Diplomacy & Commerce magazine. How many companies are members of BBCC today and what do BBCC offer them? › BBCC was founded in 2014 at the in-

itiative of the British Embassy, Department for International Trade and several companies in Croatia with the purpose to support British investors in Croatia and Croatian companies seeking to enter the British market. Today we have round 20 members, both Croatian and British companies with their offices and operations here. The number is growing and our members belong to various industries. In the broadest sense, our role is to help them to establish their operations either on Croatian or the British market, and to enable easier transfer and exchange of knowledge, experience, and expertise across the two markets.

What is the perception of Croatia in the eyes of British investors? › When we talk about investments, this

does not necessarily mean large projects – we are talking more about organizing festivals, starting smaller companies with 5-10 employees, offering consulting services, filming a TV series, or opening a franchise. And there are good examples of such British investments in Croatia. The experiences differ – some companies and individuals have successfully overcome administrative “traps” and have had good cooperation with the state and local governments, some failed. The administration and the unpredictability of the legal and taxation system are among the major problems, but the interest and positive attitude towards Croatia is the key to further British operations here. What does BBCC offer to British and Croatian business people in concrete terms? › The strategy behind initial establish-

ment of BBCC was to build an organisation that will organically grow its capacities and membership, in order to be able to support the members and actually add value to their business. So our services

INTER VIEW

V E D RA NA L I KA N British Business Chamber Croatia

Great Britain occupies the 9th place on the list of countries investing into Croatia

are adapted to suit individual needs of each of our members. When we help Croatian companies to strengthen their business connections with the UK, we support them by providing them with the relevant information, organising anf facilitating meetings, and directing them to the relevant addresses and organizations. We organize tailor-made study tours to help the members to promote their business. We have successfully organized workshops on doing business in Croatia and the UK, and numerous networking events which always prove as a good place to establish good business contacts. In our next year plans, we scheduled several events in tourism sector under the umbrella name BritTravel, in order to connect our hotels, travel agencies and tourist boards, with key people in British market. However, our engagement naturally depends on what the members see as the key topic. How do you assess the current economic cooperation between Croatia and the UK? › The latest statistics say that the Great

Britain occupies only the 9th place on the list of countries investing into Croa-

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tia and this happened only after BAT acquired TDR in 2015. The growth is seen mostly in tourism – the number of British tourists has continuous double-digit growth on a yearly basis for several years already, and the new airline companies have started with their operations. Although we do export to the UK and import from the country – and there are some interesting cases that can be mentioned here, such as constructing a catamaran for the Thames that started during the Olympic Games in London – the overall economic cooperation between the UK and Croatia still has large potential for growth. What will be the main activities that the BBCC Brexit Task Force will carry out ? › The BBCC Brexit Task Force has been

derived from a larger initiative. This March, BBCC has joined Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe (COBCOE). COBCOE has started with the Brexit Ambition initiative, which the main purpose is to define the challenges that the business sector across Europe sees in negotiation and post-Brexit period, and to present them both before the

UK Government and the European Commission. As the part of the Initiative, we organized the roundtable discussion named “Let’s Talk Brexit”, and decided to establish the Brexit Task Force. The main idea of the Task Force is to discuss what is important for the Croatian companies in the context of Brexit, and how to tackle certain issues that will affect the Croatian businesses once the UK leaves the European Union. During our first meeting, some other issues popped up which were not directly linked to business, but rather some other segments of cooperation, such as education. Brexit has still not been much discussed in the Croatian public, and we see the BBCC Brexit Task Force as the coordinator of these discussions which will take on a form of recommendations to the Croatian Government on what to focus on during the bilateral discussions with the UK. What is your cooperation with the British Embassy and UK Trade and Investment Team like? › The British Embassy and DIT support

our work and initiatives, and this naturally gives us important role as the key driver of business relations between Cro-

atia and the UK. We cooperate in different initiatives and they help us to connect with British experts in various segments of British business. We started a very fruitful cooperation with some of the speakers and guests at the events organized by the British Embassy, and this form of cooperation is very useful. In the future, BBCC will focus on creating more B2B opportunities, and I believe that we can continue to rely on the Embassy and DIT support. P O T E NT IA L

RIGHT APPROACH I see large potential in our food and wine industry, and with the right approach and good partners in the UK, I believe Croatian products can be more present both in the UK retail and exclusive places.

What do you think needs to be done to further boost the overall economic cooperation? › We need to decide which industries we

really want to promote more seriously, and then gather all the relevant institutions to invest their effort into making this happen. Personally, I see large potential in our food and wine industry, and with the right approach and good partners in the UK, I believe Croatian products can be more present both in the UK retail and exclusive places. However, much will depend on the post-Brexit rules, which gives us even stronger reason to be active in the Brexit-related discussions. <

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One Leaving, One Adapting Great possibilities, fewer results

he fact remains that Croatia was the last member that joined the “Privileged Club”, also known as the EU, in 2013. However, very soon the number of EU members will be the same as it was in 2012, since the United Kigdom is leaving the Union. Both economies are trying to adapt to the new circumstances, with one leaving the Club, and the other adapting to it after joining.

E C O N O MIC COOPERATION

JOHNSON WANTS MORE According to the Conservative Party, the UK’s departure will be an opportunity for a fresh start. It is Boris Johnson who advocates the idea that the United Kingdom, like in the pre-EU times, during the era of Churchill, could become once again the centre of the world, while London, instead of having companies leaving it, could become Singapore-on-

over the past year. But the Brits were usually less keen to invest here than the traditional investors like Austria, Italy and Germany. Financial and technological sectors are first to be improved, and Brits could also possibly invest in Croatian wines and wineries.

the-Thames, as The Economist says. “Great Britain will leave the European Union but will not abandon Europe, and it wishes to advance bilateral relations and partnership with Croatia”, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said in Zagreb after talks with former Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier. The idea sounds promising, we have to admit. But Johnson also pointed out that there was a lot of room to boost the relations in the Croatian-British economic cooperation. The major element of this cooperation is a 22% hike in the number of British tourists who visited Croatia

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR? Well, some institutions have been successfully established. On 29th May 2014, the British Embassy Zagreb and UKTI Croatia, with the support from Mr. Conrad Bird, the Director of the GREAT Britain Campaign, who came to Croatia especially for the event, successfully launched the British Business Centre Croatia (BBCC), a new business platform aimed at promoting trade and investment between UK and Croatia. The Croatian Tourism Minister, Mr. Darko Lorencin, was the keynote speaker from the Croatian Government. Also, certain British officials noted that Croatia had to present itself as an oil and gas country, as well as a country suitable for the high-tech sector, and not just as a tourist destination that annually attracts half a million British tourists. All of this should be done in order for the country attract more investments from the UK. In fact, like in Portugal or Spain, the Brits like real estate in the Mediterranean, and Croatia is no exception. The largest British foreign direct investments that were made in Croatia last year were in the real estate sector.

MATCH

GOOD START We just hope that Varteks and Tvornica Duhana Rovinj could be the signs of a good start. Now that the UK might need new markets, Croatia could be a perfect match.

In the period from 1993 to 2013, the UK investments in Croatia amounted to a little over 366 million euros. In terms of the value of investments from overseas made in Croatia, the UK occupies the 14th position, behind Luxembourg, Belgium, Sweden and Switzerland. The UK is well behind largest investor in Croatia – Austria, which has invested 20 times more than the Brits since 1993. Besides the British avoiding Croatia as a country to invest in, the two nations have not traded between themselves much over the years. From 2000 to 2012, the trade between Croatia and the UK amounted to a total 93 million dollars worth of goods, with Croatia importing a lot more than it had exported, says Poslovni puls. Also, recently, we saw other institutional incentives, like holding of the UK-Croatia Trade and Investment Forum, being established. As for industry, certain encouraging steps have been made. In December last year, British-American Tobacco said that it was satisfied with its first year of operations in Kanfanar, after their acquisition of Tvornica Duhana Rovinj, which exports to 19 countries. Also, better days are ahead, with lesser shy British investors likely to invest in Varteks. This July, a British company, Valtegra LLP announced its decision to invest 5 million euros in acquisition of a 48.6% share in the Varaždin factory. We just hope this is a good start. Now that the UK might need new markets, Croatia could be a perfect match. <

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One of a Kind Funny, charming spirit

PEOPLE AND C U S T O MS

be avoided - the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase "Lovely day, isn't it?" at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull.” Not to offend anyone, right?

HOW TO BE AN ALIEN Everybody seemed quite shocked by the results of the Brexit referendum, but I wasn’t – I even predicted the outcome. That’s because I have read extensively the works of George Mikes, a Hungarian Jew who fled to the UK and became an English writer. With typical Jewish humour and British precision, he juxtaposed the customs of the UK and the Continent, and it was hilarious. The book, entitled ‘How To Be an Alien’ was an instant hit. It pokes gentle fun at the English and their relationship with foreigners, with “alien” in this context meaning any non-English person. The book is characterised by much humour, affection and a total lack of rancour or bitterness. Some typical things that people in the UK adore include neutral conversations about politics or the weather. Mikes states “On the Continent there is one topic which should

UNDERSTATEMENT AND OVERSTATEMENT There is a well know story about the British understatement, as opposed to the Italian or even American overstatement. When a Brit wants to explode with excitement, he will say “Not bad, Really not too bad at all”. And when something is absolutely awful it might be “Not particularly good”. An unfortunate story from the Korean War illustrates this. “In April 1951, some 650 British fighting men – soldiers and officers from the 1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment – were deployed along the most important crossing of the Imjin River to block the traditional invasion route to Seoul. The Chinese sent an entire division – 10,000 men – to smash the isolated Gloucesters aside in a major offensive aimed at taking the entire Korean peninsula, with the small British force gradually surrounded and overwhelmed. After two days of fighting, an American, Major General Robert H Soule, asked the British brigadier, Thomas Brodie: “How are the Glosters doing?” The brigadier, schooled in Britain and thus armed with British humour, replied: “A bit sticky; things are pretty sticky down there”. To American ears, this did not sound desperate, and so

here is a common anecdote that sounds so true that nobody really bothered to check its veracity, ye, somehow it doesn't need verification, as it is certainly accurate. Namely, there was a thick fog over the English Channel (it is funny enough that the Brits call La Manche that way, right?) and the BBC reported “There is a thick fog over the Channel; the Continent is cut off from Britain”. Not vice versa. Britain cannot be cut off, because it is the centre of the word, the planet’s navel. That speaks volumes about the Brits and their mentality.

When a Briton wants to explode from excitement, he will say “Not bad; really not too bad at all”. And when something is absolutely awful it might be “Not particularly good”

he ordered them to stand fast. Only 40 Glosters managed to escape” – that’s according to the history book. And the Brits maintain a deadpan expression when telling jokes, which makes it even funnier. Being cool is a British invention. Even when under ultimate peril, the coolest guy in the world used understatement in his announcement. His name is Eric Moody. During the Kuala Lumpur-toPerth leg of British Airways Flight 9 on 24th June 1982, volcanic ash caused all four engines of his Boeing 747 aircraft to fail. Although pressed for time, with the aircraft rapidly losingt altitude, Captain Moody still managed to make an announcement to the passengers: “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress.” Cool, huh? And nuanced. As Mikes says: “On the other hand, people on the Continent either tell you the truth or they lie; in England they hardly ever lie, but they would not dream of telling you the truth.” Funny, charming spirit! <

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Expanding British Culture and the English language In society, BC helps citizens and institutions with contributing to a more inclusive, open and prosperous world

he knowledge of the English language demonstrated by Croatian high school students is impressive, which allows them access to higher education opportunities in other EU countries.– says Aida Salamanca, Country Director at British Council Croatia and Slovenia, for Diplomacy & Commerce magazine. On your Twitter page, you wrote that you were passionate about establishing cultural ties and about education. What are the main goals during your term in the office in Croatia? › Croatia and the UK have a longstand-

ing tradition of mutual collaboration in these areas, and it is my objective to enhance such dialogue to ensure continuing cultural and educational cooperation. We have new challenges to face, new generations with diverse demands, and we want to offer them systemic, long term programmes that will allow the development of the cultural and education sectors. British Council has many ongoing projects in the segments of art, science and public engagement. What else can we expect to see by the year-end? › We are commited to promoting public

engagement with science, especially amongst the youth. By the end of the year I expect to have in place programmes which provide expertise in social entrepreneurship, equal opportunity and diversity, social inclusion and engagement, and active citizenship, all

these in partnership with local and international organisations. How interested in the English language are teachers and students in Croatia, and what can British Council offer them in this respect? › This is our area of focus, the introduc-

tion of a continuous professional development framework that encompasses different practices including the use of ICT, inclusion in the classroom, and the development of 21st century skills. We are working closely with high school and graduate students offering them access to British qualifications including Cambridge English exams adn IELTS, which are a guarantee of academic excellence and attainment. One of the questions that is not so popular to ask is what will happen to the cultural exchange after Brexit? Do you think that Brexit will affect the work of British Council, and its presence in Croatia and Slovenia? › Over the last year, the BC brought to-

gether more than 500 educational, cultural and scientific organisations and representatives from all European countries to share professional perspectives on the sector gains of European collaboration, and to jointly agree ways of maintaining the relationships, and produced the Our Shared European Future recommendations to Brexit negotiators which provides important information about the implications for the education, culture

INTER VIEW

A I DA SA L A M A N C A Country Director, British Council Croatia and Slovenia

There is a growing interest in Croatian youth to enter British Universities but their understanding of the existing opportunities could be greater

and science sectors across Europe. You can find more information at www.britishcouncil.org/education-culture-after-brexit/shared-european-future. Are Croatian students informed enough about the opportunties offered by the British universities, and how often do you receive inquiries regarding this? › We are commited to supporting access

to information and opportunities. Recently we launched the revamped Study UK portal www.study-uk.britishcouncil.org which offers practical information and insight on UK education for international students. In parallel we are working closely with Universities UK International Unit to help British Universites understand the capabilities of the Croatian Higher Education system and promote opportunities for future collaboration. We are determined to support Croatia's plans to overcome the barriers to internationalisation of the Higher Education system. Last year, British Council marked its 70th anniversary of operations in Croatia. Although, you were not engaged in Council's work here during all seven decades, what was your impression of how the anniversary was celebrated? › I believe this was a demonstration of

how much we value the relationship with Croatia. I am delighted to be challenged with the construction of a positive new era in our two countries' cultural relations. <

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Unique Fusion Legacy of Empire and Pop Music

CULTURE

ritish culture is polyvalent and complex, with identities varying and interlacing. It is both deeply Celtic and Germanic, for the last 1500 years. Let us take one example. In Scotland there are three spoken languages. Three! Not two? No! Scottish Gaelic, English and Scots. And what on Earth is “Scots”, you may well ask. It is the earlier form of English used by the Scots even prior to the forming of the Union of the Crowns in 1606. The Scots then acquired the English language for the second time, this time the modern variation, with their own accent, of course. Complexity it is.

The Isle of Man might be deeply Celtic, but it has preserved its old Viking parliament. Manchester and Liverpool are even predominantly of Irish origin. All four members of The Smiths were of Irish descent, including “Irish Blood, English Heart” Morrissey and Johnny Marr. Both Lennon and Macca were Irish. In Ulster they are divided by faith, but the Scottish mixture adds some fire. And wait, 1500 years ago the homeland of Scots was Ulster and they moved to Scotland, which was Pictish. They were replaced by the Irish and 1000 years later they... just came back? Not to mention

that football club Celtic from Glasgow was founded by Irish Catholic immigrants to Scotland. Yes, it is complex. TEA, BEER, FOOTBALL, QUEEN One feature inextricably linked to British culture is tea. Many forgot, or perhaps never knew, that tea was brought to England by a Portuguese queen, since the queen of their longstanding ally was already acquainted with this magical potion, having had a lot of experience with Portugal’s conquests in India and China. But now we have all forgotten the Portuguese tea-drinkers and everyone associates tea with Britain or, less frequently, Russia. Beer? Well, The Irish and Scottish might have their whisk(e) ys, the English can have their apple cider or whatever, but what connects all Brits is beer. Every region has its own varieties and pub culture is one crucial element of UK culture… Just like football. Even though England only won the FACT

INFLUENCE All the important bands were either British or under influence of some British bands. Milan might be a fashion show capital, but what is worn on the streets of London is what matters.

World Cup once, in 1966, the English see football is their own invention and insist that the best football is played there. Okay, in the Premier League. But in the old days, prior to 1950, the British islands’ four nations (Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England) refused to compete in the World Cup, claiming that it would be “ridiculous” since they were “superior”. Cold shower in 1950. And then, the Queen. Except for some hard anti-monarchists, like the aforementioned Morrissey or Irish Catholics, almost everyone in the UK considers Queen Elizabethe II the cohesive tissue of the nation. She has ruled so long that it is hard to even imagine the postal stamps of pounds without her face. LITERATURE AND POP CULTURE The English are very proud of their literary tradition. They claim that the word was for England the same as music was for Germany or painting for Italy. The national expression tool. Dickens, Wilde, Shakespeare, Christie, Doyle, Shaw, Austen, Byron. Who can disagree? And still don’t forget the popular culture, where the Britons rule. The pop music was essentially accelerated by the Brits, and all the important bands were either British or under influence of some British bands. And the fashion. Street fashion is deeply English. The fashion trends start here. Milan might be a fashion show capital, but what is worn on the streets of London is what matters. <

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TOUR ISM

omeone once said that Brits are fascinatingly good at successfully turning everything into mainstream pop culture, while still preserving high taste, and that was the reason why the UK (and other Anglo-Saxon countries) became the world’s leaders of pop culture, despite being very traditionalist. Brits actually invented tourism. Namely, they were the first to go somewhere just to see it: Swiss mountains, Italian culture and islands, French castles. When the railways arrived, trains were immediately packed with people wanting to see what the world looks like, and, of course, what Britain looks like. The working class was suddenly aware of the benefits of sea air, so rail lines were laid from major industrial cities to Bristol, Southend, Blackpool etc. Of course, somehow brilliantly awkward, the Brits managed to marry all that with drinking tea, eating fish and chips, going to cloudy resorts on the Irish Sea like Blackpool, pubs and a strong working class attitude. Not our kind of seaside holiday, we would say, but neither is it British anymore, as they opt to go elsewhere nowadays. The facts show that the UK has a longstanding history of travelling to coastal resorts, like Blackpool in Lancashire and Swansea in Wales, with many families using a type of accommodation called holiday camps. This tradition has now faded significantly, due to competition from overseas package holiday operators, rising operational costs, and rapidly shifting demand that forced the closures of many traditional holiday camps in the 1980s and ‘90s. That’s too bad, but there are still hotels and hostels there. And these are British holidays in the old fashioned manner, which should be sampled.

This year we saw the return of Trainspotting, with the release of T2, which returned us to Scotland and the streets of Edinburgh, with its castles and clouds. And speaking of films, Brits have always been adept at transforming their nature and architecture into something so pretty, to the point at which it becomes an object of desire. Everyone can picture the countless images of the English countryside and castles, where Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy conduct unpleasant con-

versations, and nobody is to blame but us for the fact that we didn’t brand our beauties like the Brits. Simply, they know how to present themselves as a desirable destination. London is the hub of the world, and Manchester is one of the world’s music capitals, along with Seattle. It might be the rain that makes the Brits creative, as they cannot simply hang around in the streets like the Mediterranean folks do. Wales, with its old traditions, ancient language and stubborn people, the Midlands with its castles, destroyed monasteries and vibrant music and nightlife, northern Scotland, with spectacular landscapes from the film Highlander, Liverpool, with the breath of The Beatles all

around. Cultural tourism is omnipresent in the UK. You cannot go to Wales without a thought of Eisteddfod (Wales), or Scotland with its Highland Games, bagpipes and men dressed in kilts. Northern Ireland, aka Ulster, can also offer a lot, from UNESCO heritage sites to contemporary art and street life. From castles to meadows, city centres to hills and cottages, the UK is a tourist superpower, with images carved into our minds by books and films. <

From castles to meadows, city centres to hills and cottages, the UK is a tourist superpower, with images carved into our minds by books and films