Castle Douglas diplomat raises a glass at global virtual Burns Supper

A diplomat from Castle Douglas raised a glass to Scotland’s national bard at a virtual Burns Supper.

The coronavirus lockdown restrictions couldn’t stop Mike Nithavrianakis celebrating online along with other Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office staff from around the world.

Mike – currently the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan – addressed an online meeting organised by staff at the office’s joint HQ, Abercrombie House, to toast the famed poet.

All 17,300 FCDO staff were invited to join in, with Scots working in countries including Bahrain, Chile, Kazakhstan, Mauritius and Peru among those taking part.

Mike said: “I was born in Dumfries, which was the town that Robert Burns lived and died in. Whatever your connection is to Scotland’s most famous poet or to the country at large, I hope everyone had a very happy Burns Night.”

Foreign Office Minister Wendy Morton said: “Scots are at the very heart of helping FCDO be a force for good around the world and staff were keen to pay tribute to Robert Burns despite Covid-19.

“Lockdown restrictions might mean that the many Burns Suppers our embassies usually organise around the world to help showcase Scotland cannot happen this year, but that didn’t stopping us from celebrating.

“Robert Burns was very much an internationalist, so I’m sure he would have approved of the UK government bringing the COP26 climate change summit to Glasgow.”