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Hoy el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Boris Johnson, intercambió camisetas de fútbol con el presidente de Panamá, Juan Carlos Varela.

El mes que viene, Inglaterra y Panamá se enfrentarán durante 90 minutos en la Copa Mundial, pero hoy han estado en el mismo equipo que sus seguidores itinerantes durante el torneo.

Los gobiernos de los 31 países clasificados han estado trabajando juntos para preparar la Copa Mundial, ayudando a las autoridades rusas a mejorar la seguridad de los aficionados de todos los países, incluidos el Reino Unido y Panamá.

Después de entregar la camiseta que la selección de Inglaterra lucirá en el partido del 24 de junio, el Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores recibió agradecido una camiseta panameña. Esta será la primera participación de Panamá en una fase final de la Copa del Mundo.

El Ministro de Asuntos Exteriores dijo:
“El mes que viene, Inglaterra y Panamá jugarán el uno contra el otro en la Copa Mundial, así que estaremos en lados opuestos durante 90 minutos.
Pero antes, durante y después de ese partido, compartimos una de las principales prioridades de la Copa Mundial: la seguridad de nuestros nacionales.”

Desde que iniciamos los preparativos hace más de dos años, nuestro personal ha visitado las 11 ciudades anfitrionas, ha trabajado en estrecha colaboración con las autoridades locales, se ha reunido con representantes de los 31 países participantes y ha lanzado nuestra Campaña Be On The Ball, que ofrece a los aficionados una guía especializada en la Copa Mundial y consejos para estar preparados para Rusia.

Esto incluye asegurarse de que tiene un seguro de viaje adecuado, los números de emergencia necesarios y la información sobre el ID del FAN. Por supuesto, también animamos a los aficionados a ser buenos huéspedes en Rusia y a permanecer atentos a las leyes y costumbres locales.

Se calcula que entre 4.000 y 10.000 aficionados ingleses viajarán a Rusia, donde el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores tiene representación permanente en tres de las 11 sedes de la Copa del Mundo (Moscú, Ekaterimburgo y San Petersburgo), y contará con un equipo móvil en las ciudades donde juega Inglaterra.

El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores ha estado asesorando a los aficionados que viajan a través de la campaña Be On The Ball.

El partido Inglaterra-Panamá tendrá lugar el 24 de junio en Nizhni Nóvgorod.

Today David Lidington, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, met Cai Qi, the Beijing Party Secretary, to fortify a ‘Golden Era’ of relations between the UK and China. The meeting further strengthens the Government’s ambition to pursue a progressive free trade agenda between the two countries.

Mr Lidington used today’s meeting to reiterate the UK’s commitment to improving trade with the country and highlight the barriers some companies face when expanding business in China. They also discussed the numerous trade and investment collaborations between the UK and China, and the potential to co-operate on urban development.

Mr Cai met the Minister as part of a five-day tour of the UK and Europe. He is meeting with a range of senior political officials, including the Mayor of London, to capitalise on British best practice in areas of urban planning and historic preservation.

After the meeting Mr Lidington and Mr Cai also witnessed the signings of new agreements, which will enhance the UK and China’s already excellent joint work in Science and Technology and our collaboration in culture.

Speaking after the visit, David Lidington, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said:

My meeting with Mr Cai today was a true demonstration of the strength of the UK-Chinese relationship. We are seeing the ‘Golden Era’ of relations with China continue to prosper, and we were able to discuss the many opportunities open to each country – from the UK’s world leading institutions in urban planning, to the many exciting trade opportunities that come from being global facing and open to the world.

Notes to editors

The Memorandums of Understanding they agreed today:

• strategic Cooperation between Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and RELX Group
• strategic Cooperation Agreement between Beijing Honav Culture Development Co. Ltd, British Ceramics Biennial and Staffordshire University
• unveiling of the London Office of Cultural Investment Holdings (CIH London)

The Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, has today published its response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights report into Freedom of speech in Universities.

Helen Stephenson, chief executive of the Charity Commission said:

I am absolutely clear that charitable students’ unions, universities and other higher education providers can challenge traditional boundaries, encourage the free exchange of views and host speakers with a range of opinions, including those who might be controversial or divide opinion.

These activities are entirely in line with their aims to promote education. Our role as regulator is to provide guidance that enables trustees of all charities carry out their activities while complying with their legal duties and responsibilities as charities and where necessary hold trustees to account against that guidance.

The response sets out the Commission’s role as regulator of students’ unions and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It stresses that students’ unions and HEIs play an important role in providing discussion and debate, encouraging students to develop political awareness, to debate, to challenge their own views and perceptions and to form views on political issues.

The Commission says it agrees that freedom of speech should form part of students’ unions’ and HEIs’ activities in carrying out their educational charitable purposes. The regulator says that, as the Joint Committee has acknowledged, freedom of speech is not absolute and must be within the limits of the law.

The Commission says its guidance is an important tool for explaining its regulatory approach to all charities, and is written to enable and support all charities to recognise and manage the risks that arise from some activities that may present higher risks in order to support them to go ahead.

Ahead of the JCHR’s report, the regulator had already committed to reviewing two of its publications:

• chapter 5 of its guidance ‘Protecting your charity from harm’ to make sure it sufficiently stresses what charities can do, to support trustees to recognise, and then to manage and mitigate, risks to their charities.
• its internal staff guidance on students’ unions (OG48) to ensure it sufficiently reflects relevant aspects of freedom of speech when students’ unions carry out activities, and ensure a clearer distinction is made between the responsibilities of the trustees, students’ union bodies, student societies and the broader membership.

Today the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson swapped football shirts with the President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela.

Next month, England and Panama will face off for 90 minutes at the World Cup – but today they were both on the same side as focus turned to their travelling fans during the tournament.

Governments from all 31 qualified nations have been working together to prepare for the World Cup, helping the Russian authorities improve safety and security for fans from all countries, including the UK and Panama.

After handing over the shirt that the England team will be sporting when they take to the turf in the match on the 24th June, the Foreign Secretary gratefully received a Panamanian shirt in return. This will be Panama’s first ever appearance at a World Cup Finals.

The Foreign Secretary said:

Next month, England and Panama will play against one another in the World Cup, so we’ll be on opposing sides for 90 minutes.

But before, during and after that game we share a top priority for the World Cup – the safety and security of our nationals.

Since our preparations began more than two years ago, our staff have visited all eleven host cities, worked closely with local authorities, met with representatives from all 31 competing nations and launched our Be On The Ball campaign, which offers fans specialist World Cup guidance and advice for being ready for Russia.

This includes ensuring you have appropriate travel insurance, necessary emergency numbers and information on the all-important FAN ID. We also of course encourage fans to be good guests in Russia and to remain mindful of any local laws and customs.

An estimated 4,000-10,000 England fans will travel to Russia, where the FCO has permanent representation in three of the 11 world cup host cities (Moscow, Ekaterinburg, St Petersburg), and will have a mobile team in the cities where England play.

The Foreign Office have been advising travelling fans through the Be On The Ball Campaign, which can be found by visiting here.

The England v Panama game will take place on 24 June in Nizhny Novgorod.

Further information

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