Applications sought for ‘one day British High Commissioner’

Chennai, Aug 28 (IANS) The British High Commission (BHC) on Friday invited applications from Indian women aged 18-23 to be ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ — a chance to oversee the UK’s largest overseas network.

The BHC said in a statement that the winner will experience a wide range of UK-India work, and meet senior stakeholders and partners to discuss the collective response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The winner will also launch a new BHC Gender Charter reaffirming our commitment to gender equality,” the statement said.

To participate in the pan-India competition, the applicant should record and upload a one-minute video on “what global challenges and opportunities do you see for gender equality in the age of Covid-19”, the statement said.

The video must be shared on either Twitter, Facebook or Instagram by tagging ‘UKinIndia’ and using the hashtag #DayoftheGirl.

The deadline for submitting applications is September 13.

“I am delighted to launch our fourth High Commissioner for a Day competition. Empowering women and girls globally is one of the UK’s top priorities and we continue to work with governments and partners around the world as a force for good, including in India, to make that a reality,” Jan Thompson, acting High Commissioner to India, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“This competition is aimed at giving our amazing young women a platform to shape the world we live in. I’ve been inspired by the brilliant applications we’ve received from all over India over the past years, and look forward eagerly to seeing even more this year,” Thompson said.

The British High Commission has run the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition annually since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child (observed on October 11), empower the next generation of women as leaders and trail-blazers, and to highlight some of the challenges women and girls around the world still face.

–IANS

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