September 20, 2006	Wednesday	Sha'aban 26, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 19: Sue Beaumont, the new country director of British Council Pakistan, says she is dedicated to carrying forward the council’s tradition of promoting cultural harmony and building lasting relationships between the peoples of the two countries.

For much of her life, Ms Beaumont has been passionate about South Asia. She has spent five years in India.

Expressing her views at a dinner she hosted for mediapersons here on Tuesday, Ms Beaumont said, “I wanted to come to Pakistan because its history, people and culture have always fascinated me. I have come at a crucial time in the world in which there is a great deal of strife, conflict and mistrust.

“I also love mountains and what better place than to be at the foot of the Himalayas in Islamabad.”

British Council sees itself as a major player of public diplomacy enhancing understanding between the peoples, she said. In the four months that she has been in Islamabad, Ms Beaumont has visited Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar and her love for mountains has taken her as far as Skardu.

The people there were extremely friendly and asked many questions about western culture, she added. She said the British Council was trying to bring the peoples of the two countries together. “I am looking forward to working very much with educationists, teachers besides expanding school and university links.”