DAY 1: THE SZIGET SHOW GOES ON: GREG DOREY, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO BUDAPEST
One of the local broadsheets here suggested yesterday that the British bands are taking over the Main Stage at Sziget this week. And it’s true! Following the amazing performance by the UK All-Stars Love Music Hate Racism group on Tuesday, we saw great performances last night by Snow Patrol (a personal favourite) and Lily Allen. Spending a week here is a powerful reminder of how dominant British groups are in the modern music business.
Aside from the music, there is a plenty going on here - many cultural and civil organisations have a presence of one sort or another. We are running a series of quizzes this week, with prizes for top scores, which are attracting lots of visitors to our tent. I wrote yesterday’s music quiz and today’s is on foreign affairs. Afternoon tea, with an appearance from our two Somerset and Avon police who are patrolling with their Hungarian counterparts was also popular. We are only aware of one UK consular case so far - a lost credit card. But we’re passing out lots of good advice on basic precautions visitors can take to make their Sziget experience a good one.
This week is a great media opportunity for us. There is not much Embassy competition at Sziget and the print, radio and TV are insatiable in their appetite for interviews from me on our anti-racism campaign and other aspects of our programme. Yesterday I found myself conducting a videoed interview with some British tourists on behalf of a Hungarian online news agency. Went well. Perhaps there is a job for me after diplomacy….
