Chris Sainty | |
|---|---|
 | |
| British Ambassador to Portugal | |
| In office 1 October 2018 –December 2023 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Kirsty Hayes |
| Succeeded by | Lisa Bandari |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 March 1967 London, England |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent |
|
| Education | Westminster School |
| Alma mater | New College, Oxford (BA) |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
Christopher James Sainty (born 29 March 1967) is a former British diplomat and civil servant. He was British Ambassador to Portugal from 2018 to 2023. [1]
Sainty was born on 29 March 1967 in London, England, as the first son of Sir John Sainty and Lady Frances Sainty. He was educated at Westminster School, an all-boys public school attached to Westminster Abbey. [2] He studied mathematics and philosophy at New College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. [1] [2]
Sainty entered the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1989, beginning his career as a diplomat. [2]
He was Deputy Head of Mission in The Hague from 2006 to 2008, and in Rome from August 2011 to August 2015. [1] [2] From 2018 to 2023, he served as the British Ambassador to Portugal. [3] [4]
On 25 April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he won the appreciation of the Portuguese people with online videos of his playing on the piano the two songs that had been used on the radio by the revolutionaries to secretly signal the beginning of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, Paulo de Carvalho's E Depois do Adeus (Portugal's entry in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest) and Grândola, Vila Morena , a song by Zeca Afonso, a singer who was largely banned from Portuguese radio at the time. The Revolution overthrew the Estado Novo dictatorship. Sainty said that he decided to film himself playing these songs "for fun" and didn't expect the reaction he received, which was thousands of messages of thanks. [4] [5] [6]
Sainty left his ambassadorial post at the end of 2023. At the beginning of May 2024 it was announced that he was to become the Chief Executive Officer of the English-language newspaper, The Portugal News , with the aim of expanding the paper's coverage from the Algarve to Lisbon and Porto. [7]
Sainty is married to Sarah. Together they have three children: two daughters and a son. [2]
"Grândola, Vila Morena" is a Portuguese song by singer-songwriter José Afonso, recorded in 1971. It was originally released in Afonso's 1971 album Cantigas do Maio and later released in an EP of the same name in 1973, and as a single in 1977.
José Manuel Cerqueira Afonso dos Santos, known professionally as José Afonso and also popularly known as Zeca Afonso, was a Portuguese singer-songwriter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Portugal's folk and protest music scene. His music played a significant role in the resistance against the dictatorial Estado Novo regime, making him an icon in Portugal.
Grândola is a town (vila) and municipality in Setúbal District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 14,826, in an area of 825.94 km2.
Jorge Manuel de Abreu Palma is a Portuguese singer and songwriter. A well-known and acclaimed songwriter in Portugal, Palma started his solo career in 1972 and was a busker in several cities abroad before settling back in Portugal in 1982. He achieved success in the late 1980s with songs such as "Deixa-me Rir" and "Frágil", and renewed success in 2007, with the single "Encosta-te a Mim".
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Portugal was represented by Paulo de Carvalho, with the song "E depois do adeus", at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 6 April in Brighton. "E depois do adeus" was chosen as the Portuguese entry at the Grande Prémio TV da Canção Portuguesa on 7 March.
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Sir Christopher John MacRae Whitty is a British epidemiologist, serving as Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government since 2019.
Ruy Alberto Vieira Dias Rodrigues Mingas was an Angolan singer, songwriter, diplomat, businessman and politician. He was a deputy in the National Assembly, secretary with the status of Minister of Sports and ambassador of Angola to Portugal. He composed the music for Angola Avante, the national anthem of Angola.
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