Kanbar Hossein-Bor will become the first person with a refugee background to become a UK’s High Commissioner to another country.
The Guardian reports for the 44-year-old, who did not speak English when he fled Iran as a child in 1987, the role is an opportunity to strengthen the UK’s “deep historic bond” with Fiji.
“One thing I really want to convey through my own journey is that enormous sense of gratitude I have to the British people, who have taken a first-generation immigrant, and welcomed them,” Hossein-Bor said.
“I am worried there is a depiction of refugees and asylum seekers as people who come here and just take, take, take and don’t give enough back.”
“For me, Britain’s given me all these opportunities, and my career is a sense of me giving back.
“I hope in my own modest way, we can be challenging the stereotype of what it means to be British and inspiring other people.”
“I passionately believe this, the UK, while we may not be perfect, when it comes to issues about race and migration, we probably have the best story out there. Globally, people can look at what we do.”
