The Singing Ambassador: A Tajik Story

Hugh Philpott OBE, 12 October 2026 19:00 BST at the Army and Navy Club Army. In person Only – hosted jointly with the Iran Society

Drawing on his upcoming book The Singing Ambassador – A Tajik Story, former British Ambassador to Tajikistan Hugh Philpott will share a lively and personal insight into the challenges, surprises and rewards of diplomacy in Central Asia. From dealing with the aftermath of a diplomatic incident and negotiating the sensitive border with Afghanistan, to singing with a world-renowned maestro and building friendships with the people of Tajikistan, Hugh’s stories offer a fascinating glimpse into a country rarely seen through a Western lens. This lecture will combine diplomacy, travel, music and culture to reveal the character of a remarkable country and its people.

Hugh Philpott is a writer and former British diplomat whose career spanned more than four decades, with postings across Europe, North America and Asia. He served as the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to Tajikistan from 2015 to 2019 and to Turkmenistan from 2019 to 2021.

Now a writer of memoir and cultural essays, Hugh draws on his experiences of diplomacy, travel, music and place, with a particular interest in the human stories behind public events. Music, and especially opera, has been a lifelong passion, and he is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra and a trustee of the baroque opera company Ensemble OrQuesta.

Hugh remains closely involved with Tajikistan through his writing and as a founding trustee of the Gulrukhsor Women’s Centre UK, which supports vulnerable women and children in northern Tajikistan.