British Council

The primary purpose of the British Council is to promote ‘friendly knowledge and understanding’ between the United Kingdom and other countries worldwide. It works with over 100 countries, and in 2018, it reached over 80 million people directly and 791 million people overall including through online sources, broadcasts, and publications.

History and Governance

The British Council was founded in 1934 and opened its first overseas offices in 1938, which according to the council makes it the oldest cultural relations organisation in the world. Originally, it was called the ‘British Committee for Relations with Other Countries’. Multiple global issues are identified as reasons for the founding of the British Council. In the 1930s, there was significant global instability coupled with a global financial depression and an increasing diminution ...

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