The Guild of St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group invite you to experience a lecture by Sir Vincent Fean KCVO KStJ. There will be a drinks and canapés reception followed by Sir Vincent's lecture on Palestinian-British relationships and opportunity for questions and answers.

Born in 1952 in Burnley, Vincent joined the Diplomatic Service from Sheffield University in 1975. His 39 year career took him to mainland Europe and the Arab world – Brussels, Paris and Valletta mixed in with Baghdad, Damascus, Tripoli and Jerusalem, from where he retired in 2014. He was High Commissioner to Malta (2002-06, where he was knighted by HM The Queen), Ambassador, Libya (2006-10), and Consul-General, Jerusalem (2010-14), during which time he was also trustee for St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group.

Vincent now chairs the Balfour Project (www.balfourproject.org), seeking to shed light on Britain’s past and present responsibilities in the Holy Land, and advocating British Government recognition of the state of Palestine alongside Israel. He also chairs the Libyan British Business Council. He is a member of the fundraising committee of the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group. He is co patron of the Britain Palestine Friendship and Twinning Network (www.twinningwithpalestine.net). Vincent is a Board member of the Palestine Britain Business Council.

During over three years as Consul-General, Jerusalem, responsible locally for British Government relations with the Palestinians in Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank, Vincent focused on two issues: work to preserve and advance the two state solution (two sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, coexisting in peace on the basis of the pre June 1967 borders) and to strengthen British – Palestinian relations at all levels. He talked frequently with President Abbas, and escorted him on two visits to the U.K.Vincent was a Board member of St John’s Eye Hospital throughout his time in Jerusalem.

Since retiring from the Diplomatic Service in 2014, Vincent has kept in close touch with political and economic developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, visiting three times in 2017. His charity-related educational, fundraising and advocacy efforts are aimed at improving Palestinian daily life and the prospects for a just peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.