Dinder at lunch

A Sudanese student who's been in Cambridge doing an MPhil course in Conservation Leadership was introduced to me and we had lunch at Pembroke College. Unlike the last visit to Kings College canteen I was mindful of not collecting my tagine from the special counter reserved for fellows. And we kept a respectful distance from their section of the dining room. As I'd never met Razan and had plenty of questions about Sudan, perhaps I'll choose next time as my opportunity to try and haul the institution of Cambridge University out of the Stone Age.

Razan gave me lots of interesting information about conservation in Sudan. They have some amazing National Parks, but some of them are off limits due to insecurity. The jewel in the crown appears to be Dinder National Park on the border with Ethiopia. Razan's father died this year in a car accident whilst travelling between Khartoum and Dinder. When she goes home soon I hope she falls into a good position and uses her quiet determination to influence conservation issues in Sudan for the better.