Text only  Print this page | E-mail this page| Add to favourites|Suggest similar pages
British Council home
Our history

Welcome to our history website. Here you can read how we developed from small beginnings in the 1930s to become the major international organisation that we are today.

Frequently asked questions
Find out more
Contact us
Emperor Haile Selassie visiting the reopened Ethiopia office in 1961. Photo Art George Talanos Addis Ababa
When
Find out about key moments in our history, from 1934 to the present
World Map, kept in British Council office, Nigeria 1951
Where
Read about the history of our work in your region of the world
Sir Reginald Leeper
Who
Read about some of the people who have shaped our organisation over the years
Vietnamese students. Copyright The Scotsman
Why
Four writers answer some of the questions often asked about us and our work
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
Our privacy and copyright statements.
Our Freedom of Information Publications Scheme. Double-click for pop-up dictionary.
 Positive About Disabled People Download Browsealoud