First refugee to become UK High Commissioner shares humble beginnings

Straight-Talk

First refugee to become UK High Commissioner shares humble beginnings

By Nilufa Buksh

30/01/2026

UK High Commissioner Kanbar Hossein-Bo

UK High Commissioner Kanbar Hossein-Bor has shared his journey from crossing the Iran–Pakistan border as a child to becoming one of Britain’s top diplomats, highlighting how early challenges, a mother’s embrace, and quiet acts of kindness shaped his path.

The first refugee to become UK High Commissioner, Hossein-Bor has said on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan that the journey across the Iran–Pakistan border felt strangely like home, despite the desert-like conditions.

He explains that, at a very young age, his mother had to leave Iran to seek a new life.

Insert: Hossein-Bor on family 29th Jan

Hossein-Bor says his mother had long been spoken of as a remarkable woman, known for her advocacy for women’s rights and for pursuing education in a community that did not prioritise it.

He stresses that meeting her in person was deeply moving and marked a significant turning point in his life.

The Commissioner recalls the challenges of adjusting to life in the United Kingdom, sharing that when he arrived in Southampton at the age of seven, he could not speak English and even struggled to ask for directions home from school.

However, he says the sense of acceptance from classmates and teachers helped him feel like he belonged, and that this early support had a lasting impact.

The High Commissioner highlights a moment during a school trip that stayed with him, when his teacher, Mr Willis, took the time to visit his parents to explain that Kanbar and his siblings would need to pass through a separate immigration channel due to not holding British passports.

He shares that the teacher also worked to ensure the children were not made to feel different or excluded.

Hossein-Bor says this act of kindness instilled in him a strong sense of gratitude—an emotion he describes as an anchor throughout his life.

He recalled being cast as a major British historical figure, Sir Winston Churchill in a school play—an experience that gave him and his family a strong sense of acceptance stressing a moment that opened his eyes to the opportunity and inclusiveness the UK could offer.

Hossein-Bor shares he applied to the UK Foreign Office after seeing an advert, and despite his mother’s concerns that he wasn’t white or born British, he was accepted—calling it both a personal milestone and a sign that Britain was changing.

He is now the first former refugee to be appointed as a UK High Commissioner and says his story reflects the power of community, inclusion, and the enduring impact of early compassion.