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with a simple badge of hope: a badge that says UK Aid. And the same goes for other parts of the world too. Wherever people are in need, that same badge of hope appears. The UK is at the forefront of the response to the Syria crisis, with life-saving humanitarian support reaching millions of people inside Syria and in neighbouring countries.That is a record of which we can all be proud.And because we are a country that does not duck our responsibilities, let us remember the amazing work being done in Afghanistan today. One of the legacies of years of conflict in that country is the deadly phenomenon of landmines that still lie strewn across hundreds of acres of that land. But thanks to UK Aid – and in particular, thanks to the work of organisations such as the Halo Trust that has its headquarters right here in Scotland – almost 100 square kilometres of contaminated land has been cleared. And around half a million people have benefitted as a result. UK Aid is a badge of hope for so many around the world – and I hope that everyone here feels proud to be able to play their part in bringing light where there is darkness, and hope where there is despair. And it says this: that when this great union of nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – sets its mind on something and works together with determination, we are an unstoppable force. That is why the Plan for Britain I have set out – a plan to get the right deal for Britain abroad as well as a better deal for ordinary, working people at home – has as its heart one overarching goal: to build a more united nation.Because I believe when we work together, there is no limit to what we can do. A more united nation means working actively to bring people and communities together by promoting policies which support integration and social cohesion. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that means fully respecting, and indeed strengthening, the devolution settlements. But never allowing our Union to become looser and weaker, or our people to drift apart. So in those policy areas where the UK government holds responsibility, I am determined that we will put the interests of the Union – both the parts and the whole – at the heart of our decision-making.Indeed, the work we do as a United Kingdom on the world stage makes an eloquent case for our Union as a whole. It is about the values we share in our family of nations. Values of freedom of speech, democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law. This proud shared heritage provides the bedrock of our lives together in the UK. And on that foundation we have built a country where we share the challenges that we face, and bring all the expertise, ingenuity and goodwill we share across this Union to bear to tackle them. So as Britain leaves the European Union, and we forge a new role for ourselves in the world, the strength and stability of our Union will become even more important. Not just for the good that standing together brings to our own people here at home. But also for the good we can do together in the world, as a global Britain. A force for good, helping to build a better future for everyone. ■This is an edited version of Prime Minister Theresa May’s address to IFAD delivered on 27 March 2017 at IFAD’s Headquarters in East Kilbride, Scotland. Visit: www.gov.uk for more information on the Prime Minister and her work.Pictured: The Rt Hon. Theresa May MPPhoto Credit: Jay Allen - Copyright: Crown Copyright