10 Things You Did Not Know About Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Da Costa Silva

He is known and celebrated on the diplomatic and social circuits for his sense of style, his wit, and his sense of decorum. He is described by a number of his colleagues as the 'diplomat's diplomat'. To many, he's known simply as 'Antonio', to others, he is 'Your Excellency'. Antonio Da Costa Silva, the Brazilian Ambassador to Jamaica.

With Brazil set to become the international crossroads of the world when they stage the 2014 World Cup and the Olympics in 2016, all things Brazilian are now quite fashionable.

Today, Outlook shares 10 things previously not know about Brazil's first citizen here, His Excellency Ambassador Antonio Da Costa Silva.

1. He was conceived in Rio de Janeiro, but the ambassador, whose full name is Antonio Francisco Da Costa e Silva Neto, was born by chance in Lisbon, Portugal, sandwiched between a privileged older sister and a younger brother. He carries the name of his paternal grandfather, which explains the 'Neto' ('grandson' in Portuguese).

2. While he pursued a diploma in philosophy, he decided to join the Brazilian Diplomatic Academy 31 years ago, endorsing what seems to be a family trait: his father is a retired ambassador, his brother is the deputy chief of mission in Madrid, and his sister is wife of the Brazilian ambassador to Nigeria, not to mention a number of cousins who are either ambassadors or members of the Brazilian diplomatic service.

3. Ambassador Da Costa Silva is also married to a career diplomat, his deputy at the embassy, Minister Sylvia de Leoni Ramos, whom he met at the Brazilian Diplomatic Academy and with whom he has two sons: Bruno (24) and Alberto (22).

4. He has an extensive collection of bow ties, which he started wearing when he was admitted to the Brazilian Diplomatic Academy, as a lucky charm. He ties them himself and takes pride in never wearing a 'ready-made' bow tie.

5. As a son of a diplomat, the ambassador has lived in Lisbon, Caracas, Washington, Madrid, and Rome, as well as in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. As a career diplomat, he has served in New York, Montevideo, Santo Domingo, Paris, Asunción, Mexico City and, since May 2011, Kingston. Apart from Portuguese - his mother tongue - he is reasonably fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian.

6. During his diplomatic career, he specialised in multilateral political affairs, with an emphasis on disarmament issues, and in international investment issues, a theme he addressed in his doctoral thesis at the Brazilian Diplomatic Academy - 'The Responsibility of Transnational Companies in the International Context'. He also holds a bachelor's degree in diplomacy and has pursued postgraduate studies in the Programme for Strategic and International Security Studies at the Graduate Institute of International Studies, in Geneva.

7. The ambassador is an avid, albeit not very good, golfer. He is also an avid reader, slowly transitioning to e-books on his iPad.

8. He taught at the Brazilian Diplomatic Academy, as assistant professor of Brazilian contemporary foreign policy, and of history of ideas, and will contribute, in the near future, as a lecturer to the online course on nuclear disarmament organised by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.

9. His multilateral experience has helped him as permanent representative to the International Seabed Authority.

10. He is a recently converted vegan - his only regret is that he had to give up cheese.