Swiss abroad: a priority for the foreign ministry.

via swissinfo.ch

As Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey prepared to take over the post of Swiss president, she shared with Swiss public radio DRS her view of the year ahead.

It is the second time that Calmy-Rey has held Switzerland’s largely ceremonial presidency, which rotates annually among the seven cabinet members. But 2011 promises to be more eventful than her previous term in 2007, owing to global financial problems and difficult relations with the European Union.

The president has no special powers or privileges and continues to run his or her own ministry. The job includes chairing the weekly cabinet meetings and representing Switzerland on ceremonial occasions.

Calmy-Rey told German-language DRS – like swissinfo part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation –  that she wanted to see Switzerland more self-confident and less self-critical. (swissinfo.ch)

Editorial Note

Renewing her pledge of August 2010 to make the concerns of the Swiss abroad an important focus in Swiss politics, Mme Calmy-Rey responded to Géraldine Eicher of DRS public radio’s question:

“DRS: The Swiss living abroad want their situation to become a national priority. Is that a realistic hope?

M.C.-R.: The Swiss abroad are a priority for the foreign ministry and for me. Not only the 700,000 who live abroad, but also the many Swiss who travel abroad as tourists.

This is such a high priority that we have set up a consular directorate in the foreign ministry which in case of need can provide any Swiss person abroad with consular protection.”

Merci Mme President Calmy-Rey, and Thank You to our Federal Councillors for paying attention to the 700,000 Swiss living outside Switzerland (including “us”, the 13,000+ constituents living between Santa Barbara and San Diego, Arizona Colorado and New Mexico.)

 

from left to right: Johann Schneider-Ammann, Didier Burkhalter, Doris Leuthard, Micheline Calmy-Rey (President 2011), Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (Vice President 2011), Ueli Maurer, Simonetta Sommaruga, (Federal Chancellor Corina Casanova also pictured).

RSVP: Minaret Diplomacy & Challenges for Swiss Public Diplomacy

Ambassador Johannes Matyassy: Minaret Diplomacy & Challenges for Swiss Public Diplomacy  Thursday, December 2, 2010 12:00 PM Venue: USC; SOS B40 The USC Center on Public Diplomacy is pleased to host Ambassador Johannes Matyassy, head of public diplomacy at Presence Switzerland.  When Switzerland conducted a referendum on banning minarets, it received massive media coverage worldwide and faced criticism from international organizations, governments and religious leaders, especially from the Muslim world. In response, Switzerland opted for a proactive communication strategy abroad. Soon after the vote, attention shifted from blaming Switzerland to a broader European perspective, addressing general issues related to migration and integration. Ambassador Johannes Matyassy, head of Switzerland’s public diplomacy,will talk about his country’s experiences in this case and about lessons learned for public diplomacy in general.   DATE: Thursday, December 2, 2010 TIME: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM LOCATION: USC; SOS B40 To R.s.v.p and for additional event information, please click here

Albert Gallatin: America’s Swiss Founding Father

Statue of Albert Gallatin in front of the north side of the U.S. Treasury Building in Washington, D.C. - Image via Wikipedia

via ThinkSwiss.org

The Embassy of Switzerland invites you to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the birth of Albert Gallatin, the most prominent Swiss-American in U.S. history.

Albert Gallatin, born in January 1761 and raised in Geneva, immigrated to the United States and became a U.S. Senator, a Congressman, the longest-serving U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. negotiator of the Treaty of Ghent, U.S. Minister to France and Britain, and the first president of the Council of New York University, among other distinctions.

In honor of Albert Gallatin’s 250th birthday year, the Swiss Confederation has launched the Gallatin250 Project, including the Gallatin250 Roundtables. The Gallatin250 Roundtables will be organized as a series of events throughout the U.S. to address the topic of public debt and fiscal responsibility.

swissinfo.ch Swiss Abroad survey is online

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Your opinion matters! Swissinfo is interested in how you keep yourself informed about what is going on in the world and in your home country, Switzerland.

By completing swissinfo’s yearly survey you will be helping them understand more about the information needs of Swiss people living abroad, and how they can improve their services.

Congrès des Suisses de l’étranger à Saint-Gall : le Musée était présent

by Musée des Suisses dans le Monde – Museum of the Swiss Abroad on Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 6:36am

Ciel (presque) sans nuages pour l’Organisation des Suisses de l’étranger (OSE). A son Congrès de St Gall, elle a pu entendre une ministre des Affaires étrangères résolue à faire progresser la cause de la 5e Suisse.

Changement de décor samedi pour les Suisses de l’étranger. Après le Conseil en la salle du parlement cantonal, au cœur de l’ancien couvent de St Gall, dominé par la masse imposante et pourtant légère de la rutilante cathédrale baroque, c’est une halle de foire de l’OLMA qui accueille les quelques centaines de délégués du Congrès.

Point d’orgue de la journée: l’allocution de la ministre des Affaires étrangères Micheline Calmy-Rey, venue dire aux Suisses de l’étranger à quel point ils comptent pour elle et pour la patrie