Four inventive and creative reasons to visit Geneva

A manual current generator for mobile phones; what will this year's crop of inventors present? Keystone Archive

From May 1 to 5, Geneva is to host no fewer than four top international fairs, including the world-renowned Exhibition of Inventions.

The inventors’ fair is now in its 30th year and has developed a reputation for launching new products on the market. Deals were signed last year to sell, manufacture or distribute about 40 per cent of the inventions exhibited.

Last year’s winning entry for the inventor’s Grand Prix was the “Rooter Pot”. Billed as a micro ecosystem inside a pot, it reduces the time required for growing plants naturally.

Fashion and book fairs

The inventors’ fair at Geneva’s Palexpo exhibition centre will be accompanied this year for the second time by the Arts and Creations Fair. It allows artists, craftspeople and fashion designers to showcase their work.

There will be fashion shows and visitors can take part in workshops. About 250 artists and designers attended last year’s inaugural event.

Writers, publishers and painters will also be descending on the Palexpo centre during the same period for Geneva’s annual book fair, the “Salon du Livre” and the “Europ’art” art fair.

Brazil and the illustrator Valloton are among this year’s special themes at the book fair, which is expected again to attract more than 100,000 people.

swissinfo