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International Geneva

Unchecked empires: Who watches Geneva’s million-franc foundations?

illustration of the alpine country; Switzerland, money, graphic, details, WHO and a figure looking out with binoculars.

Wealthy donors come from around the world to create their non-profit foundations in Geneva. Where does the money come from?

By Claire-Marie Dikanska

illustration of the alpine country; Switzerland, money, graphic, details, WHO and Bill Gates.

International Geneva

Unchecked empires: who watches Geneva’s million-franc foundations?

By Claire-Marie Dikanska

Banking & Fintech

Switzerland’s global wealth crown up for grabs

By Matthew Allen

International Geneva

The changing face of International Geneva

By Julia Crawford

The UN Security Council is failing – this is why

This content was published on May 24, 2024 Switzerland currently sits on the UN Security Council, which is repeatedly paralysed. Small countries want to reform it.

The chocolate of the future will have less cocoa or none at all

This content was published on May 24, 2024 The high price of cocoa beans along with laws against deforestation have sparked a hunt for new chocolate ingredients.

A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is tested as part of Russia's nuclear exercises from a launch site in Plesetsk, north-west Russia.

Threat of nuclear war paralyses International Geneva

This content was published on May 24, 2024 The risk of nuclear warfare is at its highest point in decades, warns the UN. Can diplomacy address such an existential threat?

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of canton Jura, the canton launched a photo competition, “Il flotte notre Drapeau” (Our flag is flying).

Switzerland today

This content was published on May 24, 2024 A Swiss cantonal flag travels the world: find out why in today’s briefing.

Geneva’s early double standards on colonialism

This content was published on May 23, 2024 Geneva is reviewing its historical links to colonialism. But a new exhibition shows that some of the most offensive expansionist behaviour came from humanitarian icons.

People are walking, mountains in the background.

How are you? What is on your mind? Take part in our big survey

This content was published on May 24, 2024 We would like to know what concerns you in your everyday life and your thoughts on major issues of the time.

Explainer: Switzerland and the recognition of Palestine

This content was published on May 24, 2024 On Wednesday Ireland, Spain and Norway said they would recognise a Palestinian state. What are the chances of Switzerland following suit?

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SWI swissinfo.ch offers a selection of Swiss films in English chosen from the Swiss streaming platform Play Suisse.

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Explainer: Switzerland and the recognition of Palestine

This content was published on May 24, 2024 On Wednesday Ireland, Spain and Norway said they would recognise a Palestinian state. What are the chances of Switzerland following suit?

Pro-Palestine uni protests to be debated in Swiss parliament

This content was published on May 20, 2024 The Swiss People’s Party says it will launch two postulates calling for clarifications about the recent student protests and occupations.

A group of students seated on the floor inside a university hall. In the middle of the group is a sign reading "UZH students against genocide".

Swiss student group condemns campus occupations

This content was published on May 17, 2024 Some aspects of pro-Palestine sit-ins have gone too far, but the right to protest and debate must be upheld, the student association has said.

Swiss police remove protestors from University of Bern.

Swiss police clear pro-Palestinian students protesting in Bern

This content was published on May 15, 2024 Police moved in early on Wednesday to remove some 30 pro-Palestinian student protesters from a Bern university building.

Red Cross sets up Rafah emergency field hospital

This content was published on May 14, 2024 The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.

Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva

This content was published on May 14, 2024 The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.

Students hang up large signs and sit on the floor in a university building in Fribourg

Pro-Palestine protests extend to Basel and Fribourg universities

This content was published on May 13, 2024 Demonstrators called for an academic boycott of all Israeli institutions and disassociation with Chaim Weizmann, the first Israeli president.

About 60 people crowd into the entrance of a university building. One is waving a Palestinian flag.

Swiss pro-Palestine protest reaches University of Bern

This content was published on May 13, 2024 Another Swiss university joins sit-ins to protest the worsening situation in the Middle East.

Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership

This content was published on May 11, 2024 On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).

Student protesters at a sit-in at University of Lausanne

Lausanne students end night-time Gaza protest

This content was published on May 9, 2024 The night-time occupation of a building at the University of Lausanne that began on May 2 ended on Wednesday evening.

Police officers supervise Pro-Palestinian demonstrators during protest in the entrance hall of the main building of the ETH Zurich on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland. (

Swiss Jewish group concerned about university protests

This content was published on May 8, 2024 The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities worries that protests are taking on ideological and radicalised features.

Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation

This content was published on May 8, 2024 After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.

A blowing flag with the emblem of the Red Cross on top of the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC in Geneva, Switzerland

Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October

This content was published on May 8, 2024 The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.

The hall of EPFL’s architecture building in Lausanne is currently occupied by around 50 Pro-Palestinian protesters.

University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave

This content was published on May 7, 2024 Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.

Pro-Palestinie sit-in at University of Lausanne.

University of Lausanne calls for end to pro-Palestine sit-in

This content was published on May 7, 2024 The pro-Palestinian occupation continues at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). On Monday evening, a group of students refused to agree to the deadline set by the rectorate.

How can democracy be enhanced in schools

How can we improve democracy education to better prepare students for civic engagement?

Join the discussion

May 24, 2024

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What is at stake in the two initiatives on healthcare costs?

This content was published on May 22, 2024 Rising healthcare costs are the main concern of Swiss voters going to the ballot boxes on June 9.

The small robot aiming to explore volcanic tunnels on the moon

This content was published on May 7, 2024 In the not-too-distant future, a hopping Swiss-developed robot could be bound for the moon to pave the way for future missions.

How drug prices are negotiated in Switzerland and beyond

This content was published on Apr 23, 2024 Switzerland’s pharmaceutical sector supplies drugs worldwide, but not all countries receive them with the same price tag. Here’s why.

woman in black shirt pointing at camera with blue background and emojis

How you view the problem of low birth rates in Switzerland

This content was published on Apr 22, 2024 Why do you think the Swiss birthrate has fallen so low. What impact will this have?

Guerreiro do Divino Amor poses in front of the "Fountain of Helvetia", part of the installation at the Swiss Pavilion in Venice.

An Alpine carnival: Switzerland stars as a superfiction at the Venice Biennale

This content was published on Apr 20, 2024 The Swiss-Brazilian artist Guerreiro do Divino Amor will represent Switzerland for the 60th edition of the Venice Art Biennale.

Switzerland’s long-standing love of cartography

This content was published on Apr 17, 2024 Long world-renowned, Swiss maps have in recent years managed to reach a wider public.

Moon robots learn to walk – in Zurich

This content was published on Apr 13, 2024 Scientists in Switzerland are developing robots that will one day explore the Moon or Mars.

a customs officer looking through luggage

Drug-busting with customs officers at Zurich airport

This content was published on Apr 12, 2024 Watch: Gino the sniffer dog helps in the search for cocaine smuggled into Switzerland via Zurich airport.

Flexible retirement could help plug labour gaps in Switzerland

This content was published on Apr 3, 2024 At a stretch, people of retirement age could be persuaded to stay at work longer.

Former CERN director Herwig Schopper – a centenarian on the impact of physics

This content was published on Mar 22, 2024 The German physicist and former director of CERN looks back at some of the highlights and encounters of his career.

Tandem jumps are even more dangerous than BASE jumping.

Should tandem BASE jumping be banned in the Swiss Alps?

This content was published on Mar 19, 2024 A new type of extreme sport is making people see red in the Alpine town of Lauterbrunnen: tandem BASE jumping.

How we work: comment moderation

This content was published on Mar 13, 2024 Are comments on SWI swissinfo.ch censored? How do we moderate your contributions? In this video we make our moderation transparent.

‘Yes’ to more state pension in Switzerland

This content was published on Mar 3, 2024 Watch the reaction to Sunday’s vote on raising Swiss state pensions.

A man looking at a vegan cheese wheel on a table.

Redefining what Swiss cheese can be

This content was published on Feb 29, 2024 New Roots has managed to grow from a market stall to a 4,000m2 factory in a span of eight years.

How we work: sources

This content was published on Feb 28, 2024 How does SWI swissinfo.ch track down and vet sources? Find out in the latest installment of our “how we work” series.

Read more: How we work: sources

External Content

Each day, SWI swissinfo.ch selects and presents content from our European public service media partners as part of a project of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Reuters International

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:57

European G7 ministers warn over China trade war risks

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:55

Putin wants Ukraine ceasefire on current frontlines, sources say

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:53

More UK Conservative lawmakers set to quit than before 1997 election defeat

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:50

Putin in Belarus to discuss security, tactical nuclear weapon exercises

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:44

Reaction to World Court’s order for Israel to halt Rafah assault in Gaza

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:38

Man shot dead by police in riot-hit New Caledonia – media

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:31

EU considers possible Rafah border mission, diplomats say

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:28

Food bound for Gaza rots in the sun as Egypt’s Rafah crossing stays shut

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:21

Wall St rallies, Treasury yields steady ahead of holiday weekend

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:05

Hundreds feared dead after landslide flattens remote Papua New Guinea village

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:59

World Court orders Israel to halt assault on Gaza’s Rafah

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:53

EU wants answers from Russia on ‘unacceptable’ Estonian border action

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:52

Putin says nuclear drills are not an escalation

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:40

Explainer-What is South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ?

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:38

Strikes continue in Gaza, as UN court orders Israel to halt Rafah assault

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:37

Ukraine anti-corruption agency probes suspected leak

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:21

Turbulent year for Israel on the global stage

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:21

Georgia’s ruling party accuses US of ‘blackmail’ over visa restrictions

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:02

No sign of foul play in Iran president’s deadly helicopter crash, early report says

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 16:01

Trump’s attacks on early voting muddle Republican election plans

Bloomberg Business

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 17:20

Stocks Rebound as Consumers Revise Inflation Path: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 12:13

Adnoc, Aramco Said to Mull Bids for Shell South Africa Assets

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 11:00

SNB Doesn’t Have to Follow Peers on Transparency, Jordan Says

This content was published on May 24, 2024 – 08:23

A New Trade War Offers No Easy Way Back for Old Global Order

This content was published on May 23, 2024 – 22:40

Stocks Join Bonds in Falling as Fed-Cut Bets Wane: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 23, 2024 – 19:32

Biden Set to Skip Ukraine Peace Summit for Hollywood Fundraiser

This content was published on May 22, 2024 – 16:51

Glencore Keeps Russian Aluminum Contract But Metal Flows Dry Up

This content was published on May 22, 2024 – 16:00

Copper Frenzy Draws Mining Giants to Argentina After Milei’s Reforms

This content was published on May 22, 2024 – 13:51

US Futures Steady as Nvidia Results Grab Spotlight: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 22, 2024 – 11:17

Morgan Stanley Was ‘Angry’ as Archegos Fell, Witness Says

This content was published on May 22, 2024 – 10:00

Billionaires in US, Southeast Asia Say Higher Taxes Are Top Risk

This content was published on May 22, 2024 – 07:00

Nigeria Taps Tinubu’s Ally to Build a $13 Billion Highway

This content was published on May 21, 2024 – 22:17

S&P 500 Hits Fresh Highs in Countdown to Nvidia

This content was published on May 21, 2024 – 19:14

World Economic Forum Founder Klaus Schwab Stepping Down by 2025

This content was published on May 21, 2024 – 15:57

Nestlé Courts People Taking Weight-Loss Drugs With Frozen Pizza

This content was published on May 21, 2024 – 12:37

Roche Breast Cancer Medicine to Get Expedited FDA Review

This content was published on May 20, 2024 – 20:36

It’s PhDs Against MBAs in Credit Investing as Quants Jump In

This content was published on May 20, 2024 – 16:01

BOE’s Broadbent Says UK Interest Rates May Drop This Summer

This content was published on May 20, 2024 – 14:15

Asian Stocks Rise After US Gains, China Support: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 20, 2024 – 14:10

Energy Mogul Makes 100-Year Bet on Argentina’s Mineral Wealth

Golden passport? Certain groups struggle to become Swiss, study shows

This content was published on May 23, 2024 Well-educated and well-off immigrants are pulling ahead when it comes to getting the passport, a new study shows.

Demonstranten halten Transparente an der Kundgebung Basel Nazifrei in Basel, am Samstag, 28. November 2020.

Political rifts are less deep in Switzerland than elsewhere

This content was published on May 23, 2024 In Switzerland the emotional rifts in politics have not widened, a new study by the University of Basel shows.

Victims and their relatives demonstrate outside the Swiss Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona in canton Ticino, Switzerland, prior to the start of the trial against former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko on Monday, January 8, 2024.

Swiss conviction of Ousman Sonko sends ‘resounding message’ against impunity

This content was published on May 21, 2024 Former Gambian politician Ousman Sonko was sentenced in Switzerland on May 15 under the universal jurisdiction for crimes against humanity.

Unchecked empires: who watches Geneva’s million-franc foundations?

This content was published on May 22, 2024 Wealthy donors come from around the world to create their non-profit foundations in Geneva. Where does the money come from?

The power the US wields over the Swiss financial centre

This content was published on May 22, 2024 In 2012 Konrad Hummler, partner of Wegelin private bank, had to sell the bank under pressure from the US.

Swiss Better Gold Association: ‘We are proud of our results, so far’

This content was published on May 21, 2024 An inteview with Diana Culillas on her work to connect artisinal gold miners to Swiss supply chains.

From the cute to the horrific: Switzerland’s weirdest museums

This content was published on May 22, 2024 Switzerland has some of the biggest and best museums in the world, but it is also home to some really bizarre and niche ones.

Lauterbrunnen is one of Switzerland’s most iconic destinations with its breathtaking scenery, sites like the Staubbach Falls and Alpine charm. But the small mountain village continues to attract a growing number of tourists.

Swiss village of Lauterbrunnen mulls Venice-style tourist entry charge

This content was published on May 16, 2024 Lauterbrunnen, with its Instagram-friendly Alpine waterfalls and cliffs, is a victim of overtourism. It is now considering whether to follow Venice and start charging day-trippers for access.

One of Hodler's more iconic works: Der Tag (The Day), 1904/1906

Swiss artists remix Ferdinand Hodler for the 21st century

This content was published on May 15, 2024 Zurich’s Kunsthaus highlights Ferdinand Hodler’s more progressive stances through the eyes, and works, of contemporary artists.

Is Geneva still the capital of peace?

This content was published on May 13, 2024 As multilateral diplomacy and Swiss neutrality come under pressure, Geneva’s reputation as a place of peace is also at risk.

Ten Swiss traditions on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list

This content was published on May 6, 2024 Yodelling might be the next Swiss tradition to make it onto the UNESCO Cultural Heritage list along side a ‘once in a generation’ festival and watchmaking.

Press freedom under attack: our journalists bear witness

This content was published on May 3, 2024 To mark World Press Freedom Day, SWI swissinfo.ch’s international journalists talk about the obstacles they have faced in their reporting.

Dominic Nahr named Swiss press photographer of the Year

This content was published on Apr 30, 2024 Dominic Nahr, known for his war reportages, is the big winner of the Swiss press photography awards this year.

In Focus