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Foreign affairs

Ukraine conference in Switzerland: diplomacy against a historic backdrop

Many political heavyweights have met on this mountain.

The Bürgenstock hotel complex has a long history of high-ranking political meetings. Its security and discretion also attracts celebrities.

By Andrea Tognina

View of the Bürgenstock hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland that will host the June 15-16 Ukraine peace summit.

Foreign affairs

The latest on Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland

By Simon Bradley

The Ukraine peace conference will take place at the Bürgenstock hotel above Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland. The luxury resort has hosted previous peace talks on Sudan (2002) and Cyprus (2004).

Foreign affairs

All you need to know about Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland

By Simon Bradley

Ignazio Cassis und Wolodimir Selenski vor Landesflaggen

Foreign affairs

How the war in Ukraine has changed Switzerland

By Marc Leutenegger

Iraqi Foreign Minister: ‘Switzerland to reopen embassy in Baghdad within months’

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 In an exclusive interview with SWI swissinfo.ch, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced that Switzerland will reopen its embassy in Baghdad within months, ending decades of closure. 

Swiss Post sets out to reinvent the post office

This content was published on May 31, 2024 Swiss Post is one of the most lauded institutions in Switzerland, which is why efforts to reinvent it face some scepticism.

Rising Swiss obesity levels: Can new fat loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy help?

This content was published on May 31, 2024 The proportion of obese people in Switzerland has more than doubled over the last two decades.

Switzerland Today

This content was published on May 31, 2024 Pricey medicines, jets on the highway, Eurovision update and Chinese reluctance.

Big Pharma steps up race for AI-discovered drugs

This content was published on May 30, 2024 AI is speeding up drug discovery but bringing an AI-discovered drug to market won’t happen overnight.

Hidden wealth: Swiss NGO maps Africa’s undeclared gold flows

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Vast amounts of gold is smuggled out of Africa every year, according to a study by the NGO Swissaid.

Klaus Schwab, chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF) addresses attendees during the opening of the annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 16, 2024.

Klaus Schwab’s step back prompts fresh questions over Davos

This content was published on May 30, 2024 It is an awkward time for elitist gatherings of business and politics given rising geopolitical tensions and cracks in the multilateral order.

Our highlights

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Please join us for a live podcast recording of Inside Geneva

Our host Imogen Foulkes will be hosting this live podcast recording about role of the Geneva Conventions and international law on 5th June 12.30-13.30.

People are walking, mountains in the background.

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Swiss Film Selection

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

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“Let’s Talk” is SWI swissinfo.ch’s format to discuss relevant topics with high-profile experts and political figures.

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Check out our long format stories on topics like the Swiss pharma industry, Switzerland’s struggles with dirty gold, and living in the Alps.

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How do you dispose of rubbish in Switzerland? What are the visa requirements? It’s all here.

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We’d love to hear what you think about what’s going on in the world. You can find all of our debate questions here.

Switzerland ‘extremely concerned’ about spiralling violence in Middle East

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Switzerland has strongly condemned Hamas’ recent rocket fire on Israel and Israel’s attacks on a camp for displaced people in Rafah.

Masked Palestinian members of the "Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam" militia, the military wing of Hamas, hold their weapons and pose for the media during a march on the streets of Gaza City, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. Arabic on headband reads, "No God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet, Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam brigade." (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Swiss parties in favour of banning Hamas

This content was published on May 29, 2024 Swiss political parties want to ban Hamas and classify it as a terrorist organisation in Switzerland, which would prevent financing and propaganda activity.

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.

Should politics be kept out of sporting and cultural events?

Cultural and sporting events are being increasingly politicised. Is this a problem?

Join the discussion

May 28, 2024

1 Comments

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Swiss politicians agree that healthcare system has to change – but how?

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Parliament believes the Swiss healthcare system needs to be reformed, but the solutions differ. We discuss the issue in our Let’s Talk programme.

Who is Swiss Eurovision winner Nemo?

This content was published on May 29, 2024 A documentary follows the career of Nemo Mettler, who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 for Switzerland.

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.

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 Jun 2, 2024 – 07:51

South Africa’s potential kingmakers struggle with white image

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 07:36

Australia seeks military talks with China, ties with Philippines

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 07:17

Zelenskiy meets heads of state in Singapore, seeks support for security summit

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 06:57

China lands on moon’s far side in historic sample-retrieval mission

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 06:11

Russia threatens former chess champion Kasparov with criminal charges

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 05:39

North Korea sends 600 more trash balloons over border, South says

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 04:08

Chinese defence minister, Ukraine’s Zelenskiy dominate Asian security conference

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 03:11

UKMTO and Ambrey report incident near Yemen’s Hodeidah

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 01:44

Soccer-Real Madrid strike late to beat Dortmund and lift 15th European Cup

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 00:24

Boeing Starliner capsule’s first crewed test flight postponed minutes before launch

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 23:22

Artur Chilingarov, Russian polar scientist and member of parliament, dies at 84

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 22:52

South Africa’s ANC facing coalition as election ends decades of dominance

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 22:37

Mediators urge Israel and Hamas to finalise Biden’s Gaza peace plan

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 21:11

US shifts focus to China risks, Zelenskiy arrives at Asia defence meeting

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 20:33

Russia pounds Ukraine’s energy sector, Kyiv urges more air defence assistance

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 20:32

Russian missile injures 13 near Ukraine’s Kharkiv, prosecutors say

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 20:31

Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 20:28

Seoul warns public of more balloons being sent from North Korea

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 19:41

Moldovan opposition leader calls for better ties with Russia, China

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 19:12

Germany’s Christian Democratic party hit by ‘serious’ cyberattack

Bloomberg Business

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 – 07:33

Zelenskiy Asks Asia Leaders to Join Summit to End Russia’s War

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 17:52

Widespread Flooding Disrupts Cross-Border Transport in Germany

This content was published on Jun 1, 2024 – 07:00

UBS’s Ermotti Faults Swiss Regulators in Fight Against New Rules

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 23:05

S&P 500 Spikes in Final 20 Minutes of US Trading: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 16:48

Swiss Franc on Track for Best Week of 2024 After SNB Warning

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 13:44

UBS Completes Historic Takeover as Credit Suisse Ends

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 11:49

Zelenskiy to Join Singapore Defense Forum to Promote His Summit

This content was published on May 31, 2024 – 11:21

China Signals It May Skip Ukraine Conference in Switzerland

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 22:51

Tech Rout Hits Stocks as Treasuries Gain After GDP: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 16:29

UBS Fined by Swiss for Failing to Report Yemen-Linked Accounts

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 10:41

UBS Makes Karofsky and Khan Wealth Co-Heads in Management Shakeup

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 09:06

Swiss Watch Exports Post Surprise Jump After US Revival

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 09:00

Swiss Growth Unexpectedly Maintains Pace on Services, Consumers

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 08:10

Europe’s Travel Hotspots Are Changing This Summer

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 07:34

Switzerland’s Too-Big-to-Fail Plan Is Flawed, Ex-BOE Deputy Says

This content was published on May 30, 2024 – 02:00

Weaker Franc Is Key Risk to Swiss Inflation, SNB’s Jordan Says

This content was published on May 29, 2024 – 22:48

Stocks Fall as Weak Treasury Sale Lifts US Yields: Markets Wrap

This content was published on May 29, 2024 – 17:32

WeWork Rival’s CEO Sells $87 Million of Shares to Pay Bank Loan

This content was published on May 29, 2024 – 06:00

Swiss Support for Plan to Curb Health Costs Is Waning, Poll Says

This content was published on May 28, 2024 – 22:25

Treasuries Hit as US Sales Struggle to Lure Buyers: Markets Wrap

A Ukrainian soldier carries a drone close to the frontline near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine.

‘We have a unique opportunity to regulate autonomous weapons’

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Georgia Hinds, a legal adviser at the Red Cross, stresses the urgent need for a binding treaty to prohibit and restrict autonomous weapons by 2026.

Swiss politicians agree that healthcare system has to change – but how?

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Parliament believes the Swiss healthcare system needs to be reformed, but the solutions differ. We discuss the issue in our Let’s Talk programme.

June 9 votes: Swiss healthcare initiatives are losing support

This content was published on May 29, 2024 Initiatives to rein in healthcare costs have lost ground during the campaign, according to the second SBC poll.

Turning Swiss CO2 into Icelandic rock

This content was published on May 28, 2024 Efforts to capture carbon dioxide from dirty industries and store it deep underground are generating huge interest globally. Switzerland is also examining what to do about its hard-to-tackle CO2 emissions.

Swiss duo who saved Edelweiss Village scoop up award in Canada

This content was published on May 29, 2024 Two Swiss citizens have been recognised for their campaign to save a group of historic chalets, known as Edelweiss Village, in the Rocky Mountains.

Afrikaaners sing songs in 2014 to commemorate a Boer war battle near Dundee, South Africa.

In South Africa, right-wing white populists do politics but not the elections

This content was published on May 28, 2024 South Africa votes in a national election on May 29 in what is widely expected to be a landmark moment for the country’s post-apartheid democracy.

Winners and losers: sports betting in Switzerland

This content was published on May 27, 2024 With Euro 2024 and the Olympic Games just weeks away, bookmakers and punters are looking forward to a summer of betting on sports. But how easy is it to have a flutter in Switzerland?

Why watch sharing doesn’t work – even in Switzerland

This content was published on May 25, 2024 Is watch sharing a feasible business model, or is it fundamentally flawed?

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.

The magazine "Africa explored and colonised", published in Geneva between 1879 and 1894, can also be consulted online at the site of the Swiss National Library.

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.

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.

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.

Swiss distiller creates world’s best vodka in Cape Verde

This content was published on May 20, 2024 From Appenzell to an island in the Atlantic: how José Steiner shifted careers to become an award-winning vodka distiller.

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