As a symbolic act to mark the start of the work, the Swiss Confederation, represented by the general commissioner of Switzerland to Expo 2015, Dante Martinelli, and the president of Ticino Cantonal Council, Manuele Bertoli, representing the cantons of Graubünden, Ticino, Uri and Valais, presented the general contractor with a granite shard from the St Gotthard massif. "I am especially pleased that the first stone of the pavilion comes from the St Gotthard region. It is an excellent reflection of the spirit of our Swiss pavilion: solid, steeped in tradition and at the same time effective in building sustainable projects around the world," said Nicolas Bideau, head of Presence Switzerland at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The general manager of Expo 2015's Participants Division, Stefano Gatti, also took part in the ceremony.
The Swiss pavilion will take the form of a large, open platform measuring 4,432m2 with four towers visible from a distance, each of them filled with foodstuffs. Visitors will access the towers by lift and once they arrive on top will be able to help themselves to Swiss foodstuffs. As the towers gradually empty, the platforms underneath will lower, thus changing the structure of the pavilion. The progressive emptying of the towers will be recorded in real time and can also be followed via social media. Through this experience visitors will learn about the diversity and quality of Swiss food products and be prompted to think about their behaviour as consumers. Switzerland intends to present itself as a country with a deep-rooted sense of responsibility and solidarity in the area of food.
The base structure will be completed by January 2015. The exhibits and interior areas will be set up by the end of February 2015. The handover and the test phase for the whole structure will take place in March and April, enabling the Swiss pavilion to open its doors to the public on 1 May 2015. The House of Switzerland, situated next to the towers, will be the location for the water-themed exhibition by the cantons of Graubünden, Ticino, Uri and Valais, the exhibition by Nestlé, the restaurant, the auditorium and the VIP room. The cities of Basel, Geneva and Zurich will each in turn hold a series of thematic exhibitions on the ground floor of the towers, in a rich and varied cultural programme. Basel will focus on "Food for thought", in a nod to the city's rich cultural traditions. Zurich’s motto will be “A gulp of Zurich” to showcase itself as an innovative research centre and a sustainable lifestyle metropolis. Geneva will offer an artistic tour of “time”. Visitors will also be able to discover the new St Gotthard base tunnel, which will be inaugurated in 2016, and Switzerland's main tourist destinations through an interactive installation by Swiss Tourism and the activities of the partner cantons and cities of the Swiss pavilion. Once Expo 2015 is over, the towers will be recycled in cities around Switzerland as urban greenhouses. In fact 75% of the materials and infrastructure used for the Swiss pavilion will be recycled.
In 2012, the Federal Assembly approved a CHF 23.1 million credit for Switzerland’s participation in Expo 2015 – CHF 8 million of which is to be funded by sponsors. Among the main sponsors are Nestlé, Vacheron Constantin, Swiss Saltworks, Geberit, the four Gotthard partner cantons, the cities of Basel, Zurich and Geneva, and various suppliers. The sponsoring balance sheet is positive so far, with CHF 6 million received in cash and CHF 2 million in kind, in the form of products, events and conferences. This amount does not include an additional contribution of CHF 1.6 million by the Agro-Marketing Suisse association for the promotion of Swiss foodstuffs in the restaurant managed by Palexpo.
For further information
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA
Ambassador
Nicolas Bideau
Head of Presence Switzerland
nicolas.bideau@eda.admin.ch
Tel. +41 79 667 69 15
Andrea Arcidiacono
Head of Italy Programme/Expo 2015
Presence Switzerland
andrea.arcidiacono@eda.admin.ch,
Tel. +41 58 462 32 97, mobile: +41 79 291 13 47
Further information:
Swiss pavilion
Swiss pavilion Expo Milano 2015
Switzerland at Expo 2015: facts and figures
Address for enquiries:
Information FDFA
Bundeshaus West
CH-3003 Bern
Tel.: +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch
