The fourth edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum will be dedicated to the topic 'Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World'. In a world marked by complex challenges and crises, the forum will aim to underscore the importance of diplomacy in crisis management. Mr Cassis will take part in a panel on 'Effective mediation' and highlight Switzerland's role in peacebuilding, mediation and facilitation. Switzerland's good offices are in demand around the world, and over the years it has acquired much experience and the necessary expertise in this field. Peace and security are also a priority of the Foreign Policy Strategy 2024–27. Switzerland aims to adapt its good offices and peacebuilding to the changed international environment and supplement them with new instruments such as science diplomacy.
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is attended by ministers, heads of government and state from over 40 countries as well as representatives of major international organisations. While attending the forum, Mr Cassis will also hold bilateral talks, including with the Turkish foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, and the secretary general of the OSCE, Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu. The discussions will focus on the security policy challenges facing Europe, the general geopolitical situation and Switzerland's upcoming term as chair of the OSCE in 2026. The visit to Turkey will also provide an opportunity to reaffirm Switzerland's commitment to democratic values and fundamental rights.
100 years of friendship between Switzerland and Turkey
To mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of a treaty of friendship between Switzerland and Turkey, Mr Cassis will visit Istanbul and Ankara on 10 April. At the State Art and Sculpture Museum in Ankara, Mr Cassis will open 'Swiss Traces in Ankara', an exhibition of photos by renowned Swiss writer and photographer Annemarie Schwarzenbach, who travelled through Turkey in the 1930s. Mr Cassis will later attend a concert entitled 'Modernités Croisées' by Swiss pianists Joanna Goodale and Layla Ramezan.
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