A year ago, the Swiss architect Emilie Schmid boarded a flight for Beirut wearing the uniform of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit as a member of a team that helped rebuild the city after the tragic explosion. She talks about her experience and the importance of Swiss humanitarian aid. We are publishing this article to mark World Humanitarian Day and pay tribute to the many people who dedicate their lives to helping others.

Formerly head of the Humanitarian Aid Department at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), 75-year-old Toni Frisch has channelled his energies over the past six years into coordinating humanitarian aid in eastern Ukraine. Following the end of his term of office at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in June, now is the perfect time to spotlight his wealth of experience and forthright championing of those most in need.

On World Refugee Day, we are in Geneva where a new hub has taken up residence at the UNHCR. Launched by Switzerland and the UN refugee agency, the Geneva Technical Hub is a centre of expertise dedicated to the greening of humanitarian action.

Switzerland deems the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare to be a war crime, regardless of the type of conflict (international or civil war). It has proposed that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) be amended so as to have this recognised more widely at international level.

Switzerland and Ukraine intend to use the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano on 4 and 5 July as a springboard for a broad-based political and diplomatic process that sets out a path to reconstruction for Ukraine. Around 40 states and 20 international organisations have been invited to the conference.

In line with the Framework Agreement signed in September 2020 and in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Switzerland and Uzbekistan are negotiating a restitution agreement for the return of assets definitively forfeited in criminal proceedings in connection with Ms. Gulnara Karimova. These assets will be returned for the benefit of the population of Uzbekistan through a new United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund (the Fund) once the details of the mechanism have been agreed upon and a legally binding restitution agreement has been signed.

This year, Switzerland celebrates 100 years of its diplomatic presence in the Kingdom of Morocco. It all began with the opening of the first representation in Casablanca. A century later, relations have expanded considerably and are very wide-ranging. Morocco is a major partner in the implementation of the Federal Council's Middle East and North Africa (MENA) strategy. This anniversary highlights the strong ties that bind the two countries.

On 2 November, Switzerland and Indonesia celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. Batik culture, an economic partnership agreement that came into force on 1 November, Swiss vocational education and training in Indonesia, traditional shadow theatre, gamelan music, a hand-made road and Swiss disaster relief – the stories behind an excellent partnership.

Russia's military aggression against Ukraine is also an attack on human rights, democracy and the rule of law – principles that the organisation works to uphold. But the Council of Europe has responded, says Christian Meuwly, permanent representative of Switzerland to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. And the principles of the Council of Europe also feature in the Lugano Declaration, which forms a political framework for Ukraine's reconstruction.

President of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis will attend the high-level opening week of the 77th UN General Assembly from 20 to 21 September. With wars, a pandemic, climate change and energy shortages, this year's session is taking place in a difficult context. With his participation, Mr Cassis will highlight that the UN is needed more than ever and must continue to operate effectively in this time of multiple crises. All news in the news ticker.

Appearing at Swissminiatur together with the foreign diplomatic corps, on 10 September 2022 President Cassis praised Switzerland's decision to join the UN 20 years ago and inaugurated a model of the Palais des Nations at the park in Melide (canton Ticino) as a tribute to International Geneva and a symbol of effective multilateralism. Read on for more on what was said at the time of accession, Switzerland's achievements since then, and the new challenges in today's climate of crisis.

On 31 August 2022, the Federal Council adopted four thematic priorities for Switzerland's seat on the UN Security Council for the 2023-24 period: building sustainable peace, protecting civilians in armed conflict, addressing climate security and enhancing the effectiveness of the Security Council. The priorities were consulted with the foreign policy commissions. The priorities in brief.

You've got your hotel room with sea view sorted. But unwelcome surprises frequently crop up during a trip. To take the stress out of travel, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) recommends that you download the Travel Admin app, register, and enter your trips abroad before leaving for your holiday. The free app provides useful information, tips and checklists so that you may carefully plan your trip; what's more, it can prove to be an essential tool offering assistance in the event of an emergency.

The Consular Directorate (KD) provides a wide range of services – including the issuing of passports, emigration advice and emergency assistance abroad – to support Swiss citizens in Switzerland and abroad. Read on to learn about some of the wide range of services provided by the KD.

This year's launch of Mission August 1st marks the first time the FDFA is celebrating Switzerland's national holiday online. At the heart of the project is a multilingual and interactive website to help the Swiss community abroad and Swiss enthusiasts around the world celebrate this day together.

The FDFA advises caution and preparation when travelling during the summer holidays. Information on the regulations of the country of destination as well as on the rules for returning to Switzerland are prerequisites.

During his trip to the West African country of Niger with National Council President Irène Kälin and ICRC President Peter Maurer, President Ignazio Cassis stopped in the city of Agadez, among other places. The large region is marked by a migration crisis because it is situated on the transit route for refugees and people seeking protection in Europe. The Swiss delegation visited a migration centre in Agadez and a project financed by the ICRC to support people with disabilities.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs are announcing the second edition of the Swiss Youth and Future Prize. The 'Together we're better' competition is asking young people up to age 35 to submit projects that promote sustainable development and help fight poverty in the Global South. Another goal of the competition is to offer young people the opportunity to become involved in international cooperation work.

Carl Emery (52), an officer in Geneva's cantonal police force, has been working on his first mission in Africa since October 2020. He is a member of the FDFA's Swiss Expert Pool for Civilian Peacebuilding and runs projects that aim to reform Mali's national security institutions. The programme is in keeping with the commitment to multilateral peace efforts emphasised by Ignazio Cassis on his visit to the country at the beginning of February. Read on for a first-hand account.

More than 600 million children and young people worldwide are still deprived of an education. The UNESCO International Day of Education on 24 January reminds us of this and highlights the importance of education for equality of opportunity and for peace. Switzerland - with its high-quality school system and the successful recipe of dual vocational education and training - helps to create sustainable opportunities.

The FDFA has been supporting the Middle East Mediterranean Summer Summit organised by the Università della Svizzera italiana for five years. The summit brings together young people from the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean Europe. And the dialogue resonates far beyond Lugano: listening to the younger generation is key to implementing a foreign policy that reflects the challenges in this region. Ambassador Maya Tissafi explains.

Armed conflicts increases the use of terms that are closely related to international humanitarian law, such as the Geneva Conventions and war crimes. International humanitarian law, also known as the law of armed conflict or the law of war (ius in bello), applies only in armed conflicts and has two functions: it regulates the conduct of hostilities on the one hand and protects the victims of armed conflicts on the other. Q&As.

On 4 and 5 July, the city of Lugano will host the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2022), bringing together representatives of states and international organisations committed to supporting Ukraine's recovery. Four people from Italian-speaking Switzerland voice their thoughts on the importance of this conference and their own contribution to peace. Solidarity, dialogue and exchange are the key words here.

The reconstruction of Ukraine will be discussed in Lugano at the beginning of July. Q&As on the goals and implementation of the international conference.

President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek, visited Switzerland between 30 April and 3 May. The aim of the visit was to present Swiss federalism in situ. Are there any experiences from his visit that he could now apply profitably in the Netherlands and in the Congress? He answers our questions.

President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek, is visiting Switzerland between 30 April and 3 May. The aim of the visit is to present Swiss federalism in situ. David Eray, president of the Cantonal Council of Jura and head of the Swiss delegation to the Congress, is accompanying Mr Verbeek on his trip, which will also include a visit to the Landsgemeinde in Glarus. Interview.

Current foreign policy issues are being discussed at the Ambassadors' and Foreign Network Conference from 23 to 26 August 2021 in Bern. The topics range from cyber security to equal opportunities and also include European policy. In this context, it is interesting to take a look at other countries that, like Switzerland, do not belong to the EU and have chosen their own paths in bilateral relations – such as the United Kingdom and Norway.

Just a few weeks after the institutional agreement negotiations with the EU were terminated, the Federal Council started working towards the unblocking of the second Swiss contribution to selected EU member states. These framework credits are intended to contribute to greater cohesion within the EU and to improved migration management in Europe. Ruth Huber, head of the SDC's Cooperation with Eastern Europe Department, answers our questions on this topic.

Religious actors and organisations often have a key role to play in peace and dialogue processes. Their non-partisanship often grants them both access to and legitimacy with conflicting parties. Ambassador Simon Geissbühler, head of the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) at the FDFA's State Secretariat, has met with representatives of the Vatican and the Protestant and Jewish communities for talks in Rome. For the FDFA, ecumenical dialogue is a welcome platform for peace.

When the Évian Accords were signed by Algeria and France some sixty years ago, they put an end to 132 years of French occupation and more than seven years of war. Algeria declared independence shortly afterwards, on 5 July 1962. Switzerland played a key role in facilitating the signing of the accords, in no small part thanks to the perseverance and discretion of one of its diplomats, Olivier Long.

Switzerland is working to ensure that women play an active role in conflict prevention and peace processes, and that their rights are protected. The Women Peace and Security Focal Points Network, of which Switzerland and 90 other countries and organisations are members, is a key instrument to this end. Switzerland is co-chairing the network with South Africa in 2022. What objectives do the co-chairs pursue? An interview with Talia Wohl, Switzerland's representative in the Network.

Democracy, the rule of law and human rights are under pressure in Europe too. The European Court of Human Rights is working to remedy this. The court is using a new strategy to adapt to current trends such as digitalisation and COVID-19. The FDFA is providing CHF 250,000 in funding to support this strategic realignment so that pending cases can be processed more rapidly.

The FDFA and Switzerland's representations abroad are once again participating in the Week of the Italian Language in the World, whose theme this year is 'Young People and the Italian Language'. To mark the occasion, FDFA interns created a video of their study trip to Italian-speaking Switzerland. We join them in Bellinzona, before heading on to Paris to hear some tips from the Swiss embassy in France.

At the invitation of the Canton of Ticino, a special train leaves Bern on 14 September 2022 for Lugano in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino to mark Ignazio Cassis' presidential year. The party includes Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, members of Parliament, Federal Administration staff and distinguished guests from all across Switzerland. The train makes four stops along the way to allow Mr Cassis to meet representatives of cantonal and communal authorities and members of the public.

Sin invit dal chantun Tessin parta il president da la Confederaziun Ignazio Cassis ils 14 da settember 2022 cun il tren spezial davent da Berna per viagiar en la Svizra taliana. Là han lieu las festivitads per ses onn presidial. Sin ses viadi vegn el accumpagnà dal cusseglier federal Guy Parmelin sco er da parlamentarias e parlamentaris, da collavuraturas e collavuraturs da l'administraziun federala e da giasts illusters da l'entira Svizra. Il tren sa ferma quatter giadas per inscunters cun represchentantas e represchentants d'autoritads chantunalas e communalas sco er cun la populaziun.

On 12 July 2022, Switzerland presented its second country report on progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to the UN member states in New York. Jacques Ducrest, the Federal Council Delegate for the 2030 Agenda, believes Switzerland is on track, but must step up the pace to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Read more in the interview.

The global power structure is in flux. New technologies and the nature of conflict are changing radically. This is highlighted by the crisis in Ukraine and unresolved issues concerning Europe's security architecture. In the Federal Council's Arms Control and Disarmament Strategy, President of the Confederation Ignazio Cassis indicates that Switzerland wishes to continue tried-and-tested approaches while also adopting innovative new ones. This contributes to greater security and strengthens Switzerland’s role.

The priorities of Switzerland’s action plan for 2022–25 are to develop a dialogue process with a view to an anniversary summit in Helsinki in 2025, to consolidate the foundations of the OSCE, strengthen arms control and increase mediation capabilities in conflict situations. We interviewed Thomas Greminger, former secretary general of the OSCE.

As Switzerland presides over the Second Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the time is right to give voice to victims.

Switzerland fights vigorously against cluster munitions. Unfortunately, these weapons, which cause significant humanitarian damage, are still in use today. Like some hundred other states parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Switzerland is committed to halting their proliferation and promotes the universalisation of the Convention.

Xavier Mertz was the first Swiss polar explorer to set foot in Antarctica in 1911, but his drive to explore the region came at a bitter price. Although polar exploration today is less dramatic, it is even more urgent than ever before. To mark Swiss Polar Day, the head of the FDFA's Prosperity and Sustainability Division, Stefan Estermann, talks about the role Swiss polar research has to play and how Switzerland is stepping up its commitment to scientific diplomacy.

The establishment of CERN in Geneva in 1954 played its own part in the reconstruction of post-Second World War Europe. The man behind the initiative was Professor Herwig Schopper. Now, at the age of 97, this wise man is still a champion of peace and scientific development and is working on the creation of new institutes in different strategic regions of the world.

New technologies are becoming increasingly important to foreign policy: what opportunities does digitalisation bring and which aspects need to be regulated? International Geneva provides a platform for Switzerland in promoting dialogue between the scientific and diplomatic communities. The Federal Council seeks to strengthen Geneva's role as a digital governance hub and has now appointed Ambassador Alexandre Fasel as the first special representative for science diplomacy in Geneva.

The FDFA supports the ETH Zurich in the production of affordable ventilators in the Ukraine. On June 30, 2020, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and the Ukrainian Ambassador to Switzerland, Artem Rybchenko, signed an agreement to provide start-up funding for an ETH project that will make such ventilators affordable for newly industrialized (NIC) and developing countries.

COVID-19 has an impact on our lives in Switzerland and abroad. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) summarises the most important information regarding travelling and living abroad in its COVID-19 news ticker. The information is constantly being added to.

In this guest article for the NZZ, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis takes his own look back at an extraordinary year – a whirlwind 12 months that left little time for reflection amid ever-changing case numbers. Cassis addresses a number of questions. Who decides how much a human life is worth? How important are open borders? And how will we make sense of it all whenever normality returns?

On Monday evening, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis was a guest on the programme "60 Minuti" on RSI. The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) spoke about the importance of federalism in Switzerland and the measures adopted by the Federal Council to combat the COVID 19 pandemic. Among other things, personal responsibility and mutual solidarity are decisive factors in the fight against the pandemic.

Poor sanitary conditions pose a health risk. This is a major problem, particularly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even today, one third of the world's population has no adequate access to clean water. To help people living poverty protect themselves during the current pandemic, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is supporting hygiene awareness campaigns and the creation of more handwashing stations.