CommunicationPublished on 1 February 2026

Diplomacy through the ages

The history of Swiss diplomacy is rich in diversity: «Diplomacy through the ages» shows in words and pictures how this profession has changed over 175 years. A series of pictures to discover and a message from Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis on the project.

• Rumantsch

  In cordial bainvegni sin la pagina dal DFAE «La diplomazia en il decurs dal temp»!

  L'idea per quest project è naschida gia avant la pandemia da COVID. Sco schef da la diplomazia svizra era jau numnadamain adumbatten a la tschertga d'ina istorgia illustrada davart la diplomazia svizra. Jau vuleva ma laschar inspirar, per definir da nov ils profils professiunals dals diplomats dal 21avel tschientaner. La recrutaziun da giuvens talents ma stat fitg a cor. Uschia essan nus vegnids sin l'idea da far ina seria da fotografias che preschenta il vast champ d'activitads da la diplomazia svizra – en il decurs dal temp!
  

  La diplomazia è eterogena, ella n'ha betg lieu mo sin il tarpun cotschen, en conferenzas u a chaschun da retschaviments. La diplomazia ha lieu avant, durant e suenter las tractativas. La diplomazia etablescha relaziuns e collia; ella po evitar conflicts ed intermediar, nua ch'i na vegn betg pli discurrì. La diplomazia n'è mai statica.

  Questa seria da fotografias è in'excursiun tras stgars 175 onns diplomazia svizra. En cas d'interess As envida ella da retschertgar pli detagliadamain. Forsa ch'ella serva in di sco inspiraziun per ina lavur da finiziun? Perquai che la gruppa en mira da «La diplomazia en il decurs dal temp» essas – ensemen cun ulteriuras gruppas interessadas – Vus, charas giuvenilas e chars giuvenils.

  Jau ma legrel ordvart d'ussa pudair contemplar ensemen cun Vus las fotografias ch'èn vegnidas retschertgadas cun grond engaschi. A mias collavuraturas ed a mes collavuraturs èsi gartegià bain da tegnair en mira sur decennis tscherts aspects da la diplomazia e da preschentar uschia il svilup ed il progress cuntanschì.

  Jau na vi betg As privar d'ina ulteriura infurmaziun: La seria da fotografias che jau As preschent oz, duai cuntinuadamain vegnir extendida ed il project amplifitgà. «La diplomazia en il decurs dal temp» porscha in intent d'utilisaziun dinamic. I cunvegn pia er en l'avegnir da returnar a questa pagina dal DFAE. La chapientscha per noss passà è numnadamain quai che furma noss avegnir.

  Jau As giavisch invistas interessantas ed inspirantas!

  Ignazio Cassis
  Cusseglier federal

  La diplomazia en il decurs dal temp

Welcome to "Diplomacy through the ages"!

The idea for this project was born even before the Covid pandemic. As head of Swiss diplomacy, I was looking without success for an illustrated history of Swiss diplomacy. I wanted to be inspired to redefine the professional profiles of diplomats in the 21st century. Recruiting young talents is something very important for me. So we came up with the idea of creating a digital photo series that shows the wide range of activities of Swiss diplomacy - through the ages!

Diplomacy is multi-faceted, it does not take place exclusively on the red carpet, in conferences or at receptions. Diplomacy takes place before, during and after the negotiating table. Diplomacy builds relationships and connects; it can prevent conflicts, mediate where there is no more talk. Diplomacy is never static.

This photo series is a journey through almost 175 years of Swiss diplomacy and invites you to do more in-depth research if you are interested. Perhaps it will inspire a thesis one day? After all, the target group of «Diplomacy through the ages», together with other interested parties, is you, dear young people.

It gives me great pleasure to look at the elaborately researched photos with you. My colleagues have succeeded in tracing individual perspectives of diplomacy over the decades and thus depicting the development and progress achieved.

There is something else I do not want to hide from you: The photos we are presenting to you today will be continuously expanded and the project will be extended. «Diplomacy through the ages» offers a dynamic use. A return to this FDFA page will therefore also be worthwhile in the future, because understanding our past shapes our future.

I wish you interesting and inspiring insights!

Ignazio Cassis
Federal Councillor

Links

• Diplomacy through the ages (German)
• History of the FDFA