Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, meets young people

Date and venue

Event Additional information/link(s)

Illustration

12 December 2013 Neuchâtel

Neuchâtel welcomes the President of the Confederation

Didier Burkhalter meets young people from the Auvernier, Marin and Neuchâtel schools as well as a group of young Colombians taking part in a sports camp in Switzerland.

1 January 2014 Bern

1st January speech

Because young people are a priority for him during his presidential year, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, rang in the New Year with a group of young people. Speech

2/16

15-17 January 2014 Vienna

First round of negotiations of the Model OSCE

In addition to negotiating the content of their Youth Action Plan, the youth ambassadors were given the opportunity to meet with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Didier Burkhalter. Focus

20-21 January 2014 Bern

State visit by South Korean President Park Geun-hye/Visit to the Commercial and Industrial Training College Bern

On 21 January the two presidents visited the Commercial and Industrial Training College Bern (gibb). Event page

27-28 January 2014 Poland

State visit to Poland Visit to the former concentration camp of Auschwitz accompanied by a young Swiss woman whose grandfather survived the camp.

Event page

Press release

3/16

3 March 2014 Bern

The President of the Swiss Confederation met apprentices working for the FDFA.

6 March 2014 Geneva

Visit to the International Geneva Motor Show

Apprentices give the President of the Swiss Confederation a tour of the Geneva Motor Show

Speech (fr)

20 March 2014 Bern

Museum Night On Museum Night the President of the Swiss Confederation met young people in the government's meeting hall.

4/16

6 April-8 April 2014 Finland

President Didier Burkhalter on a state visit to Finland

Meeting with young Swiss citizens at the University of Aalto in Helsinki Event page

15 April 2014 Bern

Reception for athletes at the Winter Olympic Games and the Paralympics 2014 in Sochi.

President Didier Burkhalter was particularly pleased that the young Swiss athletes were so successful at the Games and congratulated ice hockey player Alina Müller (15), freestyler Luca Schuler (16) and slopestyler Fabian Bösch (16). He also gave Luca Schuler the opportunity to speak. Press release

5/16

16 April 2014 Schwyz

Meeting with apprentices on the margins of the extramural meeting of the Federal Council in Schwyz

President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, meets the Victorinox apprentices, who hand-built the knife he is distributing as a gift this year. Speech (de)

24-25 April 2014 Western Balkans

Visit by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to the Western Balkans (Serbia, Albania, Kosovo)/Meeting young people

Connecting with young people was an objective for the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. In Albania and Kosovo, he met with young people from all three countries to discuss issues relating to democracy and the political system.

Focus

Press release

6/16

27 April 2014 Appenzell

Landsgemeinde President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, visited the landsgemeinde (people’s assembly) accompanied by a member of the Geneva Youth Parliament, Louise Morand.

31 May 2014 Geneva

Bicentenary The President of the Swiss Confederation was accompanied to the bicentenary celebrations by Ms Louise Morand and a young woman from the canton of Appenzell, Kathrin Wyss.

Speech (fr)

© Zouhri 1-4 June 2014 South Caucasus

Trip to the South Caucasus. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Didier Burkhalter, met young people in Georgia on 3 June 2014.

The Swiss embassy in Georgia organised a round-table discussion between CiO Didier Burkhalter and young representatives of Georgian civil society. He spoke with 13 young Georgians about their country's future and the possibilities an organisation such as the OSCE could play in it. The event was moderated by Swiss

7/16

ambassador Günther Bächler.

Event

19 June 2014 Neuchâtel

Official visit by the Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito

Welcome by young Aikido students in front of the Ethnographic Museum.

Event

3-4 July 2014 Canton of Neuchâtel

Visit by the Federal Council At the end of their two-day visit to the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Federal Council meets with apprentice foresters and loggers, watchmakers, bakers and confectioners, archaeologists, art historians and students of microtechnology.

6 July 2014 Bern

Dinner with former federal councillors

The event was catered by apprentices at the Hotel Bern

1 August 2014 Neuchâtel

1st August speech, attended by young people. The national anthem was played by the Youth Orchestra of the Neuchâtel Music Conservatory.

Speech

8/16

1 August 2014 Cantons of Lucerne, Glarus and Uri

National holiday with children and young people

President Didier Burkhalter and his wife Friedrun Sabine attended a brunch given by the Landjugend Riviera rural youth organisation and spent part of the afternoon at Tell's Chapel and the glockenspiel with Swiss children who live abroad. Speech (de, fr, it)

12 August 2014 Bern

International Youth Day/ Welcoming young people to the Federal Palace

The Engelberg Swiss Camp visited the President of the Swiss Confederation at the Federal Palace.

8 September 2014 Geneva

Meeting between the President of the Swiss Confederation and selected school classes

Selected school classes taking part in the 1914-2014 competition visited international Geneva and met, among other personalities, the President of the Swiss Confederation.

Press release announcing the

launch (31.03.2014)

9/16

Further information (fr)

8 September 2014 Geneva

2014 awards ceremony of the Fondation pour Genève

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, was awarded this year’s prize of the Fondation pour Genève. Two young women, Simone Fehr and Nina Egger, who are Swiss Youth Representatives to the United Nations along with Damian Vogt, gave a speech at the event.

Speech by the President of the

Swiss Confederation, Didier

Burkhalter (fr)

17 September 2014 Neuchâtel

Visit to Capa’cité in the Canton of Neuchâtel

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, visits various stands to talk with the young people and learn more about the careers and training programmes on display.

Further information on Capa’cité

2014 (fr)

10/16

22-26 September 2014 New York

69th session of the UN General Assembly: Damian Vogt to represent Swiss youth

As Swiss Youth Representative to the United Nations (Youth Rep) and member of the delegation, Damian Vogt will represent Swiss youth at the UN General Assembly in 2014. He will take part in the special session on the international conference on population and development beyond 2014 on 22 September, in the general debate and in various side-events during the high-level-week. The three youth representatives are tasked with informing young people in Switzerland about UN policy.

Dossier

3 October 2014 Geneva

Opening of the Maison de la Paix in Geneva

The President of the Confederation talks about security in Europe with students at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Press release

11/16

6 October 2014 Sion

Visit to Valais marking the 200th anniversary of the canton's accession to the Confederation

Meeting with young people at the Lycée la Planta college Press release Speech

8-12 October 2014 Milan, Italy

Model Asia-Europe Meeting (Model ASEM) 2014 in connection with the 10th ASEM Summit

The summit was attended by student delegation heads from more than 51 Asian and European countries, including two Swiss students who met President Burkhalter.

14 October 2014 Bern

HSD conference One-day conference dedicated to countering the phenomenon of child soldiers and the issue of young people in armed conflicts Press release Speech (de)

12/16

22 October 2014 Bern

Young citizens' celebration, Bern President Didier Burkhalter receives young citizens from the city of Bern.

31 October 2014 Laufen

Youth Parliament Conference Didier Burkhalter at the Youth Parliament Conference in Laufen Speech (de, fr, it)

6 November 2014 Bern

Thank-you reception at the Federal Palace for school children who collected money for Swissaid

President Burkhalter invited four selected school classes (from Dombresson, Spiegel b. Bern, Altendorf and Engelburg) that sold Swissaid products this year to a drinks reception at the Federal Palace. Every year, the President of the Swiss Confederation invites four school classes to a reception to express his thanks to some 20,000 pupils for their work on behalf of Swissaid. The pupils sang for Mr Burkhalter, who showed them the Federal Council Chamber and answered their questions.

13/16

11 November 2014 Bern

International Law Day The Directorate of International Law (DIL) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) held its annual International Law Day on Tuesday 11 November 2014, in Bern. This year’s theme was youth and international law. In his address the President of the Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, spoke of the responsibility of adults towards young people and invited the latter to make themselves heard. Press release

13-15 November 2014 Ypres

Three-day trip to Ypres (Belgium), one of the main theatres of the First World War. Exchange between the President of the Swiss Confederation and a group of pupils on 14 November.

The winning classes of the contest “1914-2014” have an opportunity to exchange views about the First World War with the President of the Swiss Confederation and a group of experts. Event page

14/16

15 November 2014 Bern

Youth Parliament Session Didier Burkhalter opened the Youth Parliament Session, an assembly composed of 200 young people aged between 14 and 21, at the National Council. In his speech, Mr Burkhalter encouraged young people to become more involved in politics.

© Keystone

5 December 2014 Basel

Event during the OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter talks with the youth ambassadors of the 57 participating States about their experiences of the Model OSCE. As part of the Model OSCE project, a number of meetings between youth ambassadors took place during 2014 during which they developed their recommendations for an OSCE youth action plan. Model OSCE Press release on the Ministerial Council

15/16

8 December.2014 Bern

The President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, launches a competition for the youngest employees of the FDFA. The projects have to be submitted by 21 November 2014.

The projects have to be connected to the themes of peace, human rights, democracy, environmental protection, and poverty alleviation. The submitted projects have to be compatible with Switzerland's foreign policy and international cooperation.

10 December 2014 Bern

Reception for young people who successfully participated in this year's competition organised by the youth research foundation, "Schweizer Jugend forscht".

Swiss President Didier Burkhalter holds a reception in the Federal Palace for the 24 young women and men who successfully participated in the national competition organised by the youth research foundation, "Schweizer Jugend forscht". Further information

10 December 2014 Bern

Human Rights Day Reception for young people involved in the Council of Europe's No Hate Speech campaign.

12 December 2014 Bern

Dinner with former federal councillors

The event was catered by apprentices at the Hotel Bern

16/16

16 December 2014 Bern

"Peace Light" Reception in the Federal Palace for children of the "Friedenslicht" (peace light) foundation from all over Switzerland Further information

17 December 2014

Federal Council end-of-year dinner

With apprentices, young people in social rehabilitation and a school choir.