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Dear compatriots and friends,
With Switzerland’s preparations for Brexit in place well ahead of the UK’s original EU departure date back in March, it has been a pleasure to bring our focus back to other areas in recent months.
I'm particularly excited to progress a project we’ve been setting up in the area of mediation, exploring how art and artistic practice can be used as a tool in peace processes. The Embassy is positioned at the intersection of the artistic and cultural hub of London and Switzerland’s expertise and reputation for peace mediation, and we’re ready to start exploring this topic with a new staff member dedicated to research.
We’ve also been busy in the science and innovation fields with a continuation of our motorsports collaboration and a mission in the field of Real-World Data (RWD) in healthcare which you can read about below.
I’d finally like to say a huge thank you to our Consular section which works tirelessly to look after our Swiss citizens who live in the UK and those who visit. Here in London our team issued more identity documents than any other Embassy or consulate in 2018 (we also dealt with more lost passports than any other representation so please do keep your documents in a safe place!).
Whether you’re travelling back to Switzerland or elsewhere for a holiday or staying in the UK, my wife Nicole and I wish you a wonderful summer and hope that we may see some of you at the Swiss National Day celebrations at the Swiss Church, London on 1 August.
Alexandre Fasel
Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Kingdom
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| Parliamentary elections 2019 |
| © FDFA/Presence Switzerland |
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Do you know that you can have a say in the forthcoming parliamentary elections without having to travel to Switzerland? More information |
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The Federal Chancellery has unveiled a new App for tablets and smartphones with official information in French, German and Italian about federal and cantonal votes, and continually updated results from midday on polling days. |
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With almost 3,200 identity documents issued last year, the Regional Consular Centre in London was the No. 1 producer of Swiss identity documents among all Swiss representations abroad in 2018! |
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| Embassy celebrates Young Swiss Citizens |
| Young Swiss Citizens at the Embassy on 28 June 2019. © FDFA |
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The Embassy welcomed dozens of Swiss citizens born in 2000 and 2001 for a Jungbürgerfeier / fête de jeunes citoyens / festa dei giovani cittadini - the occasion traditionally marked in Switzerland when young citizens have attained the age of majority and can lawfully participate in the civil life of the Swiss Confederation. The young citizens learned about the rights and responsibilities of Swiss citizens abroad and were treated to an exclusive performance by the Swiss singer Bastian Baker followed by a reception hosted by Ambassador Fasel. |
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| Mobile biometric passport station: Dublin visit |
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Last year around 100 Swiss residents in Ireland and Northern Ireland took the opportunity to renew their passports and identity cards at the mobile biometric station in Dublin. During the first visit in May this year, approximately 50 Swiss citizens ordered new identity documents. The second visit is scheduled around 11 November 2019. Swiss residents in Northern Ireland will be notified by e-mail by the Regional Consular Centre in due course. |
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| Settled status for Swiss citizens resident in the UK |
| Android phone with App for EU exit ID document check. © FDFA |
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The post-Brexit Settlement Scheme for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals is now open. Swiss citizens and their family members resident in the UK can now apply; in an orderly Brexit scenario you have until 30 June 2021, or in a no-deal Brexit scenario until 31 December 2020.
One of our colleagues was recently filmed completing his Settlement Scheme application to show you the process. The video can be seen on YouTube and our Facebook page and shows each step from start to finish.
Comprehensive information regarding the process, eligibility, evidence of identity and residence as well as answers to many other frequently asked questions can be found on the Embassy's website and social media channels, all of which are regularly updated.
Please think whether there are any Swiss citizens in your networks who might not have easy access to these digital resources and share this information with them, or put them in touch with us through other means if they need help.
To support the Swiss Community in the UK, the Swiss Benevolent Society has recently been approved and registered as Advisor by the OISC (Office of Immigration Services Commissioner) to help Swiss Citizens through the Settlement Scheme application process. If you know of a Swiss citizen unable to complete the application and not able to rely on family members, please contact the Swiss Benevolent Society on https://www.swissbenevolent.org.uk/i-need-help/ or telephone 020 7836 9119 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays only).
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| BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND FINANCE |
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| Real-world data and healthcare fact-finding mission |
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In June the Embassy and the Swiss Business Hub UK & Ireland hosted a delegation of over 20 Swiss companies to explore applications of real-world data in healthcare delivery. With Switzerland and the UK the leading European centres for life sciences this is an area with great growth potential. More information |
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| Swiss Diplomat chairs International Coffee Council (ICC) |
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The highest authority of the London-based intergovernmental organsation of coffee exporting and importing countries is currently chaired by the Embassy’s Deputy Head of Economic and Financial Affairs, Ms Stefanie Küng. Switzerland supports several projects all around the world which aim at strengthening the social, economic, political and environmental sustainability of the coffee sector. More information |
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| Launch of 2019 Gender Balance Index |
| From left: Monika Bütler (Swiss National Bank), Martin Taylor (Bank of England), Caitlin Kraft-Buchman (Women@TheTable), Ghadir Cooper (Barings), Kat Usita (OMFIF). © José Farinha |
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On the eve of International Women's Day the Embassy hosted the launch of the OMFIF (Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum) Gender Balance Index 2019. The index tracks the presence of men and women in senior positions at central banks, sovereign funds and public pension funds. It’s crucial to know where the industry stands now in terms of representation to see what needs to be done before equality can be realised. More information |
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| Ambassador leads performance engineering mission to Switzerland |
| Ambassador Fasel speaking at Sauber Group (Alfa Romeao Racing) Headquarters. © SBHUKI |
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In April Ambassador Fasel led opinion leaders from the UK and the French and German motorsports ecosystem on a two-day visit to Switzerland, the ‘return leg’ of a successful UK exploratory visit for Swiss companies last year. More information |
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| Swiss cultural events in the UK |
There will be no shortage of Swiss cultural events across the UK over the coming months. Highlights include the Félix Vallotton exhibition at the Royal Academy in London, a Swiss focus and the Milo Rau opening at the Edinburgh Festivals, and the Swiss Ambassador’s Award Concert Tour in London, Manchester and Cardiff.
Visit the Embassy’s website to download the latest listing of ‘CH+UK Swiss Culture in the UK’ and to subscribe to regular updates. |
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| Creative Heads video series |
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The Embassy’s Creative Heads series is back, this time with a series of videos exploring the lives of Swiss creatives living in the UK. More information |
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| HIGHER EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION |
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| A look at the future of Fintech and the role of AI |
| From left: Katia Lang (Fintech Times), Louise Beaumont (Angel Investor), Alexandre Gaillard (InvestGlass), Gero Gunkel (Zurich Insurance), Elly Hardwick (UBS), Pascal Kaufmann (Starmind). Photo credit: Katrin Kroschinkski |
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In May the Embassy and the British-Swiss Chamber of Commerce hosted a high-level panel discussion on 'The future of Fintech: What role will AI play?'. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is currently a hot topic in various fields. Major financial institutions and startups are experimenting with different methods of machine learning, but there is a sense that AI could go much further than that. This event took a closer look at the definition and impact of AI on the thriving Fintech ecosystems in the UK and in Switzerland. |
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| Swiss sun App a hit at Science Museum events |
| The Swiss stand at the Science Museum’s ‘Lates’ on 28 November 2018. © José Farinha |
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Following the successful solar event at the Science Museum ’Lates’ last November, the museum invited the Embassy to take part in the Sun Family Festival in March this year.
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| Vacancies and internships at the Embassy and the Swiss Business Hub UK & Ireland are advertised on the Embassy’s website and social media channels. |
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| 30 June - 29 September 2019 - London |
| Félix Vallotton - Painter of Disquiet |
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The Royal Academy of Art is hosting the first comprehensive survey of the Swiss painter’s career on show in the UK. More information |
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| 19 - 21 July 2019 - Fairford (Gloucestershire) |
| The Royal International Air Tattoo |
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| 27 - 28 July 2019 - Sunderland (Tyne and Wear) |
| Sunderland Airshow |
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| 1 August 2019 - London and UK |
| National Day |
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The 1 August celebration in London will be held at the Swiss Church in Covent Garden. Please visit the website of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK (FOSSUK) for Swiss club celebrations around the UK. |
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| 2 - 26 August 2019 - Edinburgh |
| Switzerland at Edinburgh Festivals |
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| 15 - 17 October 2019 - London, Manchester and Cardiff |
| Swiss Ambassador's Award 2019 Concert Tour |
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The annual showcase of talented musicians with a classical and contemporary repertoire, organised by the Embassy in cooperation with the Swiss Cultural Fund UK, presents the Switzerland-based AKMI Duo. More information |
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| London |
| Swiss Church Events |
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A range of community and cultural events takes place at the Swiss Church in the heart of London. Events calendar
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| UK |
| Swiss Club and Societies events |
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Events organised by the various Swiss clubs and societies across the UK are now consolidated in a dedicated calendar on the FOSSUK website. Events calendar |
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