DECEMBER 2016
Oceania Swiss Club Presidents’ Conference
Friday, 7 October to Sunday, 9 October 2016 The Swiss Club of Victoria was the proud host of the Oceania Swiss Club Presidents’ Conference 2016. Following a successful meeting two years ago in Canberra, the Australian and New Zealand members of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA), Roland Isler VIC (chairperson), Carmen Trochsler SA, Beat Knoblauch NSW and Peter Ehrler NZ, combined their efforts in organising a forum for leaders of all the Swiss community groups and associations from across Oceania. The response was very pleasing – every Swiss club in Australia, four from New Zealand, as well as many other associations followed the invitation. There were a total of 44 conference participants, including the presenters and organisers. The distinguished panel of presenters included two visitors who came all the way from Switzerland – Ambassador Jürg Burri, Director of the Consular Directorate of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA); and Remo Gysin, President of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA).
Official Switzerland was very well represented. On the panel was the newly appointed Ambassador of Switzerland to Australia, Pedro Zwahlen and Consul General of Switzerland, Ernst Steinmann. Among the participants were Manuela Erb, Swiss Honorary Consul in Victoria; and Jürg Bono, Counsellor, Deputy Head of Mission & Head of Consular Affairs, Swiss Embassy in New Zealand. Further presenters were Ryan Cooper, Secretary & Oceania Representative of the Youth Parliament of the Swiss Abroad, Dominique Beck, who expertly conducted the workshop on the topic of ‘The future of Swiss Clubs in Oceania’; as well as all four CSA delegates. Before getting down to business, an informal dinner was held on Friday evening at the Swiss Club restaurant. This was an opportunity for members of the host club to meet and mingle with the visitors and compatriots from all over Australia and New Zealand. Members of the ‘Guggemusik Auckland’, here to participate at the Swiss Festival on Sunday, were also attending the dinner. To the tunes of the ‘Kapelle Grüezi Mitenand’ the evening soon turned very lively and lots of fun was had by everyone. Continued page 6
8 9 F l i n d e r s L a n e • Me l b o u r n e 3 0 0 0 • Vi c t o r i a • Au s t ra l i a • w w w. s wi s s c l u b vi c . c o m . a u