Swiss Embassy Newsletter Issue 004

NR. 4 | SPRING | 2018

Kalima NEWSLETTER OF THE EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND BAHRAIN

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Discussing Switzerland’s presence and activities in the United Arab Emirates.

Embassy of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain Established in 1982, the Embassy of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain covers all matters concerning diplomatic and consular relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Swiss Confederation. Similarly in charge of the diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Bahrain, the mission represents Swiss interests in the areas of political, economic and financial affairs, legal arrangements, security, international cooperation, science, education and culture. Furthermore, the Swiss Embassy hosts the Defense AttachĂŠ Office, which represents the Swiss Armed Forces in the region, as well as a Regional Office for International Cooperation. The Swiss Consulate General in Dubai hosts the Swiss Business Hub, a branch of Switzerland Global Enterprise that focusses its efforts on the promotion of trade and business. The Embassy of Switzerland believes that Cultural Diplomacy plays a crucial role in building relations among states in contemporary international relations, as it might serve as an effective instrument in supporting national foreign policy objectives or a constructive channel for inclusion and promotion of peace.

GET IN TOUCH Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street Centro Capital Center Building, 17th floor Office Building Adjacent to Rotana Centro Hotel ADNEC / Exhibition Centre Area Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates Phone +971 2 627 46 36 E-mail: adh.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

@SwissEmbassyUAE

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ear readers, “Innovation is not only about aptitude, it is first of all about attitude” it is inspired by this quote pronounced by Swatch co-inventor Elmar Mock [p.16] during his talk at the Dubai Design Week that Switzerland has approached the period 2017 – 2018. In fact, eager to promote the Swiss values and know-how, our Embassy has enhanced its cultural

“Innovation is not only about aptitude, it is first of all about attitude”

- Elmar Mock

dialogue with the United Arab Emirates, strengthening its activities in the field of Art, Innovation and Design.

Indeed, in the framework of Abu Dhabi Art and the Louvre Abu Dhabi opening, through its partnership with the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation and ADS-securities, the Swiss Embassy contributed to bringing the first retrospective of Swiss iconic artist Olivier Mosset [p.20] in the Middle East and offered a platform to the artist in the region to speak about his artistic discourse. This creative dialogue has also been promoted through the venue in the region of Wes Anderson’s coworker and Swiss animation specialist, Elie Chapuis [p.10], who directed a workshop at the American University in Sharjah and in Manarat al Saadiyat. In parallel, while celebrating worldwide appreciated Swiss creators, the Swiss Embassy remains committed to catalyzing new ideas that will shape the world of tomorrow. For this reason, Switzerland, together with its partners, this year partnered with Art Dubai and had a booth on the fair to present its pavilion, becoming as such the first Expo 2020 participating country to

publicly unveil its pavilion.

Innovation and Art have in common creativity. In this context, we are proud to present you our remodelled Swiss Embassy Newsletter – Kalima – with fresh important news from Switzerland, the best of our Swiss landscapes and some interesting figures on our colony in the region. In this context, you will also have the chance to read about Swiss scientist and Nobel Prize Winner Jacques Dubochet [p.44] and hear about the incredible disruptive philosophy of the serial innovator Elmar Mock. Similarly, you will discover the faces of our outstanding Swiss apprentices, who took the second place in World Skills Abu Dhabi, the world’s biggest skills competition [p.36]. Together, those individuals are symbols of a pro-active Swiss attitude, pushing the boundaries of what is possible always further, like the Solar Stratos project presented in this issue and attempting to fly up to the limits of space exclusively using solar energy [p.12]!

Of course, while Swiss people tend to be very hard workers, they also

value quality-time and entertainment, a spirit that the 2018 Jubilee 10 years edition of the Swiss Days [p.56] and the Francophone International Stand-up Comedy Festival, Montreux Comedy [p.62], have, this year again, well celebrated.

Naturally, Switzerland is also about coherent collaborations between the public and private sector and I am therefore deeply thankful to our partners and sponsors contributing to our Swiss Embassy Cultural Trust Fund, making all of this possible.

To conclude, I am very happy to inform you that the Swiss Embassy in the United Arab Emirates will, from now and on, also be responsible for Bahrain [p.70]. I would therefore like to welcome our new members to our great family in the Gulf!

With my best regards, Maya Tissafi Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain

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ELIE CHAPUIS Swiss Animation

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H.E. MAYA TISSAFI A Word from the Ambassador

SBC Award 2017 32

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ELMAR MOCK Attitude vs Aptitude 56

SWISS DAYS 2018

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SOLAR STRATOS Innovation 28

LOUVRE ABU DHABI Institutionalizing Universalism?

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JACQUES DUBOCHET On winning the Nobel

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FRANCO VIGLIOTTI SBC Award 2017 20

OLIVIER MOSSET Abstraction

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MONTREUX COMEDY

VISIT OF H.E. UELI MAURER Swiss Vice President

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ADSW 2018

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WORLD SKILLS Dare tracing your path

GSTAAD

discover Switzerland one picture at a time

www.myswitzerland.com

Swiss

animation at it’s best

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film

MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE Filming an animation or animating a film: the Practitioner Angle with Elie Chapuis

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Elie Chapuis, Lead Animator “My Life as a Courgette”

During the month of October 2017, the Swiss Embassy to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain invited Elie Chapuis for a discussion and a series of workshops focusing on animation movies. Taking place in the framework of the Swiss participation to World Skills 2017, the Swiss animation expert took part in a three days workshop with the students of the American University in Sharjah (AUS) and gave a well-attended public presentation in Manarat al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi. Demystifying the genre, the Swiss animation expert got a chance to reflect on several movies he worked on, including “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, the Swiss award-nominated film “My Life as a Zucchini”, and “Isle of Dogs”, Wes Anderson’s much expected latest stop motion feature. Elie Chappuis’s animation talks were followed by projections of the Oscar nominated movie by Claude Barras, “My life as a Zucchini”, a good occasion for the public of the United Arab Emirates to discover Swiss creativity and know-how in the field of movie animation.

Shining with the Sun Toward a Sustainable Future

Solar Stratos 12

In the last century, human activity has increasingly challenged the balance of the ecosystem and many argue that humanity is increasingly moving toward an environmental catastrophe. Meanwhile, scientific progress and new inventions have been the source of hope and spread the idea that new technologies could well participate to ensure the protection of the environment worldwide.

Inspired by this diagnosis, in October of 2017, the Swiss Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, in collaboration with the Cinema Space Abu Dhabi, invited the co-pilot of Solar Stratos, Thierry Plojoux, and Solar Impulse crew member, Hassan Al Rhedani, to discuss the power of clean technologies. This encounter created an occasion for the audience to discover the history of Swiss Solar Stratospheric Airplane Solar Stratos and to hear more about its forefather, Raphaël Domjan.

Initiated in 2014, stratospheric solar airplane Solar Stratos is a combination between the pioneering spirit of its creator, Raphaël Domjan, and modern innovation put at the service of a future characterized by clean, renewable and effective energies. It is after actually having made the first solar-powered world tour aboard the PlanetSolar catamaran, that the eco-explorer from Neuchâtel (Switzerland), Raphaël Domjan, decided to further

push his limits, as well as the limits of knowledge, by flying in the stratosphere using a solar plane. A new expedition was initiated SolarStratos Project Mission to the Edge of Space was born!

This new adventure aims to promote renewable energies, showing that concepts and projects deemed unthinkable five years ago are now possible thanks to the evolution of new technologies, still in their “infancy” (especially in terms of solar-electric aviation). The SolarStratos project also aims to demonstrate that with current technologies, it is possible to achieve feats that exceed the potential of fossil fuels. In this dynamic, the SolarStratos aircraft, which can fly at an altitude of 25,000 meters, opens a new door to high-altitude electric and solar aviation.

Passionate about adventure and exploration since his childhood, Raphaël Domjan, 45, wishes to give more meaning to scientific progress. The pilot already has a solid experience in the organization of eco-adventures. In fact, eco-explorer and iconic speaker Raphaël Domjan accomplished the first round of the world with a solar boat in 2012 (PlanetSolar).

Of course, for the pilot, the creativity and approach characterizing his project are not without links

“The

SolarStratos project is ambitious adventurous and risky, but possible.

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Raphaël Domjan

to the Swiss spirit of innovation: “The Swiss school system strongly encourages initiative and innovation, from primary school to university," says Raphaël Domjan. He continues: "Even ten-yearolds are supposed to do research on their own and present the results to their class. Similarly, dozens of public and private institutions offer funds for all types of entrepreneurs who come up with new ideas to change the world. In many universities, it is possible for students to test their ideas and skills in a real business environment. “ Though, not everyone becomes an adventurer, but Raphael has always been supported and encouraged by his parents and his family in his businesses. The SolarStratos project is "ambitious adventurous and risky, but possible," the adventurer tells everyone. Risky is not a euphemism. In fact, the aircraft won’t be pressurized during the flight, forcing the pilot to wear a world-first, solarpowered, and pressurized suit of astronaut. At this

stage, the challenge is technical and human as The mission is expected to last about six hours: three hours climbing toward the space, 15 minutes in the stars, concluding with three hours of descent.

Poorly known by the majority of people, the stratosphere consists of very specific conditions and different layers, all related to the low pressure of the atmosphere. In this context, the aircraft and the pilot will be subjected to temperatures of about -70 °C. No aircraft fly at these altitudes. Only rockets evolve in this environment. In this dynamic, the design of the aircraft takes all these elements into consideration. Naturally, the pilot also has to be ready for different emergencies and must train many hours in a simulator that reproduces the hazardous conditions the aircraft will be facing in the stratosphere.

SolarStratos seeks to break different world records, and most principally the three following one: First

inhabited stratospheric solar flight; Absolute altitude record aboard a solar and electric plane; Absolute altitude record aboard an inhabited propeller plane. Following this logic, the innovative airplane will become the first solar plane with pilot to penetrate the stratosphere!

The SolarStratos project is faithful to a conquering and pioneering spirit characterizing Switzerland in the field of renewable energies. This is well symbolized by the first solar car race (Tour de Sol), the first solar boat race (Trois Lacs Race, 1988), the first Atlantic crossing (Sun21, 2006-2007), the first world tour using a solar boat (PlanetSolar, 20102012) and the first tour around the world with a solar airplane (Solar Impulse, 2015-2016), exploit which were all made under the Swiss flag.

Promoting The Swiss technological innovation, SolarStratos is fully in line with this Swiss legacy and therefore enjoys a strong support from the

Swiss Confederation, in particular through the new Swiss Solar Explorer label.

With a crew member based in the United Arab Emirates, Solar Stratos is fully aware of the enormous potential for the development of renewable energies and clean-techs held by the country, which hosts institutions like Masdar and the EPFL Middle East, a Swiss pioneering research center based in Ras Al Khaimah. In fact, in a country where the sun shines so intensively on the people, innovations like Solar Stratos can pass the message that it is now up to the people to shine and prepare for a sustainable future, using the sun!

Attitude vs Aptitude

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Photo Courtesy of Presence Switzerland

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the n the occasion of Dubai Design week, Swiss inventor Elmar Mock was invited to give a conference in the Design District of Dubai and reflect on the world of design and innovation.

Accepting the invitation, the forefather of Swatch came accompanied by his wife and very close advisor, Helen Mock, a sharp erudite person, self-named as a “not-so-fine artist”. In this context, the Swiss Embassy Newsletter had an occasion to have a chat with him and hear about his impressive career.

In fact, the co-founder of the first Swatch (he designed in 1983) is nowadays probably one of Switzerland’s most iconic innovator. Despite his important success and worldwide fame, our Swiss contemporary version Professor Calculus

remains modest, patient and very eager to share his knowledge with the new generations.

When asked to define innovation in three words, Elmar Mock describes it as “love, happiness and curiosity”, precisely emphasizing the word curiosity. Indeed, the serial-innovator believes that curiosity is what leads us to the road of success. About this, he actually has no doubts, “it is curiosity that absorbs us every time we do something by accepting the risk of the game, while keeping a strong will of surviving” he tells us. In the same spirit, Mock explains that innovation is not just an idea (because that is what he considers the easy part) but the making of the product, the part which represents the real struggle .The “fight” as he calls it, is something extremely serious and should not be taken lightly.

For those who are looking for a magic recipe ensuring innovation, Mock replies that many inventions come up as the result of pure serendipity, curiosity and a will to “take the

A discussion on innovation with SWATCH co-inventor

Elmar

Mock plunge”, a concept which became his moto and a part of the title of the book he co-wrote together with Gilles Garel. In fact, referring to the process that led to the invention of the first Swatch, Elmar says: “We were not conscious of what we were doing, we wanted to create a cheap watch and we created a fashion Swiss Watch!”

Emphasizing the importance of being ready to accept mistakes when inventing, he continues, “Columbus actually discovered America while trying to reach India!”

Later, when asked about the reasons why the Swiss Confederation is such an innovative country, regularly topping the different international global innovation indexes, Mock speaks about the importance for inventors of the stability of the framework within which they work. In fact, with his sense of the allegory, to explain the Swiss exception, the Swiss inventor takes the example of birds, which according to

Mock “only put their eggs in very stable and sure floors”.

When asked about the realm of Innovation and Design and what is according to him missing, in his very personal and iconic style, Mock answers: “I don’t know what is missing, but I enjoy what is coming … life quality is actually improving, so I have the feeling we are not so wrong!” Here, we understand that our Swiss serial innovator is actually a very optimistic person, who finds that, nowadays, usability and beauty elements are increasingly colliding in design, which according to him, represents a very positive indicator for the evolution of the sector.

It is on this very positive note that we left Elmar Mock, who concluded our conversation by reminding us that “it is all about attitude and not about aptitudes… it is about changing our ways to see the world.”

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“ABSTRACTION” November 7, 2017 - February 28, 2018 | Jean-Paul Najar Foundation | Alserkal Avenue | Dubai

Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain; Olivier Mosset, Artist

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MOSSET ORGANIZED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SWISS EMBASSY IN THE UAE AND ADS-SECURITIES AND HOSTED BY THE JEANPAUL NAJAR FOUNDATION, “ABSTRACTION” IS OLIVIER MOSSET’S FIRST RETROSPECTIVE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND CELEBRATES THE WORK OF THE SWISS ARTIST, WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THE GROUNDBREAKING PARISIAN BMPT MOVEMENT. CURATED BY HERVÉ MIKAELOFF, THE EXHIBITION FEATURES SCOPE OF THE ARTIST’S WORK FROM HIS ICONIC CIRCLE PAINTINGS OF 19661974 TO HIS MORE RECENT MONOCHROMES. ORIGINAL, FUNNY AND PROVOCATIVE, OLIVIER MOSSET OPENS UP AND TELLS US ABOUT LIFE, ART AND HIS CAREER IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY THE JEAN-PAUL NAJAR FOUNDATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF HIS RETROSPECTIVE.

Curated by HERVÉ MIKAELOFF Photography by: MATILDE AGIUS Exhibition Organized by: JPNF, ADSSECURITIES, SWISS EMBASSY UAE

“What belongs to

the past is the past. I destroy a lot of what I have done in the past or paint on top of them.

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Olivier Mosset

The Jean-Paul Najar Foundation presents Abstraction your first exhibition in Dubai, indeed in the Middle East. What were your links with JeanPaul Najar? How does your work integrate into his collection?

Even if I didn’t know him very well, I did meet Jean-Paul Najar. I passed by his Parisian flat, which I remember well, with its large concert piano, and indeed Jean-Paul owned one of my paintings [which had been shown during the exhibition of his collection at Belmont in Lausanne]. I was also surprised to find as well in the catalogue of the exhibition the reproduction of a letter, where, answering one of Jean-Paul’s questions, I talked about one of the painting with stripes. I had forgotten about that story.

Jean-Paul was essentially interested in the generation of ‘post-minimalist’ artists, in a critical moment between minimalism and conceptual art, and the return to postmodernism. I met many of the artists present in his collection, such as [Christian] Bonnefoi and [Martin] Barré who was our senior, first in Paris and then in New York.

Concerning France, Jean-Paul was interested in the generation of artists appearing just after the exhibition “Support Surface” and the short- lived group called “Janapa”. I was good friends with [Pierre] Dunoyer with whom we exchanged a lot of ideas.

My feeling was that Jean-Paul enjoyed a close relationship with the artists in his collection. In my case, it was more

OPPOSITE PAGE

© Mathilde Agius for the Federal Office of Culture, Bern, 2015

complicated as I was already exhibiting through galleries such as Templon, and would have not sold without going through them.

For Abstraction we wanted to exhibit historical pieces, notably the 1967 Circles which made you famous. This exhibition is taking place 50 years after the BMPT movement for which you were one of the figures alongside Buren, Toroni and Parmentier.

What is your outlook today on your time with BMPT, which lead to a total reshaping of painting and the establishment of a cultural movement (May 1968) in France and Western Europe?

The BMPT adventure was in ‘66/’67 and dated from before the Support Surface exhibition. Evidently, I was lucky to be a part of these 1968 manifestations with Buren, Parmentier and Toroni, which are indeed, to a certain extent, a part of the history of the 1960s when we were challenging the status quo and critiquing society.

The bottom line is, even if we were doing it in a certain radical way, by the neutrality and repetition of our works, we participated in questioning what gave value to art, composition, expression and identity. By painting during an actual exhibition, or hanging our paintings in a theatre, we were examining the way art was being understood by the public as well.

I’m not certain if BMPT was the trigger to 1968 really even if there was a specific environment, with Rock’n Roll, drugs, political situations such as the Vietnam War, and a very complex period in universities and factories.

The turn 1968 took was the result of certain political decisions (shutting down the University of Nanterre, and dispatching police to the Sorbonne) which were explosive. In my opinion, this also led to the realisation (which is actually wrong if you think about it) that things could change. 1968 took everyone off guard. If you look at post ‘68, which resulted in more politicised groups, the state actually was more in control of things!

The exhibition took place in quite an interesting context, the day before the official opening of the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. What did you feel when you visited this new museum?

OPPOSITE PAGE

© Mathilde Agius for the Federal Office of Culture, Bern, 2015

I was very impressed by the Louvre Abu Dhabi, by the choice of the works and their layout. It was very well curated, with Da Vinci’s la Belle Ferronniere, Titian’s Woman with a Mirror, David’s Napoleon Crossing the St. Bernard Pass, and Manet’s Fifre. This is a remarkable selection for the visitor, not to mention the smaller dancers from Degas, and works by Pollock, Rothko, Mondrian and Albers. And all of this in phenomenal architecture.

You were also invited to speak in the context of Abu Dhabi Art. Could you tell us about how you perceive creation in today’s world, and who are, for you, those making an impact (maybe those also referring to your work)?

Indeed, there was an art fair in Abu Dhabi and I was asked to participate in a panel discussion on the theme of collecting. I wasn’t quite sure what I was

doing there, as I wasn’t really the right person to question market conditions, or the situation of labor in the UAE. What I was able to say was that indeed collectors are the back bone of the art enterprise and painting, and allow it to exist, and for that I thank them.

As for today’s creative environment, I’m a bit older today, so I will let the younger generation define it.

What is certain, is that a lot is possible now. I continue

Indeed, the pamphlet of January ‘67 said that if painting was what it was, we were not painters. Later that year, in the fall of ‘67 during the Paris Biennale, a sound track stated that painting started with us. I assume that through this contradiction, our different careers were pursued. Our painting and that of the other artists continues. Even if painting today is not necessarily a dominant form of art, it still seems possible. As to defend mine, I would be totally incapable of doing so. I feel lucky to be able to see what I do (or try to do), which means being able to exhibit. I continue to explore. But the bottom line is, it belongs to the organisers of these exhibitions and to the visitors to tell me what they see and what it means.

IMAGE© Mathilde Agius for the Federal Office of Culture, Bern, 2015

This is the first time you present works that were created this year, in your Tucson workshop, in Arizona, where you have been living for 40 years. Can you tell us about the history of these monochromes? This return to monochromes sets itself in an artistic and pictorial research that started with circles, then bands, shapes, dual colours, and then monochromes. What is the thought process behind this evolution?

to paint in my workshop in Tucson, Arizona. I travel a lot and continue to look at what is being done. I continue to find works for artists such as Frank Stella or Ted Stamm very powerful, and who are still sparking interest today.

The guests of the exhibition were invited to read the manifesto of the BMPT period which read: we are not painters. What is your vision of painting today?

Indeed, I did many circles. I like the idea of repetition, which is the contrary of signature, and which sets itself in the logic so well established by Warhol. I like geometry as a perfection of shapes. What happened is that I explored monochromes about 30 years ago, and I’ve come back to them, as I haven’t yet finished with these large luminous surfaces. There is a certain dialectic in the art work, which goes through circles, bands and stripes, monochromes, to abstract art and new works, which are a form of criticism of what has been done, and maybe even a criticism of the criticism. That’s what indeed the visitors of the JeanPaul Najar Foundation can see. If I see myself, I see the materials, and like everyone I have an opinion, at the end. Others can decide what it is really about.

The visitor is invited to see historical pieces and those from today. How do they create a dialogue between each other in the context of JPNF? I was not convinced by the reason you wanted to show historical works. What belongs to the past is the past. I destroy a lot of what I have done in the past or paint on top of them. What interests me are my new pieces. When one is facing them in one’s own workshop, there is a moment when one doesn’t quite know in which direction one must go in. That’s where the necessity to show them comes from. Once exhibited, a separation happens, and the work can start again. Today, these works belong to the visitors and I must think of the consequences and the after.

Jean Tinguely 28

A UNIVERSAL INSTITUTION INSTITUTIONALIZING UNIVERSALISM?

Louvre Abu Dhabi

On the 11th of November 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi finally opened its doors to the public after ten years of waiting. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the shape of the building finds its inspiration in the landscape of the region and reflects as such the culture of the United Arab Emirates. In fact, from the sea surrounding the museum to the floating dome representing the palm trees embracing each other and allowing rays of sunlight to penetrate, the iconic building gives the visitors the impression of being in an Arab market, a “souq."

The Louvre Abu Dhabi presents a permanent collection of art work ranging from prehistoric pieces to contemporary creations. The curatorial approach is very innovative and peculiar, as artworks from different countries and different periods are often displayed together, creating a sensation of inter-cultural and inter-generational dialogue. This symbolizes very well the ambitions of the institution that aims at becoming a universal museum, showing the commonalities and interactions between different cultures and historical artistic movements. In parallel, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions from all

around the world and offers very refined opportunities for young emerging Emirati talents to showcase their works in a fascinating environment.

In its section dedicated to modern and contemporary art, the universal museum includes the works of Swiss celebrated artists such as Alberto Giacometti and Jean Tinguely. In this dynamic, entering in the last sections of the exhibition, interacting with Picasso's "Portrait of a Lady,” the visitors can enjoy the contemplation of Giacometti’s “Standing woman,” an iconic sculpture of the Swiss artist. But it is probably with Tinguely’s “Presse pour oranges” that we can fully grasp the sophistication of this museum’s curatorial sensitivity. In fact, with this sculptural Dadaistic machine, the artist denounces the contradictions of a fast developing industrial society and the overproduction of material goods. In that sense, the physical proximity of the sculpture with Emirati artist Hassan Sharif’s creation, in the contemporary section, is a good indicator of the universalistic and timeless dimensions characterizing art, a key message of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

In this context, benefitting from the presence of the

Louvre Abu Dhabi and its message of tolerance, Switzerland is eager to accompany the United Arab Emirates’ ambition to promote Art as a vector for Universalism. It is in this dynamic that, for instance, the Swiss Embassy to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain presented, in collaboration with the Jean-Paul Najar Foundation and ADS-Securities, a retrospective on Swiss iconic contemporary artist Olivier Mosset at the JPNF. Himself a student of Jean Tinguely, Mosset is worldwide famous for his abstraction and immense monochromes, geometrical paintings well symbolical of the neo-expressionist movement.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi offers a new occasion for cultures to be put in contact and for ideas to further interact. For an increasingly global and connected world, this situation can catalyze incredible exchanges and ensure that, together, we find solutions to the complex questions of the 21st century and follow Jean Tinguely’s vision: “Art is correction, modification of a situation; art is communication, art is connection.”

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A Dr. Franco Vigliotti EPFL PRESIDENCY & DEAN OF EPFL MIDDLE EAST

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W

A

R

H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri

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MINISTER OF ECONOMY

Left to right: Martin Vetterli, President EPFL, Christa Markwalder, Member of the Swiss National Council, Luc Rocherau, R the Swiss National Council, Franco Vigliotti, Dean EPFL Middle East, H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Econ

The Swiss Business Council Award is given by the Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi under the patronage of the Embassy of Switzerland in the United Arab Emirates and presented by IWC Schaffhausen, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, to give recognition to one Swiss and one UAE personality of the year.

The Swiss Business Council Award is given by the Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi under the patronage of the Embassy of Switzerland in the United Arab Emirates and presented by IWC Schaffhausen, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, to give recognition to one Swiss and one UAE personality of the year.

A panel of judges was formed that carefully selected the two awardees of the “SBC Award 2017.” Part of the committee were H.E. the Swiss Ambassador to the UAE and Bahrain Maya Tissafi, H.E. the

Consul General and Director of the Swiss Business Hub Chris Watts, the President of the Swiss Business Council Dubai and Northern Emirates Peter Harradine, IWC Reginal Brand Director Luc Rocherau and the President of the Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi, Jean-Marc Suter.

The awardee was honored at the SBC Award ceremony at the Rosewood Hotel in Abu Dhabi on 12th October 2017 in the presence of H.E. Jürg Stahl, President of the Swiss National Council, H.E. Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the

Regional Brand Director IWC Schaffhausen, Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE, Jürg Stahl, President of nomy of the UAE, Jean-Marc Suter, President Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi

UAE, H.E. Chris Watts, Consul General and Director of the Swiss Business Hub, Jean-Marc Suter, President of the Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi and 150 distinguished guests.

Thanks to the dedication of Dr. Franco Vigliotti, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Middle East (EPFL Middle East) has become a catalyst for Swiss-UAE cooperation: it has contributed to creating the Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai, the first building under “MINERGIE” standards in the MENA region, an edifice which

consumes a third of the energy of standard school buildings. Similarly, it supports the Ras al Khaimah government in the conception and implementation of its waste management strategy. Finally, the institution was instrumental in the creation of several start-ups, including “Enerwhere”, a company which provides solar energy solutions and employs 40 people in Dubai. Through his commitment, his hard work and his vision, Dr. Franco Vigliotti has made an invaluable contribution to Ras al Kaimah, the UAE and Switzerland.

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WORLD

Skills ABU DHABI

2017

DARE TRACING YOUR PATH: SWITZERLAND’S SUCCESS AT THE WORLD SKILLS ABU DHABI 2017

World Skills is an international competition dedicated to vocational training, taking place every two years.

Abu Dhabi hosted the 2017 edition of these “Olympics games” of vocational training, the first time the World Skills competition was held in the Middle East and North Africa region. In this context, more than 1’300 pupils representing more than 70 countries and regions participated in the event. Attending the games, then President of the Swiss Parliament Jürg Stahl gave the Swiss candidates a word of encouragement. Serious and concentrated, looking at the Swiss participants, the President stated: “Be brave and dare tracing your path, then, everything will be possible for you, and not just in this competition!”

Those words positively resonated with the Swiss young professionals, as Switzerland returned from World Skills 2017 with a record number of 20 medals, more than half of which in gold, and the Swiss Confederation took the second place overall. So, the Swiss competitors demonstrated the efficiency of the Swiss apprenticeship system and had an occasion to well celebrate their return with the fantastic welcome they received back home, at the Congress Center in Zurich.

HOUSE OF SWITZERLAND Jürg Stahl, President of the Swiss National Council and Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland

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on winning the Nobel

JACQUES

DUBOCHET

Swiss biophysicist Jacques Dubochet, 75, has being volunteering since he retired.

He intends to take advantage of his sudden fame to raise awareness on issues he cares deeply about, like migration and climate change.

FOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PRESENCE SWITZERLAND

SMALL

PARTICLES

IN

FAVOR

OF

A

GREAT UNIVERSAL AMBITION

On the 10th of December of 2017, Swiss biophysicist Jacques Dubochet officially received the Nobel Laureate in Chemistry for developing a cry-electron microscopy, an invention that allows the insides of cells to be imaged: a revolution for the scientific world.

Beyond recognizing the work of an outstanding scientist, the Nobel awarded to the Swiss scientist also shed the light on the very down to earth and friendly character of Dubochet. In this context, his sense of humor, and odd resume in particular, made people smile around the world. In fact, not only the public gets informed that in October 1944, Jacques was “conceived by optimistic parents” and that in “1946 [he was] no longer scared of the dark, because the sun comes back,” but, in addition, his CV states “1955: first official dyslexic in canton of Vaud…”

Winning the important award, Jacques Dubochet became an integral part of a Swiss wider tradition of Switzerland’s Nobel Prize winners. In fact, the little alpine country has since 1901 seen above 25 of his nationals receiving the prize in different fields such as chemistry, medicine or even peace, offering the country one of the highest Nobel ratio per head in the world.

In addition to his good sense of humor, the biophysicist leverages his newly found fame to raise awareness on migration and global warming, and struggles to ensure humanitarian crisis are not forgotten by the public. According to him, “the world is not doing enough" to address the issues of migration and climate change. In his words, "we must find a way to live together because we are all facing the same problems. The C02 that is harming us is a threat to the entire planet."

Well representing Swiss innovativeness while embodying humanistic values of solidarity and compassion, Jacques Dubochet represents the best ambassador for Switzerland in the year 2017.

In fact, his science might well focus on microparticular organisms, but his philosophy calls for a greater Universalism.

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Swiss Business Council Award

FRANCO

VIGLIOTTI Dr. Franco Vigliotti, EPFL Presidency & Dean of EPFL Middle East, has been awarded with the Swiss Business Personality of the Year 2017 in the 2nd Swiss Business Council Award Ceremony.

FOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF RTS

INTERVIEW EPFL Middle East is a pioneering research center based in Ras Al Khaimah, in the UAE, inaugurated in May 2009 by Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras al Khaimah and Pascal Couchepin, President of the Swiss Confederation. It offers a Master’s program in Energy Management and Sustainability, an internship program in the UAE and Master’s and doctorate level research projects.

You have just received the Swiss Business Council Award, what does it mean for you and the EPFL Middle East?

We came to the UAE almost ten years ago, to actually promote innovation the Swiss way, following world class academic standards: from education to research and innovation. I believe receiving the Award alongside the UAE Minister of Economy is an important achievement and recognition for the Swiss, as well as the UAE business community. I believe there is now a real blueprint for innovation, in an environment that is still facing challenges in terms of academic innovation.

After ten years of activity, we have already been publishing more than 400 research and conference papers by students and researchers and executed several education workshops and conferences in the country and the region. Furthermore, beyond the several seminal internships we have been conducting in collaboration with local institutions, EPFL’s legacy also unveils very concrete and practical outcomes.

For example, two startup companies founded by former EPLF students created more than 70 new jobs in the region; government entities hire our graduates to implement major strategies in energy and sustainability; similarly, one of the UAE’s most energy efficient buildings was designed with our assistance. Altogether, these technology transfers already represent today a CO2 abatement by far superior to the carbon footprint of our own campus in Lausanne!

At a more personal level, the award brings into the light several years of personal engagement towards these ambitious goals. Similarly, it acknowledges and validates our initial vision and will contribute to inspire young innovators’ vocations in the UAE. From the point of view of the EPFL, I guess that is a question you might want to ask our President (laugh)! Here, I think he might probably say that

Left to right: : Luc Rocherau, Regional Brand Director IWC Sch

the Award and what it acknowledges bring a new type of exposure for Switzerland in the UAE, while promoting the Swiss Higher Education system and our ability to nurture talent and innovation.

Why did EPFL choose the UAE to settle its first campus outside of Switzerland?

The United Arab Emirates are in many ways the ideal location to develop an academic presence in the Middle East. The UAE and Switzerland share long-lasting friendship and economic ties, and have in fact many other things in common: both countries number about 10 million, both countries have in their territories vast areas of land largely unhospitable [whether it is our Swiss alpine mountains or the vast desert areas of the UAE]. Recently, the UAE have decided to look to technologies and innovation to prepare the post-oil era – two characteristic

haffhausen; Franco Vigliotti, Dean EPFL Middle East ; Jean-Marc Suter, President Swiss Business Council Abu Dhabi

strengths of Switzerland. As importantly, the UAE is also a culturally open and tolerant nation. It has a prominent position in the region with regards to its gender equality, including in the professional domain, and for encouraging women to engage in tertiary education and in all segments of the economy. The UAE enjoy sustained political stability, regionally and internationally. The invitation by the Government of Ras Al Khaimah to establish a research center of EPFL in the Emirate was therefore seen as a mutual benefit, bringing additional innovation capabilities to the UAE, and opening research opportunities across climates and disciplines, notably in the fields of energy and sustainability.

Are there priority fields of research in your five areas of expertise?

In the first phase of existence of EPFL Middle East

[8 years], we have focused on energy management and sustainability. This effort has given rise to a dozen PhD theses, some 100 master theses and internships in the UAE, addressing very important issues from renewable energies and their integration in power systems, energy-efficient designs for new generations of buildings that consume nearly 10 times less energy than the current standard constructions, or other technology-driven energy demand management, to advances in waste management through the design [and lately the implementation] of strategies and their technoeconomic models. This research effort was also complemented by a number of high level executive courses that have attracted more than 200 participants from Government and businesses, from the entire MENA region, and beyond into Europe and East Asia.

ABU DHA H SUSTAIN A WEEK 2018

JAN 13 - 20

ABI NABILITY B

Driving the Global Energy Transformation.

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THE ABU DHABI SUSTAINABILITY WEEK [ADSW] IS THE LARGEST SUSTAINABILITY GATHERING IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IT BRINGS WORLD LEADERS, POLICY MAKERS, THOUGHT LEADERS, EXPERTS, SCIENTISTS, BUSINESS LEADERS AND ACADEMICS TOGETHER TO DISCUSS, DEBATE AND ULTIMATELY ADDRESS THE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE. THIS YEAR’S EDITION TOOK PLACE FROM 13TH TO 20TH JANUARY 2018 AND – FOR A WEEK – TRANSFORMED ABU DHABI INTO THE WORLD CAPITAL OF SUSTAINABILITY. AS A LEADER IN RENEWABLE ENERGY, SWITZERLAND ENSURED A STRONG PRESENCE AT THE EVENT.

The first highlight of the week was the eighth General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) – which has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The Swiss delegation, headed by the Director of the Federal Office for Energy Benoît Revaz, joined representatives from 150 countries who gathered to discuss ways to increase the use of renewable energy worldwide and support countries in their energy transition. Benoît Revaz stressed the importance of IRENA’s work and emphasized the need to focus especially on developing countries that need urgent assistance to develop their renewable energy sectors.

The presence of a high-level Swiss delegation was also an opportunity to explore possible Swiss-UAE cooperation in the field of energy.

The UAE is currently investing heavily in solar power and it plans to produce 44% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050, against a mere 2% today. Switzerland has a long experience and recognized expertise in the domain. More than 60% of Switzerland’s electricity production comes from renewable sources and it has set itself ambitious goals in its “Energy Strategy 2050” along three axis: stepping up the use of renewable energy, gradually abandoning nuclear power plants and improving energy efficiency. The possibilities for Swiss-UAE partnership and

knowledge exchange are thus abundant and were the object of the meeting of the Swiss delegation with the UAE Minister of Energy and Industry Suhail Al Mazroui. The delegation also presented Swiss solutions related to wasteto-energy to the General Manager of the Abu Dhabi Waste Management authority Tadweer.

If discussions between government officials are essential to finding solutions to tomorrow’s challenges, so is a strong involvement of the private sector. It was therefore natural for Switzerland to be represented by its companies as well. A Swiss pavilion hosted a dozen Swiss firms who presented their innovative solutions, know-how and cutting-edge technologies to a large public and potential partners from the UAE and the broader region. In particular, the UAE’s transition away from oil and toward renewable energy gives Swiss companies many opportunities to offer their expertise and accompany this development.

The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week will remain for the foreseeable future a central event for all actors from the public and private sectors working toward building a better, more sustainable future. Switzerland is proud to be part of this yearly event and will make sure its officials as well as its companies continue to contribute to the global energy transition.

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Between magic mu the magic of music edition of the Swiss under the sign of yo

Pegasus ŠThomas Rickenmann

On the 1st and 2nd of February 2018 the Jubilee 10th edition of the Swiss Days took place in Dubai, an event organized by the Dubai-based company Swiss Art Gate UAE under the patronage of the Swiss Embassy.

Presenting Switzerland’s finest musicians and entertainers, the celebrations took place at the iconic Madinat Theatre, in Souk Madinat Jumeirah Dubai.

usic and c: a Jubilee s Days put outh

Federico Soldati ŠThomas Rickenmann

On the first day, Emirati citizens, as well as residents and Swiss nationals, got a fascinating opportunity to listen to the legendary indie-rock band Pegasus. Pegasus, doubtlessly one of the most successful Swiss pop bands, has won several awards, including gold and platinum records. Their success is probably not without links to the intensity of the band members’ friendship. In fact, all the members grew up in the same street and attended the

Federico Soldati at Madinat Jumeirah Theatre, Dubai ŠThomas Rickenmann

Kurt Blum, Director and Founder of Swiss Art Gate UAE and Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland ŠThomas Rickenmann

same schools before making their bones in the local music scene. The group of friends, who released a number of hit songs in the charts and several top-ten singles, charmed the Dubai audience on the 1st of February, an audience which could not contain itself, standing up and dancing during the entire show.

On the second day, magician and mentalist Frederico Soldati, who has been astonishing international audiences for over ten years with intriguing mentalism shows, blurred the borders between possible and impossible. In fact, the Swiss magician and mentalist, who started his career at the age of 14, blew the audiences’ mind with new exclusive magic tricks. Guessing the birthdays of every single person encountered in the audience, Federico

Soldati demonstrated to his public in Dubai that he is more than a magician: Federico is a soothsayer!

A high quality event promoting Swiss culture of entertainment in the United Arab Emirates, the organizers of the Swiss Days this year again showed their ability to organize concerts that make people dance the night away.

Furthermore, offering to the United Arab Emirates one of the best magic show of the moment, interrogating people’s understanding of what is real and what is untrue, the Swiss Days’ shows, this year again, represented an event too good to be true.

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Between Humor a Francophonie: the Montreux Comed bringing people e

Yoan Provenzano ŠKevin Sebastian

Presented by the Swiss Embassy in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and Swissquote Bank, the Montreux Comedy Festival made a great return to Dubai for a well-acclaimed 3rd edition: the people in Dubai are still laughing.

With a first day dedicated to French-speaking humor, this year, the event officially opened the month of Francophonie

and e dy Festival ever closer

FARY ŠKevin Sebastian

in the United Arab Emirates, a month during which various French-speaking representations and institutions give life to the French language in the region. An active member of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Switzerland has traditionally been an important supporter of the French language. In this context, through the stand-up comedy festival of Montreux, Switzerland is eager to show that the French language and humor alike share something wonderful: the ability to bring people closer beyond nationalities and cultures.

Lenny M’Bunga ©Kevin Sebastian

For this third edition, comedy-lovers were offered a great opportunity to discover internationally acclaimed Frenchspeaking stand-up comedians such as the Swiss Yoann Provenzano, Fary, Roman Frayssinet, Jason Brokerss and Lenny M’Bunga. Eager to play with the audience in an interactive manner, the comedians opened several spontaneous discussions with the public of the Madinat theatre, for the light worry of some interviewees and the great pleasure of an extremely vibrant audience.

In parallel to a well praised Arabic speaking gala conducted by internationally acclaimed comedian Ali AlSayed, the Swiss Comedy Festival also included, this year, an English gala featuring the above-mentioned Emirati star

comedian, Francesco De Carlo, Athena Kugblenu, Tats Nkonzo and Yoann Provenzano. Appealing to a very wide and eclectic audience, the English speaking show showed the natural international inclination of the Montreux Comedy Festival toward a global audience.

Present at the last show, the Swiss Director of the Montreux Comedy Festival Grégoire Fürrer mentioned his desire to enhance the Festival’s expansion in the United Arab Emirates and spread humor in the region, following the spirit of Montreux. This spirit, according to him, has been well shaped by Charlie Chaplin, who lived in the region, and kept on reminding everyone that: “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”

Visit to the UAE of

Ueli Maurer SWISS VICE PRESIDENT AND MINISTER OF FINANCE 64 After a visit to Saudi Arabia, the Swiss Vice President and Minister of Finance H.E. Ueli Maurer arrived to the United Arab Emirates on 19 February for a two-day visit. He was accompanied by the State Secretary for International Financial Matters, H.E. JĂśrg Gasser, as well as representatives from a dozen financial institutions.

During his visit, Ueli Maurer met several officials, among which the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, H.E. Mohamed Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, the Chairman of Abu Dhabi Global Market ADGM, H.E. Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh and the Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre DIFC, H.E. Essa Kazim.

On 20 February, together with his counterpart H.E. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Ueli Maurer launched the first Financial Dialogue between the UAE and Switzerland, thus opening a new page in Swiss-UAE relations. The dialogue gathered the delegations from the two Ministries, regulators and representatives from the Swiss and UAE financial sectors for discussions aiming at enhancing dialogue and cooperation in financial and tax matters with Switzerland’s most important trading partner in the MENA region.

The talks touched upon concrete cooperation as well as bilateral and multilateral concerns regarding financial matters. Among the topics discussed, the optimum framework to encourage investments and financial services was mentioned, as well as Swiss financial institutions' role and opportunities in the UAE and the broader region

Left to right: Ueli Maurer, Swiss Vice President and Minister of Finance; Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain; JĂśrg Gasser, Swiss State SWecretary; Herbert J. Scheidt, President SBVg.

65 and the implementation of global standards in financial matters.

An evening in the Residence of the Swiss Ambassador Maya Tissafi gathered 80 guests from Switzerland and the UAE for a networking reception as a panel discussion on “Open markets: promoting financial services in the UAE and Switzerland.�

This exchange took place in the context of Switzerland's financial market policy which aims to maintain and further develop a competitive Swiss financial centre. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are important target markets for Swiss financial service providers outside Europe. Swiss financial institutions have a strong presence in these markets. To improve the framework conditions, it is desirable to achieve a public image that is as consistent and effective as possible together with the sector.

Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates enjoy excellent bilateral relations. More than 250 Swiss companies established themselves in the United Arab Emirates, including about 20 financial institutions.

Economic relations are supported by a Free Trade Agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC], which was fully implemented in July 2015. Bilateral trade reached 14 billion Swiss francs in 2017. Switzerland was the first country to announce its participation in the Expo 2020 in Dubai.

Meeting at Abu Dhabi Global Market

Consular Affairs SWITZERLAND’S PRESENCE IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND BAHRAIN

Switzerland Bahrain In 2017, Switzerland moved its accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain from Qatar to the United Arab Emirates. On 30 January 2018, HE Ambassador Maya Tissafi handed her credentials as newly accredited Ambassador of Switzerland over to the King of Bahrain, HH Hamad bin Issa bin Salman Al-Khalifa. The King received the Ambassador for a discussion, together with the Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs, and expressed his satisfaction at the change of accreditation as well as over the longstanding relations between the two countries.

During her second visit in March, the Swiss Ambassador visited several judiciary, cultural as well as other institutions, and met with Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain, to discuss ways to further strengthen women empowerment along with their participation in public life.

Great opportunities exist in the relation between Switzerland and Bahrain, especially in sectors associated to the economy, culture, education and health.

The new team at the Embassy in Abu Dhabi will focus on the identification and implementation of new opportunities and is fully committed to deepen the relations with Bahraini partners and the Swiss community in the region.

It follows that 2018 marks the beginning of a new dynamic in Swiss-Bahraini relations, which the next Swiss Embassy Newsletter will report on.

SPRING 2017 - SPRING 2018

Team Building Event at the Louvre Abu Dhabi

photo ca

all

EVENTS OF THE EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND BAHRAIN

Swiss Spring Festival APRIL 2017

Flower Clock Abu Dhabi MAY 2017

Ramadan Greetings MAY 2017 HH Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and HE Maya Tissafi, Swiss Ambassador meet for the Ramadan Greetings.

Welcome Back Swiss Community SEPTEMBER 2017

Solar Impulse Documentary Screening OCTOBER 2017

Panel Discussion on Education and Vocational Training OCTOBER 2017

VISA Agreement OCTOBER 2017

Switzerland and UAE ties consolidated with the signing of the Visa Waiver Agreement.

Abu Dhabi Art NOVEMBER 2017

Olivier Mosset - Panel Discussion

Olivier Mosset - Welcome reception

Abu Dhabi Art Swiss Booth

Dubai Design Week NOVEMBER 2017

Elmar Mock Keynote

Swisscotec opening with Demetrios Eames

Swisscotec Panel Discussion on Swiss Design

Swiss Christmas Market DECEMBER 2017

Panel Discussion on Swiss Financial Markets FEBRUARY 2018

Switzerland Tourism Ladies Event MARCH 2018

SWISS EMBASSY CULTURAL TRUST FUND BUILDING ON ITS CULTURAL PROGRAMME AND SCALING UP ITS ACTIVITIES, THE EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND BAHRAIN ADMINISTRATES A CULTURAL TRUST FUND (CTF), TO WHICH PARTNERS AND SPONSORS ARE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. WITH THE MOBILIZED RESOURCES AND IN COLLABORATION WITH EMIRATI ORGANIZATIONS, THE SWISS EMBASSY PROMOTES SWISS ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, AND AUTHORS, WHILE SUPPORTING IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND BAHRAIN ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS CENTRED ON TOPICS OF IMPORTANCE FOR SWITZERLAND.

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impressum Editor: Embassy of Switzerland to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain Design: Embassy of Switzerland in Abu Dhabi External contributions: Bernhard Schopfer, Hugo Torrigiani, Herve Mikaeloff Photo cover page: Portrait of Olivier Mosset, Courtesy of Jean-Paul Najar Foundation Orders: Embassy of Switzerland Abu Dhabi, Email: adh.vertretung@eda.admin.ch Š Embassy of Switzerland Abu Dhabi, May 2018