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July 22, 2026 – 15:00\n<\/p>\n
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\n Where does Switzerland stand in the world? And where is it heading? I focus on current and possible future developments.
\nAfter completing my studies (history, law and European studies), I worked for a time at the Swiss embassy in Athens. I have journalistic experience at home and abroad, at the local and national levels, as a freelancer and as a staff journalist. Today, it’s with an international focus. <\/p>\n
\n Deutsch <\/p>\n \n de <\/p>\n Ein neuer Typ Botschaft <\/p>\n Original\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Ein neuer Typ Botschaft \n Fran\u00e7ais <\/p>\n \n fr <\/p>\n Un nouveau type d\u2019ambassade\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Un nouveau type d\u2019ambassade Dear reader,<\/p>\n For a while, I worked at the Swiss embassy in Athens. At the time, it occupied three floors of an apartment building that was centrally located but still quiet and next to a monastery.<\/p>\n My former colleagues (unlike the diplomatic and consular staff, the local employees do not rotate) have been working in a new embassy building since the beginning of June. It is even more centrally located in the venerable Plaka neighbourhood, below the Acropolis.<\/p>\n What makes it extra special is not just the prestigious location but the fact that it rubs shoulders with the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece (ESAG) and the Flux Laboratory cultural foundation. This so-called \u201cMaison suisse\u201d is therefore more than an administrative building.<\/p>\n \u201cIt sees itself as a Swiss house of culture, research and diplomacy,\u201d the Swiss foreign ministry wrote to me in response to an inquiry.<\/p>\n This is a novelty in Switzerland\u2019s external diplomatic network. Such formats are common for temporary initiatives, for example at World\u2019s fairs or the Olympics. There are also institutions such as the Palazzo Trevisan in Venice, which serves as a Swiss platform for culture and research. However, these are not embassies.<\/p>\n It is still unclear whether the \u201cMaison suisse\u201d will set a precedent in other countries. However, the foreign ministry seems to be open to the possibility. Using synergies between diplomacy, science and culture is a good fit for today\u2019s Swiss foreign policy, it says. There is potential given that Switzerland has a comparatively large and dense network of representations abroad \u2013 with over 170 branch offices, it ranks among the top 20 worldwide.<\/p>\n From my former office I had a good view of the monastery. Do my former colleagues now actually have a view of the Acropolis? It would almost make me regret that I became a journalist\u2026<\/p>\n Have you had any interesting experiences at an embassy? As always, you can write to me on giannis.mavris@swissinfo.ch<\/a><\/p>\n Best regards,<\/p>\n Giannis Mavris<\/p>\n P.S. If you find the newsletter useful, please feel free to forward it to others \u2013 you can subscribe\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The latest articles on geopolitics<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Election, trade and AI chaos <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 22, 2026 <\/p>\n A round-up of US-related news as reported by the Swiss media. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Election, trade and AI chaos More <\/p>\n Global trade\n <\/p>\n How Switzerland could become a hub for Chinese e-commerce <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 22, 2026 <\/p>\n After the EU has introduced a tax on small parcels from China, some worry that Switzerland could be a convenient loophole. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: How Switzerland could become a hub for Chinese e-commerce More <\/p>\n International Geneva\n <\/p>\n Inside Geneva\u2019s Summer Profiles: Trish Newport <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 21, 2026 <\/p>\n Trish Newport of M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF) Switzerland is Inside Geneva\u2019s first summer profile this year. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: Inside Geneva\u2019s Summer Profiles: Trish Newport More <\/p>\n Foreign Affairs\n <\/p>\n How water is driving a pushback against authoritarianism in Kyrgyzstan <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 21, 2026 <\/p>\n Once seen as Central Asia\u2019s \u201cisland of democracy\u201d, Kyrgyzstan has seen that reputation fade in recent years. Swiss-backed water projects are now helping to bolster local communities. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: How water is driving a pushback against authoritarianism in Kyrgyzstan More <\/p>\n Swiss position\n <\/p>\n A brief history of Swiss banking oversight and its scandals <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 20, 2026 <\/p>\n Scandals and outside pressure have shaped Swiss banking regulations \u2013 yet powerful financial lobbies have often managed to water them down. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: A brief history of Swiss banking oversight and its scandals
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