Innovation and responsibility: Switzerland to showcase its strengths in France in 2024 and in Japan in 2025
At its meeting of 12 May 2021, the Federal Council decided to capitalise on the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and the 2025 World Expo in Osaka to promote Switzerland. In France, the House of Switzerland will serve as a platform for sport, politics, business, science and sustainability. A new Swiss pavilion will be designed for the world expo in Japan. The Federal Council has instructed the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to submit a dispatch to the Federal Assembly at the beginning of 2022 requesting a guarantee credit for both projects. In Paris and Osaka, the focus will be on Switzerland's innovativeness, sustainability and economic strengths.
With today's decision, the Federal Council has tasked the FDFA's Presence Switzerland with leveraging the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote Switzerland and safeguard its interests. Both sports events will bring together athletes, spectators and media from all over the world and attract large audiences both in the host countries and internationally. The French organisers expect over 10 million visitors from all over the world.
The House of Switzerland in Paris will provide Switzerland with a communication platform in the heart of France and further deepen its already close social, political, economic, scientific and cultural relations with its neighbour. Switzerland's participation will focus on the themes of innovation and sustainability: concrete examples of Swiss initiatives, companies and products will showcase Switzerland as a country renowned for its innovation, efficiency and responsibility.
The Federal Council is providing funding totalling CHF 4 million for the project, of which 30 percent is to be financed through sponsorships granted on the basis of the FDFA's new sponsorship policy.
Dispatch on Switzerland's presence at world expo in Osaka
At its meeting, the Federal Council also decided that Switzerland would participate in the world expo in Osaka, to be held from 13 April to 13 October 2025 under the theme 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives'. The organisers are expecting 150 participating countries and 28 million visitors.
Switzerland and Japan enjoy close political, economic and scientific relations. Its presence at the world expo in Osaka will provide Switzerland with a platform to gain visibility for itself and its concerns among important target sectors and the wider public, and to further develop its global network of contacts. Such platforms are becoming ever more important for the Swiss economy in an increasingly competitive global environment.
The Swiss pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka will be themed 'Innovative Switzerland'. Five years ahead of the target date for achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, Expo 2025 is also expected to serve as a global platform to raise awareness about the issue of sustainable development. The Swiss pavilion will highlight how Swiss innovation contributes to sustainability and prosperity and showcase Switzerland as a leading hub for innovation.
The total budget for Switzerland's participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka amounts to CHF 17.6 million. Sponsorships awarded on the basis of the FDFA's sponsorship guidelines will account for 25% of the funding. Next year, the Federal Council will submit to the Federal Assembly a federal decree and a dispatch on Switzerland's participation in the world expo in Osaka.
For further information:
Ambassador Nicolas Bideau
Head of Presence Switzerland
Tel. +41 79 667 69 15
nicolas.bideau@eda.admin.ch
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)
FDFA Communication
Tel. +41 58 462 31 53
Department responsible:
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)
