Swiss Federal Councilor Micheline Calmy Rey at Harvard University
The Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs replied favorably to an invitation by Harvard University for a public talk on Thursday, September 25, 2008.

Ms. Calmy Rey participated in a special edition of the HPCR Live Seminar (Harvard Program for Conflict Research) on humanitarian law and diplomacy. The live seminar, initiated by HPCR Director Claude Bruderlein, is an innovative web-based discussion for UN and other humanitarian professionals from over 140 countries.

Harvard honored Ms. Calmy Rey with an official welcoming by the Harvard University Marshal, Jacqueline O’Neil. The ceremony took place at historic Wadsworth House and the guest of honor signed the official guest book.

The Consulate-swissnex Boston organized an informal afternoon tea at the Harvard Faculty Club for Ms. Calmy Rey and 9 young Swiss students and professionals from the Boston area (Christina Alfirev, Yvonne Moret, Daniela Domeisen, Sarah Kopse-Scholberg, Alwin Kopse, Marilyne Anderson, Anna Grichting, Alfonso von Wunschheim, and Daniel Kaufmann).

The official talk at the Harvard Center for European Studies (CES) attracted close to 100 people. Patricia Craig, Director of the CES welcomed the Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs to the presentation and discussion on the “Switzerland’s Challenges of the 21st Century in a Fragmented World”. The panel included Professor Jacqueline Bhabha, Director of Harvard’s University Committee on Human Rights Studies, Swiss Ambassador to the UN Peter Maurer, and moderator Claude Bruderlein.

A Swiss style reception concluded the short and successful visit of our Foreign Minister at Harvard University.

Click here for the Diplomacy Through Dialogue Video.
Click here to download a copy of the speech.