October 2009

Given the Indian summer that Switzerland has been enjoying the last few weeks, it is hard to believe that the first snow has already fallen and some alpine passes even had to be closed. But winter is still some way off, as autumn has arrived in Switzerland in all its technicolour glory.

As you read this newsletter, the winners of this summer’s swissQuiz are enjoying their personalised Swiss Gift Sets. Meanwhile, the House of Switzerland in Vancouver is starting to take shape, and our partner portal - ch.ch – is getting ready to launch a great new feature: Switzerland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 3D.

Autumn is undoubtedly the most vibrant and invigorating season of all - a time of deep hues of russet and gold, bountiful harvests and thanksgiving festivals. This time of year is quite simply a feast for all the senses!

Swissworld.org wishes all its visitors a vibrant and invigorating autumn!

swissQuiz – the chance to win a piece of Switzerland

Swiss Package Design

This August, personalised Swiss Gift Sets were dispatched across the world (Canada, Peru, Italy, Hungary, Spain, China, Kazakhstan and Japan) to the winners of this summer’s swissQuiz. We were delighted with the incredible response to the quiz and would like to thank everyone for their positive comments.

Once again, swissworld.org would like to congratulate the swissQuiz winners. We hope you like what you found in your goodie bag!

House of Switzerland Canada 2010

House of Switzerland

The House of Switzerland will be doubly represented at the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Canada: a Swiss guest centre will be set up in the heart of each of the sporting venues, Vancouver and Whistler. The House of Switzerland Canada 2010 will open its doors at both venues on 5 February 2010, a full week before the Winter Olympic Games get under way. As one of the few national guest centres open to the public, the House of Switzerland is a hotspot for visitors, clients and the media and the venue for parties celebrating the Swiss medal winners.

Find out more on the official website: http://www.houseofswitzerland.org/en/home.html

Swiss Pavilion 2010

Swiss Pavilion EXPO 2010 Shanghai

The official Swiss Pavilion is really starting to take shape. If the shell of the building is finished according to plan, the topping-off ceremony will take place on 23 October 2009 and will be attended by guests of honour, Federal Councillor Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf and a delegation of Swiss parliamentarians.

Eight months before it opens on 1 May 2010, the Swiss Pavilion at EXPO 2010 in Shanghai already has an impressive Chinese following. An online survey found that Switzerland is No. 11 in the Top 20 pavilions that the Chinese most want to see, and No. 5 in the Top 20 pavilions from Europe.

For more information, go to the official website: http://www.swisspavilion.ch/en/home.html

Culinary foray through Switzerland

Chästeilet

Wine trails, chestnut trails, wine-growers’ festivals, harvest thanksgiving festivals, to name but a few… visitors to Switzerland this autumn would be well advised to prepare for some serious gastronomic over-indulgence! Enjoy the traditional spectacle of herds of cows in all their finery making their way down from their summer alpine retreat and dairy farmers sharing out the fruits of their summer labour (“Chäseteilet”).

Find out more about Autumn Festivals in Switzerland and take some inspiration from the Switzerland Tourism Culinary Hikes!

Also check out the "Customs and Traditions in Switzerland" DVD on swissworld.org.

Multimedia Switzerland on www.ch.ch

Our partner portal has just launched a brand new feature: an audio tour through Switzerland’s four linguistic regions. Find out what makes each of our 26 cantons so unique and discover some of Switzerland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Benedictine Convent of St. John in Müstair or the Jungfrau-Aletsch region and the longest glacier in Europe, all in fabulous 3D!