Cultural diversity and quality of teaching are essential components of the "Swiss touch"

By Ambassador Raymond Loretan, Consul General of Switzerland in New York.

A vector of Swiss values

Experience shows that the United States’ alumni tradition is a very effective method of diffusing and reinforcing Swiss values and interests. Former American students who have had the opportunity to receive top-quality education in Switzerland are rightly proud of their achievement and have many happy memories of their experiences abroad. Moreover, they form a strong network of highly-qualified people who are destined to hold executive positions and will provide a valuable source of support and advice for our country. They have a “Swiss perspective” of our standards and can empathize with our concerns more than any other foreign visitor. Studying in a foreign country leaves an imprint on young people's minds more than knowledge or values alone ever will. It enables them to feel and understand what it means to be Swiss on a deeper level and create a strong and broad-based network of people from similar backgrounds who – even though they live all over the world – will have this shared experience in common.

swissroots

The strong cultural connections made between the young citizens of Switzerland and the United States constitute another very important aspect of the Alumni tradition. The bond of friendship and cultural exchanges provide the opportunity to interact with friends or relatives, share ideas and find out information about their respective countries. As a platform for exchanges between American and Swiss people, our SWISS ROOTS program; www.swissroots.org, pursues the same idea of prolific cultural interactions and exchanges. I invite all readers to have a look at this website and to become a member of our swissroots family.

An affinity network throughout the world

Once they have returned to the United States, former students take part in alumni associations, which gather once a year, organize social events, publish newsletters and magazines, and raise funds for their “alma mater”. This is a good way for us to raise the profile of our high-quality school network among potential new American students. They can learn about us and find out information about our schools, which in turn may kindle the desire within them to come and experience Switzerland for themselves. Moreover, alumni are an invaluable source of support for their former Swiss schools, often supporting new alumni and providing a forum where they can forge friendships and business relationships with people from a similar background. Personally I consider this network of very highly educated people and their alumni as an important Swiss affinity network throughout the world and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them to be such good Ambassadors, not only of our schools and institutions but also of our culture and of the Swiss spirit.

	Raymond Loretan Ambassador and Consul General of Switzerland in New York, USA Born in 1955 in Sion (VS), Switzerland Married, with three children
	1981–1983 Degree in Law, University of Fribourg, Switzerland Assistant Programme Officer, United Nations Institute for Training and Research, New York, USA and The Hague, Netherlands Assistant in Private Law, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
	1983–1987 Admission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Personal Secretary to the Secretary of State, Bern, Switzerland
	1987–1990 Personal Adviser to the Federal Councilor and President of the Swiss Confederation (1990) Prof. Dr. Arnold Koller, Bern, Switzerland
	1991–1992 Counselor in European Affairs of the Canton of Valais, Switzerland
	1993–1997 Secretary general of the Swiss Christian Democratic Party
	1997–2002 Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Singapore
	2002– Ambassador and Consul General of Switzerland in New York, USA