Alain Berset, left, is welcomed by UNESCO'S Director-General Audrey Azoulay at the Paris UNESCO HQ on Friday
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Home Affairs Minister Alain Berset, on a visit to Paris, has been lobbying for Switzerland to join the executive board of the United Nations’ cultural body UNESCO.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/swissinfo.ch/ilj
Switzerland was last on the boardExternal link during 2003-2007 but put its bid to join on ice in 2015 after the government decided it should shift its international priorities elsewhere. The decision was also tied to a United States push for a place on the board, reports said.
Berset met UNESCOExternal link Director-General Audrey Azoulay as part of a two-day trip to the French capital which ended on Friday.
“He supported the Swiss candidacy for a seat on the executive board and underlined the Swiss efforts in assuring this organisation works well,” Berset’s spokesman Peter Lauener told Keystone-SDA. The contribution by the Swiss to the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation was acknowledged by Azoulay, he said.
The text applies to around three million archaeological sites that are under water. Switzerland notably has prehistoric pile dwellings in some of its lakes. This tweet from the Swiss UNESCO commission celebrates the signing.
Switzerland joined UNESCO in 1949External link – way before it became a member of the UN in 2002. In June foreign minster Ignazio Cassis hailed the 70th anniversary of relations at an event in Bern, acknowledging “the commitment of those who work for the preservation of memory and development of knowledge”.
Report finds serious security flaws in Swiss hospital information systems
This content was published on
The IT systems of several Swiss hospitals suffer from serious security flaws, according to the National Testing Institute for Cybersecurity (NTC).
Cost of leisure activities rises dramatically in Switzerland
This content was published on
The Swiss paid more for leisure activities in December. Prices for vacation apartments, package tours and cable cars rose significantly.
New Swiss epidemic surveillance centre inaugurated
This content was published on
The Centre for Pathogen Bioinformatics was inaugurated in Bern on Thursday. It aims to improve epidemics monitoring in Switzerland using genomic data.
This content was published on
Switzerland, as a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), signed a free trade agreement with Thailand during WEF.
This content was published on
The federal audit office has criticised the Swiss government for poor planning of the procurement of six drones from an Israeli supplier.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss watchmaking presented for UNESCO recognition
This content was published on
Swiss watch-making know-how spans craftsmanship from Geneva to Schaffhausen along the Jura mountain range that divides Switzerland from France. The manufacture of automatons and music boxes in the St. Croix region is also part of the package, the Federal Office of Culture said on Monday. Several craftspeople, companies, schools, museums and associations transmit these techniques…
This content was published on
Switzerland and Austria have been awarded coveted Unesco intangible cultural heritage status for their management of avalanche risks.
Saving the spirit of communities through cultural heritage
This content was published on
Nine cities around the world, including Geneva, Mosul and Timbuktu, are now working together to protect cultural heritage.
Switzerland targets three more World Heritage sites
This content was published on
The cabinet has chosen the three sites to add to the country’s existing 12 entries on the World Heritage list. The Salginatobel bridge spanning a valley in Schiers, canton Graubünden, was designed by Robert Maillart. At 90 metres, it was the longest bridge of its kind when it opened in 1930. “It is an architectural…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.