WE CAN BE ALLIES IN INNOVATION
The Swiss Embassy in Ankara will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Friendship Agreement signed between Türkiye and Switzerland in 1925 with a series of events. Switzerland’s Ambassador to Ankara, Guillaume Bertrand Scheure, shared special statements about the centenary celebrations. He said, “This anniversary is a great opportunity to look back and see what we have achieved together. More importantly, it is a chance to look forward and use this as a starting point.” Scheure emphasized that Türkiye and Switzerland could be important allies, especially in innovation.
The events to mark the 100th anniversary of the Friendship Agreement will begin with the concert “Intersecting Modernities” by Joanna Goodale and Layla Ramezan. The event will also feature the exhibition “Swiss Traces in Ankara through Schwarzenbach’s Lens,” which includes photographs taken by Swiss writer, photographer, and journalist Annemarie Schwarzenbach in Ankara during the 1930s. Ambassador Scheure noted that the centenary was not only a retrospective evaluation of a century but also an opportunity to strengthen future collaborations and cultural interactions between the two countries.
ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL INTERACTION
Ambassador Scheure stated that Türkiye and Switzerland have stood together through both difficult and good times since 1925. He explained, “Let me share a few examples of what it means to have good relations between the two countries. Switzerland and Türkiye share strong ties in economic cooperation, migration, mediation, international collaboration, and cultural heritage. This means that the people of Switzerland and Türkiye have been side by side for the last 100 years. There have been many interactions, contacts, and people-to-people relations in the economic and cultural fields, and we are developing new collaborations.”
COOPERATION IN INNOVATION
“This anniversary is a good opportunity to look back at our achievements, but it is even more important to look forward and use this as a starting point. What do we want to accomplish together? Both countries have great potential, especially in the economic field. Switzerland is strong in the economy and finance, but a less-known aspect is its leadership in innovation.”
I SEE THE POWER OF THE TURKISH ECONOMY AND UNIVERSITIES
“Innovation is essential in the 21st century. We often discuss artificial intelligence to understand how the world will develop. However, Switzerland has been the most innovative country in the world for 13 years in a row. We can be a very interesting ally for Türkiye in this area. I see the strength of the Turkish economy, industry, academia, and universities.”
THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING
“I must admit that Switzerland is strong in innovation, education, and vocational training. Vocational training may not be discussed much in Türkiye, but it is one of the strongest aspects of the Swiss economy. In Switzerland, young people can start real jobs from the age of 15 until they are 18-20. Three countries are pioneers in this area: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. We can offer the best experience and want to share it with the Turkish economy and industry.”
Ambassador Scheure mentioned that Switzerland is multicultural, with more than 30% of the population being foreign nationals. “We are accustomed to multiculturalism. Being a small country, we focus on innovation and attract the brightest minds to Switzerland. More than 30% of the population in Switzerland are foreign nationals, and many are Turkish. They live in French-speaking, German-speaking, and Italian-speaking regions, work in a wide range of professions, and are well integrated into Swiss society. There are no ghettos or neighborhoods where only foreigners live in Switzerland. The Turkish community is an important part of this multicultural structure.”
THE OPENING WILL BE HELD BY THE MINISTER
Scheure mentioned that the celebration events would begin with the photo exhibition “Swiss Traces in Ankara through Schwarzenbach’s Lens.” The opening will take place on April 10 at the Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum with the participation of Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and his Turkish counterpart. The exhibition will be open from April 11 to 24 at the Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu Exhibition Hall in the Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum with no admission.
ANKARA’S MODERNIZATION PROCESS
Burçak Yakıcı, the curator of the exhibition “Swiss Traces in Ankara through Schwarzenbach’s Lens,” spoke at the meeting. She said that Swiss writer, photographer, and journalist Schwarzenbach traveled to Türkiye in 1933 and documented the rapid transformation of Ankara and the vast geography of Anatolia. Yakıcı explained, “This exhibition honors Schwarzenbach’s unique contribution to the visual memory of Türkiye. The exhibition will be divided into two sections. The first section will focus on intellectual and architectural interactions between Switzerland and Türkiye and examine Ankara’s modernization after being declared the capital. This will include the collaboration between Swiss-Austrian and Turkish architects Arif Hikmet Koyunoğlu, Sedad Hakkı Eldem, and Bedri Uçar. Their contributions to shaping Ankara’s architectural identity and architecture education will be highlighted. The section will also explore how diplomacy, education, and architecture have strengthened the ties between the two countries.”
“The second part of the exhibition will take us on a journey through Schwarzenbach’s impressive photographs. These works showcase the rapidly changing Ankara and the beauty of Anatolia, capturing both the spirit of modernization and Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage.”
