A path northward from Geneva will take you to Interlaken, Switzerland and then to the Jungfrau Mountain summit in the Bernese Alps. From the commanding heights, one can enjoy the magnificent views of the Bernese Oberland and the Swiss Alps. Along the way, one passes the Schilltorn summit—the site where the James Bond 007 movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” was filmed. Interlaken area has served as a favorite location for Indian movies also. “Bollywood” has cast such a spell on tourism that the restaurant—representing the Indian movie industry—at the snowy peak of the Jungfrau is packed.
“We have come to Switzerland to see the landscape that we often see in Hindi movies. It is like heaven. It is a visit of a lifetime”, Prakash Mehta was quoted in the Economic Times.
The morning coffee becomes so much more enjoyable with the spectacular view of the Jungfrau Mountain at ground level. One can’t help but notice the busloads of tourists from Mumbai, Shanghai, and other places in between. By the time the sumptuous breakfast at La Terrasse at Victoria Jungfrau is over, one gets the feeling that the East meets West in Switzerland—maybe somewhere in between the Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West railway stations. All this seems to be a product of non-obvious diplomacy—the Swiss way.
Cathedral Avenue in northwest Washington is thousands of miles away from Interlaken but it is home to the Swiss Embassy, which plays a unique and creative role in diplomacy. One way to experience this brand of diplomacy is through “Soiree Suisse”—the annual event that includes participants from businesses and charities. “One of the ideas is to give back,” Surya Hill, Sparkle Sarl, said. Walking the Swiss Embassy grounds during “Soiree Suisse”, one finds how vast the outreach effort is.
One recent event organized by the Swiss Embassy relates to international development through a discussion on "Scaling Integrated Water Resources Management" so as to create strong and healthy communities and environments. Another example was a half-day seminar: “How the Swiss Model is Creating High-Paying Manufacturing Jobs in America” at the Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus. It brought together academics from University of South Carolina, American University and vocational experts from Switzerland. In addition, the seminar included experts from the U.S. Department of Labor and leaders of the Buhler Group—which operates in 140 countries and specializes in food processing and manufacturing high-grade materials.
One memorable encounter during “Soiree Suisse” was with Doug Holladay, Founder of PathNorth and a former Special Ambassador to South Africa. Doug appears to have boundless enthusiasm and energy. Steve and Jean Case have noted that Doug’s strong belief in change and the opportunities we can gain from taking risks have shaped his stellar life of service and led him to found a movement to bring leaders together for honest and constructive conversation. Noted author Gail Sheey, in her best seller Pathfinder, described Holladay as an influential layman who “excelled in all he touched”.
PathNorth was launched five years ago by Holladay and friends Steve and Jean Case, Ben Dupont, Tom Eckert, Wayne Huizenga, Debra Waller, Senator Brock, and others. They sensed there was a need for leaders of different stripes to have a “safe space” to discuss and explore things that truly mattered, thereby, “broadening their definitions of success.”
An example of unique diplomacy and synergy is the annual PathNorth “Non-Obvious” dinner hosted at the Swiss Ambassador’s residence. About eighty “accomplished leaders drawn from the highest levels of business, finance, diplomacy, government, media, and the arts”—as noted on PathNorth website—propose, discuss, and vote on ‘non-obvious’ solutions to various challenges facing our world. It was an electric evening of ideas and passion.
The idea to “create global social media pen pal groups in which a child in 4th or 5th grade is assigned or chooses a group that includes a child from each continent”, proposed by Bob Franklin, President of Morehouse College, won last year. A “School Accountability App”, proposed by former Senator Bill Brock was among the semifinalist. And the list goes on.
The 3rd Annual “Non-Obvious” Dinner had even more interesting ideas; each one a winner. Among the 80 participants in this year’s dinner were U.S. senators, several ambassadors, CEOs, and other corporate executives, retired four-star generals, and a former U.S. presidential candidate.
At each table, between courses of delicious Swiss cuisine, participants proposed and explained their ideas. Voting rounds occurred before the next course arrived and the winning idea was sent for general voting. This motion is akin to the smooth operations within a Swiss watch, a pure joy to observe.
By the time the “Non-Obvious” dinner is over, one gets the feeling of the ride on the trains in Interlaken to the frozen peak of the Jungfrau Mountain. Certain bonds of friendship are established just like those with the fellow train travelers heading to the same destination at the Jungfrau Summit. From that vantage point, one finds a clear view and a singularity of purpose. And the glue that binds all these minds together is the creative force of the Swiss Ambassador, his wife, and the staffs of both the Embassy of Switzerland and PathNorth.
This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Courier's January/February 2014 print edition.
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Non-Obvious Diplomacy
February 7, 2014
A path northward from Geneva will take you to Interlaken, Switzerland and then to the Jungfrau Mountain summit in the Bernese Alps. From the commanding heights, one can enjoy the magnificent views of the Bernese Oberland and the Swiss Alps. Along the way, one passes the Schilltorn summit—the site where the James Bond 007 movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” was filmed. Interlaken area has served as a favorite location for Indian movies also. “Bollywood” has cast such a spell on tourism that the restaurant—representing the Indian movie industry—at the snowy peak of the Jungfrau is packed.
“We have come to Switzerland to see the landscape that we often see in Hindi movies. It is like heaven. It is a visit of a lifetime”, Prakash Mehta was quoted in the Economic Times.
The morning coffee becomes so much more enjoyable with the spectacular view of the Jungfrau Mountain at ground level. One can’t help but notice the busloads of tourists from Mumbai, Shanghai, and other places in between. By the time the sumptuous breakfast at La Terrasse at Victoria Jungfrau is over, one gets the feeling that the East meets West in Switzerland—maybe somewhere in between the Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West railway stations. All this seems to be a product of non-obvious diplomacy—the Swiss way.
Cathedral Avenue in northwest Washington is thousands of miles away from Interlaken but it is home to the Swiss Embassy, which plays a unique and creative role in diplomacy. One way to experience this brand of diplomacy is through “Soiree Suisse”—the annual event that includes participants from businesses and charities. “One of the ideas is to give back,” Surya Hill, Sparkle Sarl, said. Walking the Swiss Embassy grounds during “Soiree Suisse”, one finds how vast the outreach effort is.
One recent event organized by the Swiss Embassy relates to international development through a discussion on "Scaling Integrated Water Resources Management" so as to create strong and healthy communities and environments. Another example was a half-day seminar: “How the Swiss Model is Creating High-Paying Manufacturing Jobs in America” at the Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus. It brought together academics from University of South Carolina, American University and vocational experts from Switzerland. In addition, the seminar included experts from the U.S. Department of Labor and leaders of the Buhler Group—which operates in 140 countries and specializes in food processing and manufacturing high-grade materials.
One memorable encounter during “Soiree Suisse” was with Doug Holladay, Founder of PathNorth and a former Special Ambassador to South Africa. Doug appears to have boundless enthusiasm and energy. Steve and Jean Case have noted that Doug’s strong belief in change and the opportunities we can gain from taking risks have shaped his stellar life of service and led him to found a movement to bring leaders together for honest and constructive conversation. Noted author Gail Sheey, in her best seller Pathfinder, described Holladay as an influential layman who “excelled in all he touched”.
PathNorth was launched five years ago by Holladay and friends Steve and Jean Case, Ben Dupont, Tom Eckert, Wayne Huizenga, Debra Waller, Senator Brock, and others. They sensed there was a need for leaders of different stripes to have a “safe space” to discuss and explore things that truly mattered, thereby, “broadening their definitions of success.”
An example of unique diplomacy and synergy is the annual PathNorth “Non-Obvious” dinner hosted at the Swiss Ambassador’s residence. About eighty “accomplished leaders drawn from the highest levels of business, finance, diplomacy, government, media, and the arts”—as noted on PathNorth website—propose, discuss, and vote on ‘non-obvious’ solutions to various challenges facing our world. It was an electric evening of ideas and passion.
The idea to “create global social media pen pal groups in which a child in 4th or 5th grade is assigned or chooses a group that includes a child from each continent”, proposed by Bob Franklin, President of Morehouse College, won last year. A “School Accountability App”, proposed by former Senator Bill Brock was among the semifinalist. And the list goes on.
The 3rd Annual “Non-Obvious” Dinner had even more interesting ideas; each one a winner. Among the 80 participants in this year’s dinner were U.S. senators, several ambassadors, CEOs, and other corporate executives, retired four-star generals, and a former U.S. presidential candidate.
At each table, between courses of delicious Swiss cuisine, participants proposed and explained their ideas. Voting rounds occurred before the next course arrived and the winning idea was sent for general voting. This motion is akin to the smooth operations within a Swiss watch, a pure joy to observe.
By the time the “Non-Obvious” dinner is over, one gets the feeling of the ride on the trains in Interlaken to the frozen peak of the Jungfrau Mountain. Certain bonds of friendship are established just like those with the fellow train travelers heading to the same destination at the Jungfrau Summit. From that vantage point, one finds a clear view and a singularity of purpose. And the glue that binds all these minds together is the creative force of the Swiss Ambassador, his wife, and the staffs of both the Embassy of Switzerland and PathNorth.
This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Courier's January/February 2014 print edition.
