Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am so delighted to be here tonight. This has been a very interesting visit to Boston and I am inspired by the sheer talent I have seen during my campus visits.

Tonight is, of course, no exception. This event marks the end of my two-day visit to this exciting region, and I can think of no better way to celebrate the connections we have created. Accompanying me to Boston - and Cambridge ! - is a delegation from Switzerland. They have all been actively “connecting the dots” - as the swissnex motto says - with their counterparts in the area.

The opening of this exhibit at Harvard University is also a showcase of the power of collaboration. The motto of this visit to the USA is “building bridges between Switzerland and the USA.” This is in part because the two cities we will visit are known for their stunning bridges: San Francisco, where we will fly tomorrow, for the Golden Gate Bridge of course, and Boston for the Zakim Bridge, designed by a Swiss engineer, Christian Menn. I am delighted to see that neutral Switzerland helped to build new bridges between Boston and Cambridge!

This is really a tradition, in fact: for Swiss people to build bridges here in the USA. In New York City also, you find wonderful bridges designed by Swiss engineers. Among them is the wonderful George Washington Bridge and the Verazanno Bridge!

But there is another way to build bridges: by connecting diverse scientific fields. This belief was reinforced during my visit to The Wyss Institute this morning. Looking at their fascinating projects for the future, I could see the possibilities offered to human beings when health and engineering connect.

The world is indeed becoming a smaller place. The importance of working together in this interconnected environment has never been more apparent. From facilitating interdisciplinary thinking like medicine and engineering at the Wyss to bring together thinkers of different organizations, it is now crucial to maintain a collaborative mindset in science, education and culture.

This is also what lies at the roots of swissnex, our collaborative platform located here in Cambridge and in San Francisco. Other swissnex outposts are located in Shanghai, Singapore and Bangalore. Let me congratulate the swissnex team in San Francisco, which has brought the Sunny Memories exhibit to various sites across the US. They connect the many dots including The Laboratory at Harvard, which welcomed the idea of hosting this stop of the tour and is part of the success of the exhibit. Of course, this would not be possible without funding. I am pleased to recognize the impact of public-private partnerships and the engagement of sponsors such as Lombard Odier. It’s a pleasure to have Mr. Thierry Lombard among our delegation for this trip. I thank him for his long-term support and initiatives in favor of developing Swiss science, as this exhibit shows. You helped build all these bridges!

I’m also pleased to have here the President of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Mr. Patrick Aebischer, because the technology behind the central feature of this exhibit was developed there. The importance of solar cells today, as well as the field of clean energy, cannot be emphasized more. EPFL’s solar cell technology has received many awards and its inventor, Michael Graetzel, is a renowned expert in the field.

This kind of technology is part of a broader effort in Switzerland to drive a green economy through clean technologies and sustainability. Not only do we need nice bridges but also clean rivers below them! As you know, we are keen to have sustainable transportation in Switzerland, and I am not only talking about the breakthrough of the Gotthard tunnel; as of two weeks ago, it is the longest railroad tunnel in the world: 35 miles through the granite of the Alps. Some say, it is a “boring” project, but what an engineering success! So as you see, we do not build only big bridges in Switzerland!

There is also a lot of research going on linked to cars and new ways of mobility. One exciting example is the two projects recently initiated by Swiss schools of engineering in collaboration with international partners. Believe it or not, there will soon be an attempt at a world tour aboard a sun-powered plane! And as we speak, there is in the Atlantic a Swiss sun-powered boat trying to sail around the world!
It is important to realize that innovation is key to achieving sustainability. Fostering such innovation is the responsibility of every government.
Indeed, from healthcare to the energy crisis, we cannot wait very long for solutions. Technology is important, but it needs to be adapted to match human needs in order to be useful. The beauty of this exhibit is that it does just that, and even more. It connects with style, bringing aesthetics on board. It connects all these dots. Thanks to the interdisciplinary team that contemplated the usability of solar cells, we now have these magnificent pieces around us: impressive examples of how technology and design can yield products that are technologically advanced, practical for everyday use, and beautiful. Design and, by extension, all aspects of arts and human sciences are essential for breakthroughs in the hardest global issues. An innovative product with a thoughtful design has the potential to be well received by the end users and offer them pleasure.

I am happy that my ministerial portfolio allows me to combine education, research and culture. I am committed to combining the passion of artists with the determination of scientists and engineers. I am pleased to see all these dots connected. In this regard, I acknowledge the fantastic job of the EPFL-ECAL Lab and its director-founder Nicolas Henchoz, who initiated The Sunny Memories project. This exhibit is a joint initiative of the EPFL and the Ecole Cantonal d’art de Lausanne (ECAL), whose director Pierre Keller and his nominated successor Alexis Georgacopoulos are also here with us tonight with the ‘ministre de tutelle’ State Councillor Anne-Catherine Lyon, head of education from Canton de Vaud. The EPFL-ECAL Lab has long been a pioneer in synthesizing the best of engineering and design to create product designs that are both innovative and aesthetic.

I think you were right, dear Mr Keller, to mention yesterday evening at the 10-year anniversary of swissnex – in your world-famous way - that one needs passion to change the world, and culture can contribute to it. The solar cells invented by the scientists and built by the engineers bring life to these objects through electricity. The work of the designers adds to the energy of pleasure.

So it is my pleasure to convey the greetings and congratulations of the Swiss federal government to all the young talents who worked together on these projects and for this exhibition.

Ladies and Gentlemen
One important lesson from this visit to the Boston Region – on both sides of the river: we used many bridges in the last two days ! - one important lesson is the powerful notion of collaboration that produces creativity, especially when it is based on respect and on shared values. As we continue in the Department of Home Affairs to develop strategies for the future of Swiss science and culture both home and abroad, I will make good use of all I have learned here thanks to the generosity of the people I have met and their contagious energy.
Thank you very much, and I wish you a delightful evening…I dare say a “sunny evening” (even if it is raining outside - the wonderful sun of yesterday is in our memory)! As the song says : “Let the sun shine in!”

Opening of the Exhibition Sunny Memories - « Switzerland builds bridges between Science, Engineering and Culture »