Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to pay state visit
Bern, 11.10.2016 - On behalf of the Federal Council, President Johann N. Schneider-Ammann extended an invitation to the Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to pay a state visit to Switzerland on 17 and 18 October. The aim of the visit is to further intensify the good and close ties that exist between Switzerland and Portugal, especially on a human and economic level.
The official talks will focus on bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of education and research, and on economic and international issues. European policy will also feature prominently on the agenda. The Portuguese president will be met by President Schneider-Ammann in Geneva on Monday morning and commence with visits to education and research institutions. In the afternoon the President of the Portuguese Republic will be greeted in Bern by the seven members of the Federal Council with military honours.
The official talks, which are scheduled to take place at the Bernerhof, will be attended by President Schneider-Ammann and President Rebelo de Sousa, along with members of the respective governments. The gala dinner will be held on the evening of the first day. The second day of the visit will be dedicated to the themes of vocational education and training and culture; the programme includes visits to a business and a museum in the Emmental.
Longstanding and close relations
The state visit pays tribute to the close human ties that have existed between Switzerland Portugal for many decades. There are currently around 270,000 Portuguese nationals living in Switzerland forming the third largest foreign community in the country.
Around 3,700 Swiss nationals live in Portugal. Records documenting contacts between the two countries date back to the 15th century and consular relations were established in 1817. In 1910 Switzerland was the first European country to officially recognise the republican government in Portugal following the toppling of the monarchy.
Address for enquiries
Address for enquiries: EAER Information Service, Erik Reumann
+41 (0) 79 303 81 53, info@gs-wbf.admin.ch
Logistics and Organisation: FDFA Information Service, Linda Shepard
+41 (0)79 544 48 16, info@eda.admin.ch
Accreditation: FDFA Information, Isabelle Wüthrich
+41 (0)58 462 35 58, info@eda.admin.ch
Links
Publisher
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research
http://www.wbf.admin.ch
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html
