Blue Peace Days: Swiss water diplomacy at Expo 2020 Dubai and the World Water Forum in Dakar
Bern, 25.02.2022 - The Swiss pavilion will focus on the topic of water during the final month of Expo 2020 Dubai. The 'Blue Peace' exhibition presents the Swiss initiative of the same name promoting cooperation on sustainable global water management. The exhibition will be launched on 26 February in the presence of SDC Director General Patricia Danzi. The launch in Dubai also marks the beginning of the 'Blue Peace Days', which will end at the World Water Forum in Dakar in late March.
The world expo in Dubai, whose theme is 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future', has been under way since 1 October 2021. More than 190 countries will be represented on this international stage until the end of March 2022. From the beginning, the Swiss pavilion has stood out thanks to its substantive contribution and active approach to global challenges such as healthcare, climate change, food security and water scarcity. It acts as a platform for dialogue with regional actors from business, science and politics. In the expo's final month, Switzerland will focus on promoting peace and stability as part of the 'Blue Peace' initiative. Launched in 2010 by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the initiative promotes the peaceful and sustainable management of water resources around the world.
To mark the start of the 'Blue Peace Days' on 26 February, SDC Director General Patricia Danzi will meet former Slovenian president Danilo Türk, who is a diplomatic adviser to the Geneva Water Hub. They will be at the Swiss pavilion to discuss current challenges and developments in the field of water.
"The Middle East has one of the world's lowest rainfall rates," Ms Danzi explains."This water scarcity harbours enormous potential for conflict and worsens existing tensions. Switzerland is using its long-standing experience in transboundary water management to support the search for viable solutions. The 'Blue Peace Days' in Dubai facilitate the discussion of new solutions allowing countries with a common border to share this scarce resource in a sustainable and peaceful manner."
After the discussion, Ms Danzi will open the 'Blue Peace' exhibition at the pavilion. The interactive installation created for the event playfully offers visitors an insight into how water connects us all; it explains that while this connection causes conflict, it is also an opportunity to ensure peace and security around the world.
The Swiss pavilion will be organising a series of events on this topic throughout March. This includes a conference of experts featuring leading thinkers in the field of water from the Gulf states and other middle-eastern countries. The 'Blue Peace Days' at the Swiss pavilion in Dubai thus act as a bridge to the next World Water Forum, which will take place from 21 to 25 March in Dakar. The world's largest event on the topic of water will bring together participants from politics, the scientific community, civil society and the private sector to develop solutions to global water issues. President of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis will attend the opening of the forum.
The Swiss pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai opened its doors on 1 October 2021 and will continue to present Switzerland as the world's leading innovation hotspot until the end of March. The pavilion regularly places highly in various rankings and is one of the most popular and frequently visited pavilions at the expo, having welcomed its millionth visitor last week.
For further information:
Ambassador Nicolas Bideau
Head of Presence Switzerland
nicolas.bideau@eda.admin.ch
Tel.: +41 79 667 69 15
Address for enquiries
FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA
Publisher
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html
