Swiss Consulate New York

Rattan Cocoon at New York Design Week From May 18 - May 21, New...

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:49:00 -0400

Rattan Cocoon at New York Design Week

From May 18 - May 21, New York Design Week takes place at various venues around the city. At the Chambers Hotel in midtown, Swiss design agency Allegory Studio has transformed the master staircase into a “Rattan Cocoon,” inviting visitors to experience the exhibit space through a unique entrance.

NY Design Week aims to blend the traditional elements of art fairs, gallery fairs, and contemporary art exhibitions into a comprehensive experience. Allegory Studio is exhibiting at the Chambers Hotel as part of the French Design Connection group, whose goalis to export the best European design to New York City.

We had the chance to meet the Swiss founder of Geneva and Paris based Allegory Studio Albert Schrurs. He explained the inspiration behind “Rattan Cocoon” and the intricacies of designing and building the project. Check out our interview with Albert here and stop into the Chambers Hotel for a peek at the “Rattan Cocoon” staircase!

Pictured (L to R): Francesco Pirrello, Meet My Project director; Ansell Hawkins, Chambers Hotel general manager; Philippine Courtière Schrurs; Albert Schrurs, Allegory Studio founder; Clement Sauvoy, French Design Connection exhibition curator; Zsofia Ilosvai, Meet My Project.

Meet Swiss Duo L&L Swiss classical musicians, Duo L&L...

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:43:00 -0400

Meet Swiss Duo L&L

Swiss classical musicians, Duo L&L (cellist Lionel Cottet and pianist Louis Schwizgebel), both 25 years old, have been performing together for over 8 years. The young, talented musicians have a successful career touring the world with their talents, and this Monday they will perform the Complete Set of Beethoven Cello Sonatas at Juilliard for their Artist Diploma Recital.

We had the pleasure of meeting the duo at Juilliard last week and they gave us a special preview concert in the Juilliard practice rooms (using the practice room piano and equipment!). They play together incredibly well and we can’t wait to see them on stage. Watch our interview with Lionel and Louis for a peek into what’s to come on Monday.

Lionel and Louis will be performing in separate parts of the world this summer (with Louis in Asia and Lionel in Northern Europe) but the two will reuniute soon in Geneva.

Duo L&L has recorded an album together, live in Geneva’s Concert Hall. They also record and perform separately. Most recently, Lionel recorded “Andreas & Bernhard Romberg: Violinkonzert Nr. 3, Cellokonzert Nr. 2” released by SONY Classics.

For more information on the duo, and their respective separate works, visit: http://lionelcottet.com/ and http://www.louisschwizgebel.com/.

Monday’s recital is free and open to the public. We hope that you will join us at 8PM in Julliard’s Paul Hall to see Duo L&L present a “Beethoven Sonatas Marathon”.

35th Solothurner Literaturtage

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:15:00 -0400

Guest Blog Post by Elena Baenninger, Project Manager, Cultural Affairs, Swiss Consulate New York

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the 35th Solothurner Literaturtage (May 10 - 12, 2013), one of the largest and most renowned Swiss literary festivals. Each year literature enthusiasts from around the world gather in the picturesque town of Solothurn to hear readings and discussions by some of the most exciting contemporary voices from Switzerland and abroad.

This year’s festival attracted around 15’000 people, a significant increase from last year’s attendance, and for the first time was under the directorial guidance of Bettina Spoerri. Appropriately themed “Beginnings” (“Anfänge.Débuts.Inizi. Entschattas”), national and international writers discussed the difficulties of starting a novel and the struggle with the blank page. Young Swiss writers from all four Swiss language regions presented their debuts achievements, and translators from around the world gave the festival attendees a glimpse into the laborious process of literary translation while translating new texts in front of a live audience.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival was the Friday night reading by New York based, Pulitzer-prize winning American author, Michael Cunningham. Best known for his novel The Hours, Cunningham engaged in a lively discussion on stage with Bettina Spoerri and read from his soon-to-be-published novel about an artist’s complicated relationship with substance abuse and his search for inspiration, set in New York.

The Solothurner Literaturtage came to an end late Sunday afternoon with homage to prolific Swiss writer Urs Widmer and the presentation of the Solothurner Literature Prize 2013. Friend and fellow writer Klaus Hoffer gave a touching laudation for Widmer’s approaching 75^th Birthday (May 21, 1938), followed by a captivating and humorous reading by Urs Widmer from his latest autobiography “Reise an den Rand des Universums”, which will be published in August of this year.

As a heartfelt closing to the festival, the jury awarded this year’s Solothurner Liteature Prize 2013 to Swiss writer Franz Hohler for his outstanding achievement as an author and performer.

The 35^th Solothurner Literaturtage proved to be an inspiring experience for audience and authors alike and a successful beginning for director Bettina Spoerri. We wish continued success to all the writers who participated in this year’s festival and we’re already looking forward to the 36^th edition of the Solothurner Liteaturtage next year!

For more information on the annual Solothurner Literaturtage and Solothurn visit: www.literatur.ch

Swiss Events in New York May 7 - 21

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:15:44 -0400

Don’t miss these upcoming events!

Swiss Events in New York - May 7 - 21, 2013 by Swiss Consulate New York

It’s a Sweet Swiss Life An American in Zurich: Meet...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:45:00 -0400

It’s a Sweet Swiss Life

An American in Zurich: Meet Kerrin Rousset, founder of MyKugelhopf and Sweet Zurich

Through our “Swiss Stories” series on YouTube, we share the experiences of Swiss expats in New York and the various contributions of the Swiss to American culture, economy and innovation. But what about the Americans abroad who are experiencing a slice of the Swiss life?

This week we had the pleasure of meeting New York born, Zurich based travel and food writer, Kerrin Rousset. The author of “My Kugelhopf” has called Switzerland home for almost 5 years and is the founder of “Sweet Zurich,” guiding visitors (and locals!) on walking tours of the best bakeries and sweet shops in the Altstadt.

Her blog documents life in Zurich through the lens of an American, delectably sharing her passion for sweets and travel. From local markets to all things dairy and speciality shops in the backdrop of the Alps, the bi-lingual French/English writer has great recipes, articles and tips to share. Watch our interview with her to learn more about her “Swiss Story” and her journey to finding the sweet life in Switzerland!

Swiss Events in NYC April 23 - May 7

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:17:16 -0400

Don’t miss these upcoming events this Spring, including Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s public installation at Rockefeller Center Plaza!

Swiss Events in New York - April 23 - May 7, 2013 by Swiss Consulate New York

Meet Christian Wassmann Rather than ask how “form follows...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:45:00 -0400

Meet Christian Wassmann

Rather than ask how “form follows function,” Christian Wassmann likes to ask how “form performs function.” The talented young Swiss architect and designer has been creating functional works of art for most of his life and in 2005, he established the Christian Wassmann Studio in New York City. Along with his international team, he develops architectural and design projects influenced by “the vibrancy of urban life, art and geometry.” In 2012, Christian received the prestigious AIA New York New Practice Award. He’s also the 2010 recipient of the Swiss Art Award.

Christian’s most recent exhibit, “5 Platonic Objects” at the R Gallery from March 5 - April 20, 2013, features furniture and drawings inspired by five unique geometric forms, also known as the platonic solids.

We had the chance to meet Christian recently, and he gave us a brief explanation of the inspiration behind each piece. Check out the video to see Christian’s walk-through of the exhibit!

For more information on the exhibit, please visit the R Gallery website.
For information on Christian Wassmann Studios click here.

Swiss It Up! Episode 6: The Modern Switzerland and Modern art...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:41:00 -0400

Swiss It Up!

Episode 6: The Modern

Switzerland and Modern art are synonymous. From Basel to Zurich, Geneva and beyond, Swiss Modern and Contemporary artists have inspired creative circles around the world. In New York, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) often showcases work from Swiss artists, such as the Dieter Roth exhibit “wait, later this will be nothing ” currently on display until June. It’s no surprise then that modernism at the MoMa is also present in its restaurant, from the décor to the influence of Swiss culinary artists.

Located at 9 West 53^rd Street in mid-town Manhattan, The Modern is designed as two distinct restaurants: the elegant yet casual “Bar Room” and the upscale, contemporary “Dining Room”. Both offer much more than your usual “museum dining” experience. Consistently rated one of the best restaurants in the city, The Dining Room at The Modern is noted for its Alsatian-inspired specialties, stunning aesthetics, visual presentation, and exquisite service.

We had the opportunity to meet with The Modern’s Swiss Italian Chef de Cuisine, Sandro Romano, for our “Swiss It Up!” series. After receiving apprenticeship training in Lausanne, Sandro moved to New York to pursue his career. Prior to joining The Modern, he worked at Eleven Madison Park (now home to award-winning Swiss chef, Daniel Humm) and was also Executive Sous Chef at Union Square Café. Although our interview with Sandro was filmed while he was still Chef de Cuisine, he has since moved on. After nine years with The Modern, Sandro Romano has left to pursue his next adventure.

Watch our interview with Sandro at The Modern for a “behind-the-scenes” fine-dining experience! Sandro has also shared his recipe (below) for this delectable Spanish mackerel, which he prepares in the video.

Swiss It Up! At The Modern by Swiss Consulate New York

Note: This is the last appearance of Alex and Matthias in the “Swiss It Up!” series. The Consulate General of Switzerland in New York will continue to support, interview, and showcase Swiss restaurants and chefs in the New York area as part of “Swiss It Up!” but with different hosts. If you know any Swiss chefs, restaurant managers or owners who would like to be featured, please email us suggestions at: nyc.socialmedia@eda.admin.ch

En Guete!

Swiss events in NYC April 9 - April 23

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:16:17 -0400

This month don’t miss the Disappearing Act V European Film Festival in New York! Running from April 10 to April 21, the festival features Swiss co-productions Summer Games (Switzerland-Italy) on April 21 and Corpo Celeste (Switzerland-Italy-France) on April 20.

Swiss Events in New York - April 9 - 23 2013 by Swiss Consulate New York

Meetings & Meetups

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:47:51 -0400

A Trip to the Embassy, a Visit to the State Department and Digital Diplomacy

With spring in the air and the Cherry Blossoms in bloom, last week was the perfect time for us to travel to Washington, DC. Deputy Consul General, Nadine Olivieri and Communications/Social Media Strategist, Jennifer Charlton met with colleagues at the Swiss Embassy to discuss “Switzerland’s Year in the Sun,” in anticipation of two upcoming Swiss solar projects in the US: Planet Solar and Solar Impulse. It was also a chance to meet the Embassy’s newly hired Public Diplomacy Coordinator, Mike Senich.

While in DC, we visited the State Department to learn more about social media best practices from the Office of Innovative Engagement, as part of our fact-finding mission for the FDFA e-diplomacy pilot project in Bern. It was great to catch up with Hilary Brandt, who spoke on the Digital Diplomacy panel organized by the Consulate at SXSW last month.

Back in New York

We’ve been exploring ways social media can support our efforts in Public Diplomacy and as such, we’ve met with many governments to exchange ideas on 21^st century diplomatic tradecraft. After recognizing the need for an e-diplomacy networking group in NYC last year, we initiated a #DigitalDiplomacy Meetup to bring together digital and social media practitioners at the Consulates and UN Missions.

This morning the British Consulate General hosted our third Meetup, a breakfast event with guest speaker Nick O’Brien from the NYC Analytics Office of Mayor Bloomberg. It was wonderful to see so many “digital diplomats” in attendance, including representatives from Canada, Catalonia, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UN Secretariat!

Thank you to all for participating in the Meetup group and for contributing to the discussion. We invite you to continue the conversation on digital diplomacy with us and other diplomats, representations and thought-leaders around the world on Twitter, using the hashtag #DigitalDiplomacy.

The Alien Writer in NYC #deutscheshausatnyu: ONE Rolf Lappert - April 5, 2013

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:19:00 -0400

The Alien Writer in NYC #deutscheshausatnyu: ONE Rolf Lappert - April 5, 2013:

What’s it like being a newly transplanted German-speaker in New York?

Check out this guest post from Swiss-German writer, Rolf Lappert, on the “Alien Writer” blog by Deutsches Haus at NYU, as he describes his journey to NYC.

thealienwriter:

April 5, 2013:

Three days ago I was in Newfoundland for the first time. Or do you say „on“ Newfoundland? Never mind. My reason for being there wasn’t that I think this name is so great: Newfoundland. Or that I’ve always wanted to go there. Or that I like the film The Shipping News. Which, of course, is set in/on Newfoundland. No, the reason for my (brief) layover there was the serious illness of a woman on the plane who had to be taken to the hospital in/on Newfoundland. During our unscheduled layover at St. John’s airport we weren’t allowed to leave the plane and therefore didn’t see much more of Newfoundland than a concrete runway, some snow-covered fields, and a few buildings. But I was there. I can now say that I have been in/on Newfoundland. Do I get anything out of it? No, not really. But it’s a nice start for my first short blog entry. I think. Especially because it isn’t the short stay there that’s worth mentioning or remembering, but the fact that none of the passengers got angry or even complained to the crew about the more than two-hour delay. It seemed obvious to everyone that the passenger’s health was more important than an on-time arrival. Everybody agrees about that, don’t they? I’m not so sure. I have seen people come to blows because of an argument over a parking space. Perhaps they were also just worried about arriving on time. Apropos arriving: We did arrive in New York after all, with a more than two-hour delay. Perhaps everyone was a little more tired and tense than anticipated, but at least safe and without a heart attack or circulatory collapse—or whatever it was that forced the unknown woman from her comfortable seat in first or business class onto a stretcher. A bus and subway ride later I finally reached my Manhattan apartment. I’m attaching two photos: One of them shows my home for the next eight weeks, the other the view from one of my windows onto the tennis courts on one of New York University’s flat roofs. Since the spring weather is mild and sunny the courts are already quite busy, and whenever I take a short break from writing I go to my window and watch a few rallies. That’s incredibly relaxing.

(Translation: Juliane Camfield)

5. April 2013:

Ich war vor drei Tagen zum ersten Mal in Neufundland. Oder sagt man „auf“ Neufundland? Egal. Grund dafür war nicht, dass ich diesen Namen so toll finde. Neufundland. Oder dass ich da schon immer mal hin wollte. Oder dass mir der Film „The Shipping News“ gefällt. Der natürlich in/auf Neufundland spielt. Nein, der Grund meines (kurzen) Aufenthalts war der besorgniserregende Gesundheitszustand einer Passagierin, die in/auf Neufundland ins Krankenhaus gebracht werden musste. Während unseres unplanmäßigen Aufenthalts auf dem Flughafen von St. John´s durften wir das Flugzeug nicht verlassen und sahen deshalb von Neufundland nicht viel mehr als eine Betonpiste, schneebedeckte Felder und ein paar Gebäude. Aber ich war da. Ich kann jetzt sagen, ich sei schon mal in/auf Neufundland gewesen. Bringt mir das etwas? – Nein, nicht wirklich. Aber es ist ein netter Einstieg in meinen ersten kurzen Blogeintrag. Finde ich. Vor allem, weil letztlich nicht der Kurzaufenthalt erwähnens- oder erinnernswert ist, sondern die Tatsache, dass sich keiner der Passagiere wegen der mehr als zweistündigen Verspätung aufgeregt oder gar beim Flugpersonal beschwert hat. Es schien für alle völlig logisch zu sein, dass das Wohl eines Menschen Priorität hat vor der Pünktlichkeit eines Fluges. Das ist doch klar, absolut unbestritten? Da bin ich nicht so sicher. Ich habe schon Leute gesehen, die sich im Streit um einen Parkplatz geschlagen haben. Denen ging es vermutlich auch um pünktliches Ankommen. A propos Ankommen: wir sind dann also doch, mit etwas mehr als zwei Stunden Verspätung, in New York gelandet. Vielleicht alle ein wenig ermüdeter und verspannter als vorgesehen, aber zumindest heil und ohne Herzinfarkt oder Kreislaufzusammenbruch – oder was die unbekannte Passagierin (sie saß in der 1. oder Businessklasse) auch immer vom bequemen Liegesitz auf die Krankenbahre zwang. Und eine Bus- und Subway-Fahrt später bin ich dann endgültig an meinem Ziel in Manhattan angekommen. Anbei zwei Photos: das eine zeigt mein Zuhause für die kommenden acht Wochen, das andere die Aussicht aus einem der Fenster auf die Tennisplätze auf dem Flachdach eines Gebäudes der University of New York. Weil das Wetter so frühlingshaft mild und sonnig ist, sind die Plätze bereits gut besetzt, und immer wenn ich eine kleine Pause vom Schreiben mache, stelle ich mich ans Fenster und sehe ein paar Ballwechseln zu. Das entspannt wunderbar.

Switzerland's Year in the Sun

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:52:00 -0400

Solar powered energy is the next frontier for many of Switzerland’s top innovators. From the world’s first-ever solar powered airplane to a state-of-the-art solar powered boat, the Swiss are making strides in sustainable technology and design.

As Solar Impulse prepares for “Across America,” taking flight from San Francisco in May and landing at JFK in mid-July, Swiss pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg plan the final details for each US stop. The Solar Impulse team held a press conference today to officially announce its US stops in Phoenix, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and New York. The Swiss Confederation is an offical partner of the 2013 cross-country flight. We look forward to welcoming the Swiss pilots to New York to celebrate the end of their journey!

Solar Impulse has the wing span of a jumbo jet but the weight of a car, which makes it vulnerable to shifting weather conditions. Although the Swiss plane is not designed for commercial use, it’s a prototype to illustrate the possibilities of solar powered technologies. The plane can fly day and night, without the use of any fuel. For more on the sophisticated technology behind the plane, listen to NPR’s interview with the Swiss pilots.

Switzerland’s Year in the Sun also includes a visit from the first solar powered boat, Planet Solar, expected to arrive in New York this June. Last year, Planet Solar completed a historic trip around the world and this year the team is attempting to accomplish two new missions, including the upcoming project “Deepwater”. Led by professor and climatologist Martin Beniston from the University of Geneva, the initiative aims to harvest new data from the Gulf Stream. As the ship is not fueled by gas, the measurements collected onboard by the scientific team will not be polluted. Tracking the Gulf Stream begins in Miami, then continues to New York and Boston, onto Reykjavik and finally, Bergen, Norway. Planet Solar is scheduled to depart this weekend. Check out this video (in French) for more information about the boat:

Behind the Scenes with Ronja Furrer

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:09:00 -0400

The Swiss in New York contribute to society in many ways, from art and culture to business and education. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting with architects, musicians and entrepreneurs, and most recently, we had a chance to catch up with one of Switzerland’s top models, Ronja Furrer.

Originally from Solothurn, Ronja made her debut at the age of 14 with the Zurich agency OPTION Models. She placed first in the Elite Model Look Switzerland contest and was ranked in the Top 15 internationally. Immediately, her modeling career took flight and it wasn’t long before she was commuting between Switzerland, Paris, London and New York. After a brief year living in France, she moved to the US and has made it her home-base ever since.

When asked why she likes living in New York, she coyly reveals that she enjoys the drive and the need to be her best because it’s a city where everyone strives to do better. She describes it as a “sense of energy and excitement” that can’t be found anywhere else. Though it’s clear the sweet, shy 21 year-old is a career-minded professional, she is also very easy-going and we shared a few laughs during her visit to the consulate.

Ronja first gained international fame when she starred in a 10-page spread titled “Die Garçonne” that appeared in the September 2011 German edition of Elle magazine.

In the fashion editorial, she follows the footsteps and style of Swiss writer and pioneer, Aneemarie Schwarzenbach. By the following spring of 2012, Ronja was the new face of Ralph Lauren (an American designer she admits to admiring) in a global advertising campaign. It’s wonderful to see young Swiss talent making an impression in the New York fashion scene and around the world.

Check out our interview with Ronja here and for more information, visit her agency’s website, OPTION Models.

Swiss @ SXSW

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:35:00 -0400

Last week we attended the annual SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin (also referred to as SXSWi or “south by,” an abbreviation of SouthBySouthWest). From March 8-12, the Texas capitol was populated with entrepreneurs, startups, venture capitalists, multinational corporations, advertising agencies, journalists and even foreign governments. Taking place between the Film and Music SXSW festival weeks, SXSWi is at the crossroads of technology, business and government. The interactive conference serves as a hub for innovation and in the past few years, it has been a launching pad for rising startups like FourSquare and Twitter.

This year we initiated a panel on Digital Diplomacy, to be a part of the “Government and Civic Engagement” session theme.

On Monday, March 11 from 3:30-4:30pm at the Austin Convention Center in Room 9ABC, representatives from Switzerland, the UK, Sweden and the US gathered on stage to discuss how digital media is shaping the future of public diplomacy.

Digital by Default
James Barbour, Press Secretary of the UK Embassy in Washington DC, spoke about the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s approach to “Digital by Default”. The foreign ministry has an inherently digital approach to all communications, viewing digital as integral to overall strategy. James presented examples from the “Britain is GREAT” campaign and mentioned how British diplomats are actively using social media, from Twitter and Facebook to Tumblr.

Curators of Sweden
Press Officer Gabriella Augusston from the Embassy of Sweden in Washington DC presented @Sweden’s citizen take-over Twitter campaign known as “Curators of Sweden.” She also spoke about Sweden’s approach to nation-branding and crisis communications. It was interesting to hear her perspective following Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt’s recent announcement that all embassies and consulates would be on Twitter and Facebook in 2013.

American English
From the US State Department’s Office of Innovative Engagement, Hilary Brant spoke about StateCraft, participating in internet cultural trends (citing the example of the Harlem Shake parody by the US Embassy in Bangkok), and educational platforms such as the American English Forum. Her department builds direct relationships with tech companies to test new products and develop new strategies. The Office of Innovative Engagement also serves as an advisor to other governments who are looking to create social media strategies and policies.

Swiss Stories

Representing Switzerland was the panel organizer and moderator, Jennifer Charlton, Communications Associate and Social Media Strategist at the Consulate General of Switzerland in New York. Jennifer spoke about the FDFA’s e-diplomacy pilot project and how the Consulate has created a presence on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Scribd in the past year. She also shared some of our content programs, from the Swiss-German Word of the Week to Swiss It Up! and our Swiss Stories series on YouTube. One of the first things we did when planning for the pilot project was to survey other foreign governments about their approach to social media. After realizing that many of the consulates active on Twitter and Facebook had yet to meet each other, we created a digital diplomacy meetup group in New York. From our meetup, we decided to participate in this year’s SXSW.

The panel discussion inspired some thought-provoking questions from the audience and we hope the 100+ attendees enjoyed the session as much as we did! An audio recording of the panel will be available on the sxsw session page at the end of the month and UkinUSA has published a Storify page featuring the best tweets and mentions from Austin. A special thanks to the UK, Swedish and US teams for their contributions and support.

We weren’t the only ones representing Switzerland at SXSW. This year, SwissMiss gave a featured Keynote. Check out her presentation here:

Video streaming by Ustream

Being that Austin is also known as the “music capital of the world” it was great to see some Swiss artists in town for SXSW Music! BOY and Bonaparte were featured bands this year, with BOY celebrating their first US tour and release.

We also connected with entrepreneurs from Switzerland in town for SXSW and with New York based Swiss startups, like Zkipster. It was wonderful to see the Swiss @ SXSW and we hope to have an even greater presence next year in Austin!

Swiss events in NYC March 19 - April 9

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:20:00 -0400

This month don’t miss Three Trees, a play presented by the Pan Asian Repertory Theater that centers on the relationship between Alberto Giacometti and his muse, the Existentialist Isaku Yanaihara. For a full listing of Swiss events in NYC read our Newsletter!

Swiss Events in New York - March 19 - April 9 2013 by Swiss Consulate New York

Are there any job openings at the swiss consulate? My daughter has a BS degree in Environmental sustainability and is fluent in German. She is looking for an entry level position. Thanks, Gudrun Loglisci

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:04:38 -0400

Hello, thanks for your message! Please refer to our website for all job opportunities: http://www.eda.admin.ch/newyork

Hello! I'm looking to do research with a professor in Switzerland over the summer. The professor has already accepted me to his lab provided that I can pay for myself. Since I would not be getting paid or taking courses, do I still need to apply for a Type D visa? Also, I live in NY in one of the zip codes that is listed on the embassy's website as having to apply for a visa in person. However, I'm away at college and it's extremely hard for me to get home. Is there an exception to this rule?

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:03:45 -0400

Hi! Thanks for your question. For all visa related inquiries, please email nyc.visa@eda.admin.ch.

Mutual friends and the girls known as BOY Swiss/German pop duo...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:47:00 -0400

Mutual friends and the girls known as BOY

Swiss/German pop duo BOY made its US debut this month with two sold-out shows in New York City. Founded by Swiss-German singer, Valeska Steiner and German bassist Sonja Glass, their English language debut album Mutual Friends was released Stateside on February 26, 2013 with Nettwerk Music Group.

We had a chance to see BOY for their first-ever Brooklyn show, at Union Hall on March 02. It was an emotionally-charged performance, especially when the room started singing along to “Little Numbers.” Singer Valeska couldn’t believe that the American audience knew the words and it was a special moment for the girls on stage!

(Deputy Head of the Cultural Department, Sandrine Ligabue, center, pictured with BOY)

BOY’s first North American tour also includes several shows this week for SXSW. If you’re in Austin, dont’ miss these upcoming performances:

Fri, March 15 12:00am - The Show @ Hickory Street
Sat, March 16 1:30pm - Baeble Music’s Launch Pad Party @ Peckerheads

The ladies of Boy are featured on NPR Music’s “Austin 100” and their lead single “Little Numbers,” which has collected over 7 million views on YouTube, has been chosen as iTunes “Single of the Week,” as well as Starbucks’ “Pick of the Week.”

Watch the Official Video here:

BOY will return to New York City March 29 for a show at the Bowery Ballroom. Get your tickets now!

Other US shows include:

Mon, March 18 Minneapolis, MN @ Bryant Lake Bowl
Tues, March 19 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
Wed, March 20 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
Thur, March 21 Chicago, IL @ Schubas
Wed, March 27: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
Thur, March 28 Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java
Fri, March 29 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

Congrats to Valeska and Sonja on their US release! We’re looking forward to seeing the girls behind BOY in NYC again later this month.

2013 ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:47:00 -0400

The most extraordinary thinkers and doers are coming to Switzerland. Are you one of them?

Call for Applications

For the seventh consecutive year, ThinkSwiss will select 15 to 20 highly talented and motivated students from all fields of study who are currently enrolled at a U.S. university. Recipients of the 2013 ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships will receive a monthly stipend of about $1,000 for a period of up to three months.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships 2013 by Swiss Consulate New York

For more information about the ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships visit: http://www.thinkswiss.org/academic-opportunities/research-scholarship

Find out yourself what the ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships are all about by reading the Brainstorm Blog (http://thinkswiss.org/brainstormblog/), the online platform where you find impressions, experiences and thoughts of U.S. students who are visiting Switzerland.

Are you applying? Let us know on Twitter: @SwissCGNY #ThinkSwiss

From New York to Zurich

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:46:33 -0400

New York fashion can be seen on the streets of Zurich partly in thanks to Odile Burger. As the daughter of an American mother and sister of a New Yorker, Odile has traveled to the city every year for as long as she can remember. It was during these trips that she found the time to shop, away from her busy job as Editor-in-Chief of a family magazine. When her Swiss friends started asking where she was buying so many great American labels, she had an idea: open a shop selling New York fashion on the streets of Switzerland.

Wooster Shop was born out of a 1948 Greyhound bus that she drove from city to city, selling New York brands to Swiss trend-setters. In 2011, Odile opened her first brick-and-mortar store on the outskirts of Zurich. The bus still exists and is open to shop goers in downtown Zurich but most of her customers visit her in the store or online.

We had the chance to meet Odile in New York, where she’s been busy meeting with buyers post Fashion Week. Check out our interview with the Wooster Shop owner and see her top picks for this season!