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Switzerland demonstrates its strong ties with the UAE with a new strategy that was developed by the team in January 2008 in Al Ain and events held throughout the year.
From planning future strategies to praising past and present efforts and even pitching in and using football to develop relationships with Emirati youngsters, Swiss-UAE links are forging ahead.
The challenges of 2009 were the focus of a workshop held recently by the embassy in Abu Dhabi, with the Consulate General in Dubai and the Swiss Business Councils
in Abu Dhabi and Dubai at the Shangri-La Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Challenges 2009, held under the patronage of Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
brought together UAE business people and members of the Swiss Business Councils in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The Embassy was honoured that Sultan Bin Saeed Sultan
Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, Sultan Bin Nasser Al Suwaidi, Governor of the UAE Central Bank, Abdulaziz Sager, Chairman, Gulf Research Institute in Dubai, Nick Beglinger, Managing Partner, Maxmakers Ltd - Switzerland and Zahra Darvishi, Vice President, Centre of Accessibility – Credit Suisse attended the workshop and made substantial
contributions to the discussions.
Franz Egle concluded the talks with a short summary.
The event was supported by OC Oerlikon and Schindler.
On a more personal level, five people who have strengthened relations between Switzerland and the UAE were honoured
by the Swiss Ambassador's Award 2008.
Ambassador Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart presented the first awards of this annual event to Abdullah Al Masaood, Abu Dhabi; Zeina Al Halabi, Abu Dhabi; Dr. B.R. Shetty, Abu Dhabi; Mohamed Sharif Al Hashimi, Dubai; and Dr Khater Massad, Ras Al Khaimah.
Each year winners will be presented with a sculpture that combines elements of the UAE or Switzerland, designed by artists from Switzerlad and the UAE. This year's award
was created by UAE artist Azza Al Qubaisi.
The Embassy is also using sport as a way to reach out to youngsters in the UAE. The UEFA Euro 2008 Football Championship will be held in Switzerland and Austria in June 2008. It will be the world's fourth largest sporting tournament and the Swiss Embassy is teaming up with its Austrian counterpart to promote the event throughout the UAE.
A Hyundai bus painted in the colours of the two countries will traverse the seven emirates, meeting young football players to give away footballs and T-shirts, so they can all enter
the spirit of what is sure to be a great event.
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