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Promotion of ties with Swiss brings honour for five UAE personalities

ABU DHABI — Five UAE-based personalities who have helped strengthen relations between Switzerland and the UAE will receive the Swiss Ambassador’s Award 2008 during a ceremony at Shangri-La Hotel in Abu Dhabi on April 23.

The awardees are Abdullah Al Masaood, Zeina Al Halabi and Dr B. R. Shetty from Abu Dhabi, Mohammad Sharif Al Hashimi from Dubai and Dr Khater Massad from Ras Al Khaimah.

The award trophy has been designed by UAE artist Azza Al Qubaisi and features elements of UAE and Switzerland.

Switzerland’s Ambassador to the UAE Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart told Khaleej Times that the presentation of the awards would be an annual event.

“I decided to introduce the Swiss Ambassador’s Award to honour the personalities who have long-term commitments for Switzerland and supported the strengthening of the excellent relations between the two countries,” he said.

The awards will be presented during a workshop titled, Challenges 2009, being organised by the Swiss Embassy under the patronage of UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and in collaboration with the Swiss consulate in Dubai and the Swiss Business Councils in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri and UAE Central Bank Governor Sultan bin Nasser Al Suwaidi will be speakers at the workshop that will be attended by CEOs and top managers of major companies in the UAE.

The Swiss Ambassador said the relations between the UAE and Switzerland are excellent. “It has to be outlined that the UAE is the most important trade market for Switzerland in the GCC. There are about 600 Swiss companies and banks in the UAE. The Swiss Minister of Economy, Doris Leuthard, visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai in November 2007 accompanied by an important business delegation. Since then, several other delegations from Switzerland have been visiting the UAE. Three ministers from the UAE, too, participated in the World Economic Forum in Davos and had meetings with Swiss ministers,” Bruelhart stated.

In the field of culture, he said, “We transformed the entrance hall of the Swiss Embassy in Abu Dhabi into an art gallery for UAE and Swiss artists and had Swiss musicians at the Al Ain Music Festival. A delegation of Swiss private schools recently visited universities and schools in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.”

“We would like to promote the exchange of culture and it has been decided that UAE artists will organise their exhibitions in Switzerland,” he said.

Swiss writer Daniel de Roulet will deliver a lecture in May titled, “Which kind of language do the Swiss Alps speak.”

“We would also like to strengthen the relations between the two countries by having more visits and more activities in the fields of economy, education, culture and sport. Switzerland is also very much interested in the Masdar City Project. It is a very visionary project and Switzerland has to offer a lot in the area of Clean Tech,” Bruelhart said.

There are about 1,500 Swiss residents in the UAE. The Swiss community and specially the two Swiss Business Councils are very active and organise various events.

He said that a Spring Festival will be organised by the Swiss Business Council in Abu Dhabi on April 23 and in Dubai on April 24.

Bruelhart said that since football is the most popular game in both the countries, the embassies of Switzerland and Austria in the UAE are planning activities before and during the EURO 2008 Football Championship in June 2008.

In May and from June 1 to 6, the “Hyundai Swiss–Austria 2008” Bus in the colours of Switzerland and Austria, will travel across all seven emirates to promote the events. In each emirate, souvenirs will be distributed to students and young people.

On June 7, the first game (Switzerland vs Czech Republic in Basel) will be shown on indoor screens. A reception will be held in Al Ain on the same day, with a screening of the game. On June 29, the final game of EURO 2008 (held in Vienna) will be shown on indoor screens. A reception will be held in Dubai on the same day, with a screening of the game.