A Memorable Evening at the Swiss Embassy in Washington
By C. Naseer Ahmad
The Swiss Ambassador Martin Dahinden and his wife Ms Anita Dahinden assisted by the friendly Embassy staff in Washington opened the doors to the official residence - to academics, diplomats, government officials, friends of Switzerland and those with family connections to Switzerland - for a special concert on February 14, 2019. Through this gesture, the Embassy achieved an important goal that distinguishes Switzerland as a country fostering dialogue, creativity and harmony.
In his remarks, Ambassador Dahinden noted that the Valentine’s Day is not as widely celebrated in his home country as it is in the United States and some other countries. As a well-known author and scholar, Ambassador Dahinden talked about the history of Valentine’s Day which has vestiges in both Christian and ancient Roman traditions.
The guests were entertained by Swiss Baritone singer Äneas Humm, who is considered as “one of the most promising young singers of his generation.” Äneas Humm and his partner entertained the guests with evocative songs while providing some contextually important information about the composers and the poets.
The buffet dinner included traditional Swiss cuisine and special Valentine’s Day desserts which the guests enjoyed as they engaged in delightful conversations. One of the guests mentioned about his favorite restaurant while working in Los Angeles, which was a Pakistani restaurant, owned by an uncle-and-nephew team.
Another guest couple talked about how they met more than fifty years ago on a “titanic that did not sink”, a boat crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Stories about romance and happiness were abound marking the essence behind the spirit of St Valentine’s Day as it is celebrated in modern times in the United States and many other countries.
These days, there’s hardly any gathering where the topic of global warming doesn’t come up. So it’s important to note the story in the New York Times on February 14, 2019: “When Glaciers Melt, Switzerland sees an opportunity.” The story with creative graphics described how the country is making use of the valleys left behind by melting glaciers. Other initiatives in Swiss society, and of course travel adventures in the beautiful alpine country, made the conversations interesting as well as informative.
As with many other events at the Swiss Embassy, it is the hard work of the staff and their attention to details that make the event both successful and memorable.
It is noteworthy that HE Ambassador Dahinden was in Pakistan during the relief efforts after the massive floods in 2012 which caused widespread devastation. Ambassador Dahinden has also championed the cause of “de-mining,” to save human beings from needless injury and loss of life and limbs.
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