AWA Day of Water
The focus of the Day of Water held by the new cantonal Office of Water and Waste Management (AWA) was the issue of the impact of global climate change on Canton Bern’s water supply and management. Taking part in the event were some 370 representatives of water utilities, power stations, wastewater and waste treatment facilities, municipalities, hydraulic engineering associations and other organisations. Bern State Council President Barbara Egger-Jenzer reminded those present that surmounting the emerging challenges of water usage and flood protection called for the concerted effort of all stakeholders.

From Lepra.ch to Fairmed
The foundation Leprosy Relief Emmaus Switzerland announced it was changing its name on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, celebrations for which were marked by an exhibition of striking photographs by Michael von Graffenried. More than 300 guests attended the exhibition’s preview. Von Graffenried donated the sum he raised at the preview by auctioning the large-format photograph Baka Boy to Fairmed. The newly renamed foundation Fairmed – Health for the Poorest has spent the past fifty years supporting people on the margins of society who are too poor to exercise their right to good health themselves.

Xerox Innovate 2008
Global player Xerox celebrated 70 years of xerography in the company of its largest Swiss customers. A large number of the guests arrived in the morning for the talks given by Claude Nicollier and Prof. Fritz Fahrni. Workshops on current industry issues and a display of impressive-looking photocopiers attracted more than 400 guests to the Zentrum Paul Klee. Sparking Xerox’s success was inventor Chester F. Carlson’s establishment of the basic principles of “electrophotographic” copying, which was first demonstrated in the US on 22 October 1938.

The Sport and Social Inclusion Symposium
Interested parties from the worlds of politics, sports, training and the social arena met during the UEFA EURO 2008 tournament to discuss the opportunities and limitations of sport as a means of promoting social inclusion. Renowned speakers including seven-times Paralympic gold medallist Urs Kolly described their experiences with the social dimensions of sport. The symposium agreed to pull together decision-makers, experts and committed young people to present innovative projects and examine the potentials and limitations of sport.
Initiated jointly by the Swiss Embassy in London and the British Embassy in Bern, the event was co-ordinated by the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD).

postdays 08
The new Swiss postal market forum used the first-ever postdays conference to highlight the impacts that further liberalisation of postal markets in Europe would have on firms and customers. The conference was organised to identify current developments regarding the revision of the Post Act, to examine economic and operational opportunities and threats, and to facilitate exchange between the attendees. The event was directed at politicians and the management and staff of letter and courier/express/parcels service providers, logistics firms and media publishers with an interest in the letter and parcels market.

Swiss Social Entrepreneur 2007
The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship held its third Swiss Social Entrepreneur awards ceremony at the Zentrum Paul Klee. This is an opportunity for the Foundation to honour entrepreneurs whose organisations produce innovative and sustainable solutions to societal or ecological challenges. Supporting the Schwab Foundation and its awards are the Boston Consulting Group, the Raiffeisen banking group and the insurer Mobiliar. The title of Swiss Social Entrepreneur 2007 went to Stefan Zappa, who impressed the jury with his innovative “blindekuh” in Zurich, a restaurant run by his Blind-Liecht Foundation where diners eat in total darkness. A total of thirty candidates had put their names forward for consideration.

60 years of Israel
To mark the State of Israel’s 60 years of independence, the Israeli embassy in Bern organised a very special kind of event at the Zentrum Paul Klee. Hosting this unique birthday party was Ambassador Ilan Elgar, who welcomed leading personalities from public and cultural life, business people, politicians and representatives of the diplomatic corps in Bern

After-sales Forum 2008
General Motors Suisse SA organised an After-sales Forum at the Zentrum Paul Klee from 25 to 29 August under the slogan “Zukunft braucht Bewegung” [The future needs movement].
The forum aimed at bringing GM’s cooperation partners from Opel, Saab and Chevrolet up to date with current sales strategies and the latest types of car repair finishes. This was the first time that the Zentrum Paul Klee had planned and run a major event in collaboration with the automotive industry. Attendees not only liked the premises equipped with advanced conferencing technology, but they also singled out the special atmosphere, the supporting programme and the unique architecture of the Zentrum Paul Klee for special praise.

Environment Observation Conference 2008
The third Environment Observation Conference was organised by the Swiss Environment Observation Information and Co-ordination Agency (IKUB), the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) and the European Environment Observation and Balance Council (EOBC). Germany and Austria’s Federal Environment Agencies and Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) used the three-day conference to stress the value of balances as means of observing the environment. Environmental balances are a scientific way of observing the environment ‘in the round’.