For a special occasion there is a need for special guests. Among the speakers and special guests we could count on Minister Zoltán Balog, Mrs Katalin Csöbör, Member of the Swiss National Council Roland Borer, Mr. René Seiler, Head of the consular centre in Vienna, as well as representatives from the Swiss Clubs in Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Innsbruck.

In his speech Minister Balog remembered Mrs. Raymonde Berthoud, who was a crucial person for the Swiss Club for decades. During the Second World War she worked for the International Red Cross in Budapest. Together with Vice-Consul Carl Lutz and the ICRC-Delegate Friedrich Born she participated in the rescue of many Jews. Minister Balog was a priest in the German speaking Reformed Church, where the Swiss Club gathered during the communist era when the Club was prohibited.

Ambassador Paroz reminded us that after the uprising in 1956 approximately 12’000 Hungarians sought for a new home in Switzerland – many of those returned to Hungary in the meanwhile. This is the reason why Hungarian is the language that is mainly spoken among the members of the Swiss Club instead of a Swiss national language. Ambassador Paroz also pointed out the program “Swiss-Hungarian Friendship: Cultures and Traditions in the heart of Europe” within which the President of the Council of States of Switzerland, Claude Hêche, will visit Hungary in September and Hungary will be guest of honour at the Christmas Market in Montreux. Member of the Swiss National Council Roland Borer and the President of the Swiss Club Hungary, Tamás Simóka, as well as the representative of the Swiss Business Club, Zoltán Ványi, also addressed the audience with some festive words.

The sounds of the alpenhorn of Franz Keller, of the clarinet and the schwyzerörgeli of Hanspeter and Cornelia Zehnder created a familiar and cosy atmosphere. They also played the Hungarian anthem in a unique way. The traditional grilled sausage, raclette and a menu for dinner furthermore ensured a culinary journey.