NOMINEES TO ATTEND THE PRESIDENTIAL

UNCLAS BERN 000514 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/P (G.BEHRMAN),EUR/PGI (I.WEINSTEIN),AND EUR/CE (Y.SAINT-ANDRE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID PREL SOCI PHUM XF SZ SUBJECT: NOMINEES TO ATTEND THE PRESIDENTIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT REF: STATE 112495 ¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel request for post to nominate Switzerland-based entrepreneurs of Muslim faith to attend The Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit, Embassy Bern submits the following nominees: Cebrail Terlemez: Mr. Terlemez is the Secretary General of the Institute for Intercultural Cooperation and Dialogue, a non-partisan, not-for-profit association founded in 2005 and based in Zurich. The majority of the founding members were Muslims, but the Institute is open to all people from different cultures and aims to foster dialogue between adherents of different religions. Terlemez, who moved with his family from Turkey to Switzerland at the age of four, studied German literature and works as a translator and cultural mediator in hospitals, courts, and in the public education system in Zurich. Terlemez speaks German and some English, in addition to his native Turkish. In 2008, he participated in a specially-designed International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) for young leaders with a focus on Muslim issues. He has been a regular invitee and attendee at post's annual Iftar dinner. Mr. Terlemez could best be categorized as a social entrepreneuership stakeholder. Amira Hafner-Al-Jabaji: Ms. Hafner-Al-Jabaji is a freelance consultant and publicist on Islam. She is involved in interfaith dialogue in Switzerland and often interviewed in the Swiss media (including Swiss television). Ms. Hafner's father is from Iraq, and her mother from Germany. She studied at the University of Bern, and holds a degree in Islamic Studies, Philology, and Communications. She promotes a liberal and moderate view of Islam, and has been a regular invitee and attendee at post's annual Iftar dinner. Ms. Hafner-Al-Jabaji could best be categorized as a social entrepreneuership stakeholder. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: There are an estimated 350,000 persons of Muslim faith in Switzerland, whose total population is approximately 7.7 million. The majority of Switzerland-based Muslims are fairly recent immigrants from the former Yugoslavia (primarily from Kosovo). Most of these individuals are engaged in the service and small business sectors. Based on post's understanding of the scope and objectives of The Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit, we believe that candidates engaged in social entrepreneuership, such as those above, are the most promising Switzerland-based nominees. End Comment. BEYER