ENGAGEMENT WITH MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN SWITZERLAND

UNCLAS BERN 000031 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/PGI (I.WEINSTEIN),EUR/CE, AND EUR/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KISL KPAO PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL SOCI SZ XG SUBJECT: ENGAGEMENT WITH MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN SWITZERLAND REF: STATE 127215 ¶1. (SBU) Embassy Bern is taking a multi-disciplinary approach to engagement with Muslim communities in Switzerland, coordinating efforts between the Political-Economic and Public Affairs sections (reftel). Switzerland has a Muslim population of approximately 320,000 (4.3 percent of the total population of Switzerland),with most individuals practicing a moderate form of Islam and originating from the Balkan region. While Post's relatively limited staffing and other resources affects the amount of programming possible, we have initiated and/or participated in the following events, and we look forward to continuing our engagement activities along these lines: -- The Embassy hosts an annual Iftar dinner at the Chief of Mission's Residence, to which post invites local Muslim leaders, ambassadors of Organizations of the Islamic Conference (OIC) countries, and community leaders representing other religions. In keeping with this tradition, the Ambassador hosted an Iftar dinner on August 31. -- Post plans periodic events, including speaking engagements, and maintains regular contacts with Swiss and Switzerland-based Muslims. A recent example includes hosting Tayyibah Taylor, magazine editor and lecturer on Islam and Muslim women, during her participation in the traveling speaker program in which she spoke of her experiences as a Muslim woman in America. Public Affairs arranged meetings between Taylor and community leaders throughout Switzerland. -- Post regularly engages in outreach efforts. For example, on November 7, poloff represented the Embassy at an Open Day of Mosques event hosted by a Swiss Muslim organization. On November 24, poloff attended the Dialogue Institute's Annual Banquet in Zurich. The Dialogue Institute is an NGO founded by Switzerland-based Muslims working to promote inter-faith and cross-cultural dialogues. -- Post submitted nominees to participate in the President's Entrepreneurship Summit. Post also invited Swiss Muslim entrepreneurs to a January 13 roundtable luncheon discussion hosted by the Ambassador. The theme of the roundtable was "innovation and entrepreneurship in a globalized world," and the guests included Swiss business and social leaders of varied backgrounds. (Note: Neither of the two entrepreneurs of Muslim faith who were invited to the luncheon were able to attend, due to other commitments; we will continue to seek to include Swiss-based Muslim entrepreneurs in other similar networking and dialogue activities. End Note). CARTER