Celebrating 75th years of Jordan-Swiss diplomatic relations

AMMAN — Jordan and Switzerland are celebrating this year the 75th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations and this jubilee is an opportunity to recapitulate the history of economic, political and cultural ties between the two nations. 

“March 26th is the date [when Jordan and Switzerland established diplomatic relations], so it is time to launch the Swiss Jordanian Alumni Network,” said Swiss Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, Emilija Georgieva, on Wednesday at the event dedicated to Swiss-Jordanian alumni and businesspeople. 

In her opening remark, Georgieva said that bilateral relations between Jordan and Switzerland have been marked by mutual respect, collaboration and friendship. 

Switzerland opened its embassy in Amman in 1970 while in 1954 there were only 14 Swiss nationals in Jordan, while today that number is 236. At the same time, 487 Jordanians live in Switzerland.

“We are proud that Switzerland is an educational hub for Jordanian students,” Georgieva said, adding that one of the many shared values between Jordan and Switzerland is the common understanding of the importance of education.

“Human capital and education are crucial in countries with little natural resources; this is why both our countries work towards an efficient, labour-oriented and resilient education system, with the goal of reducing unemployment, especially of youth and women. The fact that you choose Switzerland for your education is a commitment to education and to contribute in a positive way to our societies,” said Georgieva, adding that formal relations between two governments are important, the personal connections, exchanges and relations among peers are just crucial to boost ties between Jordan and Switzerland.

“It is you ,with your personal growth, social contributions and professional achievements, who are the true reflection of the ties between our two countries,” Georgieva stressed, adding that to grow the network, the embassy will prepare a quarterly newsletter to keep all interested parties informed about Swiss activities in Jordan.

Some of the upcoming events for 2024 are the celebration of the Swiss National Day and the Swiss Film Festival, Georgieva said.