Dozens of people gathered last week at Geneva’s Impact Hub to celebrate the launch of one of Switzerland’s newest non-profit organizations: Cause Direct, an online platform that serves to connect certified NGOs worldwide with interested funders and investors. The concept behind the site isn’t a novelty. Thousands of people around the globe use websites such […]
The Salt of the Earth; Gone Girl
THE SALT OF THE EARTH **** Wim Wenders has a definite knack with documentaries. He brings them to life with both charm and intelligence, like his inimitable classic, The Buena Vista Social Club. Here, he retraces the steps of the renowned Brazilian photojournalist, Sebastiao Salgado, who has witnessed all forms of international conflicts and isolated […]
Montreux Art: Uncovering artistic talent
Montreux Art Gallery, now in its tenth year, is a contemporary art fair with a juried selection of more than 150 exhibitors. The fair takes place in the Montreux Convention Centre, situated in the heart of Montreux. “We chose the right place,” says Jean-François Gailloud, director of MAG. “The Centre des Congrès is a very […]
La Nuit de la Guitare: Acoustic guitar virtuoso concert
It is rare to have world-class musical talents come together to give performances in lesser known venues in the region. But this is exactly what is happening in Versonnex on 31 October. For fans of the acoustic guitar, this event promises to be memorable with three highly respected masters coming together for just one evening. […]
UDC seeks to block Islamic Centre
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (UDC) of Fribourg is gathering signatures for a referendum to oppose an Islamic studies center at the University of Fribourg. The move comes at a time when reaching out to Muslim communities seems more important than ever. That is certainly the opinion of Antonio Loprieno of the University of Basel, […]
D. I. Y. Why can’t I?
I come from a long line of handymen and handywomen, and so does my husband. There is absolutely nothing these people can’t do: they bake, garden and make jam; they build bookshelves, dig French drains and put in their own swimming pools; they sew, embroider, knit, make jewellery, do their own tiling and house painting […]
A global fund for reporting: Who should pay?
At last week’s Women’s Forum in Deauville, many participants said they wanted the private sector, governments and society-at-large to respond more effectively – fewer words, more action – to global humanitarian and development concerns. Whether clamping down on female genital mutilation or the need for companies to assume more socially responsible roles, there were at […]
The ICRC – Doing the impossible
Earlier this month, Laurent DuPasquier, a 38-year-old Swiss national, was killed when a cluster bomb landed near the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Ukranian town of Donetsk. DuPasquier had been working for the Geneva-based humanitarian organization for more than five years in Pakistan, Yemen, Haiti, Egypt and Papua New Guinea. For […]
The Snowden effect: Switzerland’s cyber security business
Could NSA leaker Edward Snowden find refuge in Switzerland? It is a notion that has been seriously discussed in Swiss political circles recently. Snowden does not qualify for political asylum, as he is not under immediate threat in Russia. But he could be granted legal immunity and invited to testify as a material witness if […]
The Human Brain Project: a very expensive headache
On Reflection is an occasional column contributed by a reader. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily shared or supported in any way by Le News. By now, most of us have heard of the Human Brain Project, whose aim is to simulate the complete human brain using supercomputers. The […]
