The Swiss Embassy in the Philippines held its annual Media and Press Evening recently to celebrate and strengthen its ongoing collaboration with members of the media. Held at the Swiss ambassador’s residence, the event gathered journalists, editors, and representatives from various media outlets for an evening of dialogue, appreciation, and forward-looking conversation.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Dr. iur. Nicolas Brühl underscored the essential role of the press in today’s complex global information landscape. “In this heavy age of misinformation, the media is more important than ever,” he said. “The press is a strong ally of democracy—one of the fundamental pillars of Switzerland.”
The embassy expressed its gratitude to the media community for their continued support, noting that the success of last year’s public diplomacy efforts was made possible through strong media engagement and coverage.
During the evening, the embassy also reaffirmed its commitment to its four strategic priorities in the Philippines, namely: the Swiss community in the Philippines, education and innovation, economy and trade, and peace and human rights.
Two major initiatives were spotlighted as key highlights for 2025, which are the Day of the Future, a flagship program in collaboration with the Department of Education, which aims to engage young Filipinos in with Swiss companies, doing on-the-job training exercises to inform them of future career paths; and the Swiss Innovation Prize Competition, which seeks to recognize and celebrate Filipino-led innovations, start-ups, and innovative projects that align with Swiss values of creativity, impact, and forward-thinking. The winners of the competition receive initial funding for their projects and direct networks to Swiss companies.
The evening served not only as a venue for information-sharing but also as a celebration of the deepening relationship between Switzerland and the Philippines, with the media playing a vital role in bridging both nations.
