Members of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) want to improve the standing of the diaspora among Swiss people back home. However, as a recent workshop in Bern found out, this isn’t an easy task. Ahead of a meeting of the Council of the Swiss Abroad on March 21, Council delegates gathered at the Federal Palace in Bern for a workshop. The theme: “The untapped potential of the Swiss Abroad”. Delegates and the OSA already acknowledged last year that Swiss citizens living abroad are struggling with an image problem. Now, they are gathering arguments to counter what they call negative “generalisations” about the community. In four working groups, they sought answers on Friday to various questions like “what do the Swiss Abroad bring to Switzerland?”, “How can the community network be used?”, and “How can prejudices be overcome?” Too many negative views about the Swiss Abroad When people in Switzerland speak about their compatriots living beyond the country’s borders, too many ...
