check
Visit of Swiss foreign minister to the Swiss Center of Conflict Research, Hebrew Universityof Jerusalem | M.A. Program in Conflict Research, Management and Resolution

News

 

 

 

Visit of Swiss foreign minister to the Swiss Center of Conflict Research, Hebrew Universityof Jerusalem

Date: 
Thu, 02/05/2013

Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter was the guest of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Thursday, May 2, 2013, when he visited the university’s Sigi and Lisa Daniel Swiss Center for Conflict Research, Management and Resolution at the Faculty of Social Science, on the university’s Mount Scopus campus. He was accompanied on his visit by Swiss Ambassador to Israel Andreas Baum, by the Head of the Middle East Department in the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Wolfgang Amadeus Bruelhart, and a delegation of Swiss diplomats. Also the Israeli Ambassador in Switzerland, Yigal Caspi, took part in this visit. The visit served as an occasion for paying tribute to the achievements of the Swiss center in research and teaching conflict management and resolution and to the important Swiss contribution to this center.

 

The program was opened by greetings from Hebrew University President Prof. Menahem Ban-Sasson. Prof. Ben-Sasson warmly welcomed the Swiss Delegation and spoke about the importance and uniqueness of the Swiss Center's work, and of the outstanding achievements of the Hebrew University and its unique standing in the international arena. In his speech, following that, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, remarked that "We see the work of the SwissCenter at the Hebrew University as very important and we are very glad to be here". When referring to the major goals of his visit The Swiss Minister said "We want to open a new chapter: a chapter of friendship, in Swiss-Israeli relations. We also want to contribute to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and we want to play this role with modesty".

 

The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Prof. Vered Vinitzky-Seroussi, greeted the Swiss Delegation, spoke about the significance of their visit to Jerusalem, and proposed to establish an international advisory board for the Swiss Center that will include Swiss representatives. The Head of the Swiss Center, Prof. Ifat Maoz presented the projects and achievements of the SwissCenter and suggested that Swiss-Israeli collaboration in the domain of conflict management: in theory and practice, should be further strengthened through the Swiss Center as a follow-up of the visit. A central part of the visit was an animated discussion between Minister Burkhalter with the students at the center on the challenges and prospects of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The event was moderated by Prof. Gabriel Horenczyk, of the Swiss Center. In this discussion, Swiss Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter addressed the students and spoke of his optimism regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The Minister said " In this case I am optimistic as there is now a window of opportunity, there is a momentum . But you should be more confident of yourselves and of your ability to bring peace".

 

Following this Visit, Head of the Swiss Center, Prof. Ifat Maoz Said "The Center for Conflict Research welcomed this visit and hopes that it will further strengthen our ties and research cooperation with Switzerland in the domain of Conflict Research, Management and Resolution that are the primary agenda and commitment of the Swiss Center's work".

 

The Center for Conflict Research is an interdisciplinary research center established in 1999 at the initiative of the Swiss Friends of the Hebrew University and the European Executive Council of the university.  Former Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss dedicated the center in May 2000.

 

The center operates within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Hebrew University and incorporates students and researchers from various disciplines who have displayed interest in the areas covered by the center. The center is devoted to studying the sources and causes of domestic and external conflicts in general and in Israel in particular. It explores the methods, techniques and strategies that can help manage and resolve these conflicts from different disciplinary points of view, including social psychology, international relations and political science, communication and media studies, sociology, education and law