Basel and Moscow intensify their relationships

In September, Basel-Stadt presented itself in the burgeoning metropolis of Moscow as an innovative location under the motto "Basel. City of Vision". The goal was to intensify and build up cooperation projects with partners in Moscow in the fields of business, health care, education and research, tourism and culture. The partnership relations were formalised by the signing of a statement of intent for the years 2011 and 2012.

At the invitation of the Swiss Embassy, the Canton of Basel-Stadt presented itself in Moscow from the 31^st August to the 10^th September 2011 as an innovative economic, educational and research location, as well as an attractive cultural metropolis and tourist destination. The Basel presence in Moscow will be continued into 2012.

"The Basel presence should intensify the existing, friendly relationship with the burgeoning metropolis of Moscow", explained the President of the Government of Basel-Stadt, Guy Morin. The goal is to foster and initiate cooperation with partner organisations in Moscow in the areas of politics, economy, healthcare, education and research, tourism and culture.

Meetings at the highest political level

Key Visual Basel meets Moscow

During the Basel presence in Moscow, meetings were held at the highest political level in the Moscow City Hall and the Moscow Duma, and the partnership relationships between Basel and Moscow were formalised with the signing of a "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) for the years 2011 and 2012. The Canton of Basel-Stadt was officially represented in Moscow by the President of the Government, Guy Morin, Vice-President of the Government Carlo Conti, State Councillor Eva Herzog, President of the Parliament Markus Lehmann, State Chancellor Barbara Schüpbach-Guggenbühl and Sabine Horvath, Head of External Affairs and Marketing for Basel-Stadt.

Under the motto "Basel. City of Vision", the accompanying communication campaign underlined the innovative power of the location of Basel. "Russia hat set the economic modernisation of the country as one of its major priorities, and this is therefore a good time for Basel to institutionalise a knowledge and know-how transfer with Moscow", explained Sabine Horvath, Head of External Affairs and Marketing for Basel-Stadt.

A very varied programme

Under the leadership of the External Affairs and Marketing department of the Department of Presidential Affairs for Basel-Stadt, numerous Basel partner organisations realised a varied programme in Moscow, which created an appropriate framework for intensifying relations between Basel and Moscow. Among others, BaselArea, Basel Tourism, the MCH Group, the University of Basel, the University Hospital of Basel, the Basel Hoteliers Association and various cultural institutions were involved. Basel’s presence in Moscow was financially supported by the Swiss Pro Helvetia cultural foundation and by the Finanzplatz Basel foundation.

Galaempfang

The entire Basel delegation and selected Russian guests were invited to the Basel Gala reception on the evening of the 8^th September. A specialist workshop of Swiss Tourism and Basel Tourism, working together with the Basel hotels St. Gotthard and Les Trois Rois, also took place on the 8th September, and was attended by around 150 tour operators from the Moscow area.

On the 9^th September, the economic promotion organisation BaselArea, together with the MCH Group, the University of Basel, Buss Immobilien & Service AG, Wenger Plattner Rechtsanwälte and Infrapark Basel-Land, presented their visions of the Basel economic location and discussed possible cooperation projects and partnerships with their Russian guests.

Spasskaya Tower Festival 2011

The Basel presence in Moscow was accompanied by a varied cultural programme. For example, the Basel Top Secret Drum Corps took part in the international military music festival "Spasskaya Tower" on Red Square (32.8 – 4.9.2011) on the occasion of their 20^th anniversary. The Swiss author Alain Claude Sulzer read from his award-winning novel "Ein perfekter Kellner", while "the bird's eye soundship" and the Music Academy of Basel carried out public concerts.