Dhaka, 13 November 2006 (IUCN) – The first ever Swiss Festival in Bangladesh has taken place on 8-10 November 2006 to celebrate the 35 years of friendship between Bangladesh and Switzerland. Embassy of Switzerland, in collaboration with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Switzerland-Bangladesh Business Forum (SBBF), organized the festival. The Swiss Festival encompassed a rich variety of programmes related to trade and investment, development cooperation and cultural relations. The festival held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, Agargaon, Dhaka.

During the festival, activities of different projects supported by SDC were exhibited. Swiss and Bangladeshi artists have performed in different cultural programmes over the three days. Seminars were organized on the topics of Switzerland's development cooperation and Swiss investments in different sectors of Bangladesh.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Bangladesh Country Office participated at the programme with a decorated stall. IUCN Bangladesh displayed their activities and publications and also arranged video shows entitled “Tanguar Haor” and “For a Better Tomorrow” in the booth. The display items included books, booklets, project reports, workshop proceedings, and posters published by IUCN Bangladesh under different projects and initiatives over the years. Visitors from different donor agencies, embassies, Government agencies, NGOs and concern people visited the stall with much enthusiasm and appreciation.

Mr. Mahbubul Alam, Hon’ble Advisor, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh and Ms. Dora Rapold, Ambassador of Switzerland spent their valuable time in visiting the stall of IUCN Bangladesh and appreciated the quality of materials displayed.

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Notes to editors 

For more information, please contact:

• Mahbubur Rahman Masum , IUCN Bangladesh Comminication Officer, Tel: +880 2 989 0395; Fax: +880 2 989 2854;
  masumiucnbd.org; Web: http://www.iucnbd.org

Photos are available at http://www.iucnbd.org/photogallery.html

More information available at: http://www.iucnbd.org/

About the World Conservation Union (IUCN)

Created in 1948, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) brings together 81 States, 120 government agencies, 800 plus NGOs, and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. The Union ’s mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

The Union is the world's largest environmental knowledge network and has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. The Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1,000 staff located in 62 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland , Switzerland .

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