Dear fellow Swiss citizens,
Dear friends of Switzerland,
As summer is coming to an end, we are up for a busy month of preparations for a special event. This year, San Francisco and Zurich celebrate the 20th anniversary of their sister city partnership. In 2003, the San Francisco and Zurich Mayors Willie Brown and Elmar Ledergerber signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a commitment to promote exchange and cooperation between the two cities in a broad variety of areas. This year, on October 6, the Memorandum will be renewed by The Honorable London Breed, Mayor of the City of San Francisco, and The Honorable Corine Mauch, Mayor of the City of Zurich, who will visit San Francisco for this occasion with a small delegation.
I am happy to share with you that the Consulate General, together with Swissnex in San Francisco, Switzerland Tourism, and the Swiss Business Hub will organize a series of events showcasing the “bridges” that have been built between the two cities during the past 20 years. We have invited several connectors, or "bridge builders,“ to be part of our festivities in the first week of October. One of them is Michaela Frank, Zurich‘s youngest chef, who will co-create a San Francisco - Zurich culinary week with Chef Joe Tiani at The St. Regis San Francisco. Another is San Francisco-born and Zurich-based musician and singer Erika Stucky, who will perform a series of street concerts in the Castro neighborhood on October 5. Moreover, the iconic Zurich tram will be circulating between Fisherman’s Wharf, the Ferry Building, and Castro during the weekends in September. And, last but not least, we will team up with the "megaconnector“ Swiss International Air Lines, which also celebrates its 20-Year Jubilee of (almost) daily flights between the two cities.
Please mark the first week of October in your calendars and see the details of all our events on our public programs platform as well as on the social media accounts of both the Consulate General and Swissnex in San Francisco. I am sure there will be something interesting for everyone.
I look forward to seeing you,
Balz Abplanalp
Consul General
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SISTER CITY JUBILEE
ZURICH - SAN FRANCISCOSISTER CITIES FOR 20 YEARS
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ZURICH TRAM IN SAN FRANCISCOSeptember 2023
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Hop on the iconic Zurich tram in San Francisco this September. Switzerland Tourism has organized for this special sister city tram to be traveling on the F-line along Market Street between Fisherman's Wharf and the Castro neighborhood. The "Züri Tram", sporting the blue and white colors of the Zurich flag, will be running every weekend throughout the month of September.
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The tram's operating hours are from 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM
The transportation fare remains the standard price ($2.50 per ride) and can be purchased either on the SFMTA website/app or via Clipper Card.
To learn more about SFMTA's fare deals, please click here.
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DIALOGUE OF INCLUSIVITY: QUEER HISTORIES IN ZURICH & SAN FRANCISCO
October 5
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Join us for an important and introspective conversation about LGBTQ+ histories with Zurich Mayor Corine Mauch and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman at the GLBT Historical Society Museum in the Castro neighborhood. This conversation, moderated by Natalia Guecheva will delve into the speakers' personal experiences with LGBTQ+ topics as well as explore the history of the queer scene in Zurich and San Francisco, and where the cities stand today.
To register for this event, please click here.
October 5, 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
GLBT Historical Society Museum
4127 18th Street, San Francisco
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Corine Mauch has been Zurich's Mayor since March 2009, representing the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland. As Mayor, she oversees several key offices and initiatives, and her responsibilities include promoting gender equality as well as equality for people with disabilities.
©Stadt Zürich
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Supervisor Rafael Mandelman represents San Francisco's District 8 and is a dedicated LGBTQ+ advocate. He has worked on various LGBTQ+ initiatives, including data collection, cultural district creation, supporting LGBTQ+ organizations, and expanding healthcare services.
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Natalia Guecheva is an events production manager with a personal affinity for arts, performances, and civic engagement. She has managed a unique range of programs and events in San Francisco and Zurich. She long worked for the SWISS FILMS foundation organizing the Swiss Film Prize, and the Swiss Cinema Day at the Locarno Film Festival.
@Swissnex in San Francisco
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SWISS STREET CONCERTSWITH ERIKA STUCKYOctober 5
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The Consulate General is bringing one of Switzerland's most unique artists to the Bay Area to perform a series of street concerts. Traveling from Zurich to bring her distinctive mix of yodel and accordion to the streets of San Francisco, Erika Stucky will perform three mini concerts throughout the day at the heart of the Castro district.
Feast on the sounds of Erika's music and the tastes of Lindt chocolates.
To register for this event, please click here.
October 5
Perfomances will take place at:
- 11:15 AM - 11:35 AM
- 3:00 PM - 3:20 PM
- 5:00 PM - 5:20 PM
Jane Warner Plaza
17th and Castro Streets, San Francisco
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Erika Stucky, a Swiss-American artist born in San Francisco, is a unique voice in jazz, blending Laurie Anderson, Frank Zappa, and Pippi Longstocking influences. She effortlessly combines avant-garde jazz, pop, folk, and Dadaist elements.
Erika has toured for many years and received the Swiss GrandPrix Musik award in 2020. While she now lives in Zurich, she often comes back to visit her family in the Bay Area.
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CHEF MEETS CHEFOctober 3-7
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Experience a unique culinary combination with a special collaborative menu combining the tastes of San Francisco and Zurich. Created by an exclusive partnership between Chef Joe Tiani from The St. Regis San Francisco and Chef Michaela Frank from Zurich’s Am Rank restaurant, this fusion menu brings together the best of each city’s sustainable vegetarian cuisine.
To reserve a table, please click here.
October 3 - 7
Lunch service: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Dinner service: 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Astra at The St. Regis San Francisco
125 3rd Street, San Francisco
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Joe Tiani, a CA native, developed a deep love for cuisine while growing up in a household that celebrated diverse flavors. Inspired by family cooking sessions, he began his culinary journey by cooking at his mother's restaurant in Crested Butte, Colorado. After formal culinary training, Joe's passion led him to gain experience in various establishments, incl. a culinary program at ICIF in Northern Italy. Joe has contributed his culinary talents to various hotels across the United States. However, he found his true culinary home when he joined the team at The St. Regis in San Francisco.
©The St Regis San Francisco
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Michaela Frank, a 27-year-old Swiss chef, is the culinary talent behind Zurich's "Kultur Lokal Rank". With roots in both China and Switzerland, she blends local flavors with an exotic touch, creating contemporary regional dishes that bring happiness to diners.
With early culinary success and experience at renowned establishments, she's become a rising star. She uses local, organic ingredients to craft delightful cuisine, showing a promising path for the future of gastronomy.
©Gault&Millau
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LEADING THE CIRCULAR REVOLUTION
October 5
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Swissnex in San Francisco invites to explore the circular economy's transformative power in cities during this event, which marks the start of Swissnex's 20th anniversary programming. Discover how the circular economy enables sustainable living and empowers communities, and learn from the City of Zurich, which ranks second in the world for circular living.
While occupying only 3% of the planet's territory, cities use 75% of global resources. The circular economy has emerged as a pivotal tool to move towards a way of living that is not only sustainable but also regenerative — respecting the planetary boundaries.
To reserve your spot, please click here.
October 5, 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Swissnex in San Francisco
Pier 17, Suite 800, San Francisco
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CULTURE & COMMUNITY
WITH FOCUS ON ZURICH
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SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIR LINESAT CASTRO STREET FAIR
October 1
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The Castro Street Fair was founded by Harvey Milk in 1974 as an opportunity for communities to gather and celebrate. Taking place at the intersection of Castro and Market Streets, the heart of the Castro District, the fair is a testament to the spirit of the neighborhood as hundreds of local artists, vendors, craftspeople, organizations, and visitors come together to celebrate diversity.
To learn more about the Castro Street Fair, please click here.
October 1, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Castro & Market Streets, San Francisco
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PUBLIC HEALTHDRUG POLICY COLLABORATION
October 4
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SFZH, San Francisco-Zurich Sister City Committee, a dynamic local nonprofit organization connecting the vibrant cities of San Francisco and Zurich, is spearheading a collaborative initiative that brings together renowned public health and drug policy experts.
In the 1990s, Zurich gained notoriety as the epicenter of Europe’s largest open drug scene. However, a pivotal and historic paradigm shift towards harm reduction heralded a transformation in Zurich's drug policy, echoing across Switzerland, effectively curbing overdose fatalities. Presently, San Francisco grapples with a strikingly analogous challenge.
This forthcoming event will serve as a critical nexus where seasoned experts from Zurich and San Francisco converge to exchange invaluable insights garnered through decades of dedicated work in drug policy. Leading the discourse, Dr. Larissa J. Maier will adeptly moderate a panel discussion, extending a warm invitation to the public to actively engage with these distinguished speakers. Together, they will explore the multifaceted roles that various public stakeholders can play in mitigating the current overdose crisis.
For further details and to reserve tickets, please click here.
October 4, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Manny's, 3092 16th Street, San Francisco
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Dr. Larissa J. Maier, a visionary psychologist and international drug policy expert, holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Zurich. She worked at the Swiss Research Institute for Public Health & Addiction and the United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime in Vienna. As a Postdoc at the University of California, San Francisco, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the US National Institute of Drug Abuse, she headed efforts to enhance access to holistic mental health and harm reduction services while creating safe community spaces for drug users.
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DEATH ON LAKE ZURICH: INTRODUCING SWISS CRIME NOVELISTSERAINA KOBLER AT LITQUAKE
October 7
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©Diogenes Verlag ©Pushkin Vertigo
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Discover "Deep Dark Blue", the new gripping crime novel by the Swiss bestselling author Seraina Kobler. The author will be participating in the LITQUAKE Literature Festival and will be interviewed by Randal Brandt, the curator of UC Berkeley's Detective Fiction Collection. Her crime novel, which is set in the streets of Zurich, will be released in English in November.
To register for this event, please click here.
October 7, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Telegraph Hill Books
1501 Grant Avenue, San Francisco
To learn about the entire LITQUAKE program, please click here.
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Seraina Kobler was born in Locarno in 1982, Seraina studied linguistic and cultural studies before working as a journalist. In 2020, she published her debut novel, Regenschatten. Known for her Zurich-based crime novels, she has spent months on the Swiss bestseller lists.
©Franco Tettamanti/Diogenes Verlag
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SWISS PREMIERE AT MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVALOctober 7 & 11
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Film still: The Unfortunate Ones by Jeanne Waltz
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The Swiss-Portuguese film The Fortunate Ones ( O Vento Assobiando nas gruas) will have its world première at the 46th edition of the Mill Valley Film Festival, supported by the Consulate General of Switzerland's Swiss Film & Talks. The movie, directed by Jeanny Waltz, follows the story of Milene, a lively young woman with a mental handicap, who grew up parentless in an isolated mansion on Portugal's coast. As her relatives attempt to decide what to do with her after her grandmother's death, Milene develops a relationship with Antonino, a construction worker who lives on the grounds of the abandoned factory that once was the source of her family's wealth.
Having directed movies since 1995, Jeanne Waltz achieves the notable feat of creating a powerful drama that approaches the complexities of mental health challenges with optismism and humor all while avoiding tropes of sentimentality and condenscension.
To buy your ticket, please click here.
October 7, 4:30 PM
Smith Rafael Film Center
1118 4th Street, San Rafael
October 11, 2:00 PM
CinéArts Sequoia
25 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley
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SWISSNEX IN SAN FRANCISCOSTARTUP PITCH NIGHT - MULTI SECTOR September 21
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©FotosByFlee/Felicis Kieselhorst
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Swissnex in San Francisco presents a dynamic night featuring pitch presentations and product demonstrations from some of Switzerland’s top startups in a diverse array of industries.
Don’t miss your chance to connect and expand your international network in various sectors. Meet startups from our Startup Bootcamp during this pitch and networking event.
To register for this event, please click here.
September 21, 6:00 PM - 8:45 PM
HanaHaus Palo Alto
456 University Avenue, Palo Alto
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Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz at Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles presents the U.S. premiere of dSimon, a performance around a very current topic: AI.
dSimon, the digital clone of award-winning Swiss artist Simon Senn, was created by computer developer Tammara Leites using Senn’s personal data and AI.
The show will take the form of a live presentation, with Senn on stage and Leites live on Zoom from Switzerland, both interacting with dSimon on stage. Audience members will also be able to interact with dSimon, asking him questions and getting to know him better.
To book your tickets, please click here.
October 4, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz
10361 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles
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