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Government & Diplomacy

Learn more about Government & Diplomacy from some of our partners and other sources.

Leader Spotlights

Ambassador Ed McMullen

Elected as Vice Chairman of the American Swiss Foundation in 2021, Ed McMullen served as Ambassador of the United States to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from November 2017 to January 2021. Ambassador McMullen is an alumnus of the 1995 Young Leaders Conference.

At the core of ethical and effective leadership is a culture that drives positive change and the overall betterment of our world around us. In my experience, the single most important attribute of leaders who embrace such a culture is an attitude of optimism. During my Ambassadorship to Switzerland...

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Briefings

Switzerland and the European Union: Balancing Sovereignty and Close Economic Ties

June 2021

Located in the heart of Europe, Switzerland has never been a member of the European Union. While trade, legal, financial, and cultural ties between Switzerland and the EU are strong, the relationship is not without challenges. Disagreements on the details of a Swiss-EU framework treaty have led to further challenges: Long-standing negotiations on the treaty came to an impasse in 2018. While Bern contacted Brussels in late 2020 to resume negotiations, the two sides once again did not agree on...

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ASF CONNECT

Video conferences and podcasts with experts on key issues in business, government, and technology

Explore all programs

Government & Diplomacy Oct 08, 2021

ESG Standard Setting - Challenges and Pathways Forward

ASF CONNECT with Markus Diethelm, Anisa Costa (YL 2003), Tamur Goudarzi-Pour, and Bettina Schaller (YL 2011).

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Government & Diplomacy Jun 24, 2021

Emerging from the Covid Pandemic

ASF CONNECT with Congressman Bill Huizenga (YL 2009, R-MI) with moderation by Christa Markwalder (YL 2006)

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Government & Diplomacy May 06, 2021

The First 100 Days of the Biden Administration

Panel discussion with Guy Benson (YL 2018) and Marie Harf (YL 2019), moderated by Robert Giuffra (YL 1996)

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Government & Diplomacy Apr 09, 2021

What to Expect from the Biden Administration

ASF CONNECT with Congressman Joaquin Castro (YL 2010, D-20 TX) with moderation by Bill McQuillen (YL 2010)

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Government & Diplomacy Nov 12, 2020

Reflections on the U.S. Election Results

Panel discussion with Alison Williams (YL 2018) and Reid Wilson (YL 2014), moderated by Markus Diethelm

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Government & Diplomacy Oct 01, 2020

U.S. Election Preview

Panel discussion with Hon. Chris Larson (YL 2015) and Hon. Chris Sprowls (YL 2019), moderated by Amy Holmes (YL 2014)

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Government & Diplomacy Sep 18, 2020

U.S.-Swiss Trade Relations

ASF CONNECT featuring distinguished guest, then-Ambassador Dennis Shea, Deputy USTR

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Government & Diplomacy Jun 26, 2020

The U.S. Response to the Pandemic and Outlook for the U.S. Economy

ASF CONNECT featuring Senator John Barrasso (YL 1990), R-WY

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Government & Diplomacy May 08, 2020

Opportunities for Swiss-American Collaboration in Response to COVID-19

ASF CONNECT featuring distinguished guest, His Excellency Jacques Pitteloud, Swiss Ambassador to the U.S.

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Government & Diplomacy May 01, 2020

Celebrating 75 Years of the American Swiss Foundation

Presentation on the history of the American Swiss Foundation, spotlighting 75 years of public diplomacy

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Government & Diplomacy Apr 24, 2020

Response to COVID-19

ASF CONNECT featuring then-U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland Edward T. McMullen, Jr. (YL 1995)

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Additional Resources

Learn more about Government & Diplomacy from some of our partners and other related writings.

Oct 22, 2021

On November 28, the Swiss will decide in a referendum whether to keep or scrap the COVID certificate, which has been compulsory since September 13 for admission to restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, and large cultural and sporting events

Oct 15, 2021

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai reaffirmed the Biden Administration’s commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during her first visit to Geneva, the WTO’s host city

Oct 1, 2021

Chris Sprowls (YL 2019), speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, urges other states to follow Florida’s lead and pass firm laws to protect individuals’ DNA privacy

Sep 24, 2021

Philip Wegmann (YL 2017) reports that 26 governors are urging President Biden to address the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation at the border

Sep 24, 2021

Caroline Simmons (YL 2017) won the Democratic primary for mayor of Stamford, Connecticut, in an upset victory over the two-term incumbent

Sep 17, 2021

“Even the Swiss are tightening the screws on the unvaccinated”

Sep 10, 2021

Switzerland scales up training for international peacekeepers

Sep 3, 2021

Switzerland plans cyber-defense command center

Aug 27, 2021

Switzerland has offered its “good offices” to assist in peace talks after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban

Aug 20, 2021

The Swiss government declares its support for “marriage for all”—and Swiss citizens will cast their votes in a referendum on September 26

Government & Diplomacy

Ambassador Ed McMullen

Related Leader Spotlights

Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud: On Trust

Kimberly Reed: On Resilience

Switzerland and the European Union: Balancing Sovereignty and Close Economic Ties

Related Briefings

Building Resilience: How Switzerland and the United States Are Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic

U.S.-Swiss Free Trade Agreement: When Will It Happen?

Technology Regulation in the 21st Century

ASF CONNECT

ESG Standard Setting - Challenges and Pathways Forward

Emerging from the Covid Pandemic

The First 100 Days of the Biden Administration

What to Expect from the Biden Administration

Reflections on the U.S. Election Results

U.S. Election Preview

U.S.-Swiss Trade Relations

The U.S. Response to the Pandemic and Outlook for the U.S. Economy

Opportunities for Swiss-American Collaboration in Response to COVID-19

Celebrating 75 Years of the American Swiss Foundation

Response to COVID-19

Additional Resources

On November 28, the Swiss will decide in a referendum whether to keep or scrap the COVID certificate, which has been compulsory since September 13 for admission to restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, and large cultural and sporting events

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai reaffirmed the Biden Administration’s commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during her first visit to Geneva, the WTO’s host city

Chris Sprowls (YL 2019), speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, urges other states to follow Florida’s lead and pass firm laws to protect individuals’ DNA privacy

Philip Wegmann (YL 2017) reports that 26 governors are urging President Biden to address the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation at the border

Caroline Simmons (YL 2017) won the Democratic primary for mayor of Stamford, Connecticut, in an upset victory over the two-term incumbent

“Even the Swiss are tightening the screws on the unvaccinated”

Switzerland scales up training for international peacekeepers

Switzerland plans cyber-defense command center

Switzerland has offered its “good offices” to assist in peace talks after the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban

The Swiss government declares its support for “marriage for all”—and Swiss citizens will cast their votes in a referendum on September 26