A wonderful start to 2026 at the “Welcome Ambassador and New Year” Reception in Zürich.

It was a true pleasure to welcome H.E. Arti Hilpus, Ambassador of Estonia to Switzerland, and to spend the evening with so many engaged members and friends of the Swiss-Estonian community at the Honorary consulate in Zurich on 14th of January 2026. The reception had a truly international character, with guests representing many countries and cultures, reflecting the strong diplomatic and business networks between our two countries.

In his welcoming remarks, the Honorary Consul of Estonia in Zürich and President of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland, Michael Reiss von Filski LLM underlined the importance of close cooperation between business communities and institutions, as well as the unique role of Switzerland and Estonia in building bridges between regions, sectors, and people – and warmly welcomed the Ambassador in his new role.

Ambassador H.E. Arti Hilpus expressed his eagerness to visit Switzerland from his base in Vienna as often as possible and, alongside political dialogue, to actively support the development of economic relations, as well as cooperation in culture and science.

We were also delighted to combine diplomacy with Swiss food diplomacy, showcasing tastes from different regions of Switzerland. A heartfelt thanks to our Chief of Raclette, Pierre-Yves Loertscher, and to everyone who contributed to the wonderful dessert buffet.

A special moment of the evening was the presentation of the Citizen Diplomat Appreciation Letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia to Dr. Yves Partschefeld, recognizing his outstanding dedication to Estonia over almost three decades – a truly well-deserved honor.

Warm thanks to all who joined us and helped create such an inspiring, festive, and international atmosphere. We look forward to continuing our cooperation and to many future encounters.