1976 - 2026
50 years of the Fondation pour Genève
Working for Geneva.
Then. Now. Tomorrow.
Since its creation in 1976, the Foundation has initiated many projects that honour Geneva’s openness to the world. Today, it is renowned for its ability to bring together private and public actors around common projects and to unite five entities that share its values. Its resilience and agility enable it to be a dynamic hub of ideas, responsive to the needs of the canton.
At a time of rapid global change, the Foundation wishes to mark its anniversary by stepping up its awareness-raising efforts and engage young people, politicians, the private sector and the general public.
2026 is an opportunity to look back on the key moments in the Foundation’s history, to thank those who have shaped it, to promote our canton’s international identity and to outline the contours of the Geneva of tomorrow: dynamic, innovative and more international than ever.
Discover the history of the Foundation
Geneva, Tuesday 18 September 1973, a lunch with one goal: to discuss the creation of a foundation in the service of Geneva. The stakeholders: Marcel Naville, former President of the ICRC, Robert Vieux, Chief of Protocol for the State of Geneva, and lawyers Pierre Sciclounoff and Jean-Flavien Lalive. Genevans committed to contributing to the international influence of their canton. They were joined by State Councillor Jean Babel and created on 13 January 1976, the ‘Foundation for Geneva’. Its mission? Use all means at its disposal to promote Geneva’s reputation beyond its borders and support the authorities’ efforts to promote the canton’s international development.
Learn more
Our projects to mark our 50th anniversary
Our sincere appreciation to all those who have been involved since 1976, and especially the members of the Foundation Board:
Marcel A. Naville (chairman from 1976 to 1990, then member until 1998)
Jean-Flavien Lalive (member from 1976 to 1998)
Robert Vieux (secretary from 1976 to 1993, then member until 1998)
Pierre Siclounoff (member from 1976 to 1998)
Jean Babel (member from 1976 to 1988)
Georges-Henri Martin (member from 1981 to 1992)
Pierre Keller (member from 1981 to 1988)
Dominique Micheli, (chairman from 1990 to 1998)
Philippe Grand d’Hauteville (member from 1991 to 1998)
Costin van Berchem (member since 1992, secretary from 1993 to 1998, vice-chairperson from 1998 to 2013)
Pierrette Waldvogel (member from 1993 to 2007)
Françoise Demole (member from 1995 to 1998, secretary from 1998 to 2002, then vice-chair from 2002 to 2007)
Ivan Pictet (President from 1998 to 2002, Treasurer from 2002 to 2009, then President from 2010 to 2020)
Yves Oltramare (treasurer from 1998 to 2000)
Arthur Dunkel (member from 1998 to 1999)
Jean Vodoz (member from 1998 to 2000)
Nicolas Peyrot (member from 1998 to 2015)
Christiane Steck (member from 1999 to 2009)
Diane Zoelly (member from 1999 to 2020)
Françoise Buffat (member from 1999 to 2007)
Jérôme Koechlin (member from 2000 to 2008)
Herbert Schmidt (member from 2001 to 2007)
Guillaume Pictet (chair from 2002 to 2009, vice-chair from 2016 to 2023)
François Nordmann (member from 2009 to 2020)
Véronique Rochette (member from 2009 to 2011)
Florence Notter (member from 2011 to 2024)
Yves Mirabaud (member from 2012 to 2015)
Luzius Wasescha (member from 2012 to 2016)
Nathalie van Berchem (member from 2013 to 2019)
Jean Keller (member from 2016 to 2019)
Martine Brunschwig Graf (member from 2017 to 2021)
Fabrice Eggly (member from 2018 to 2023)
along with the members of the current Board
