The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has an annual budget of CHF 1.5 million available for the implementation of cultural projects abroad. The budget is administered by the Cultural Foreign Policy Centre (CCC), which functions as a link between the cultural milieu in Switzerland and the Swiss representations around the world.

The FDFA’s cultural activities are meant to showcase the values of Swiss foreign policy. In this way, they promote Switzerland’s image abroad and form the basis of an ongoing dialogue with other countries. For the FDFA, culture is a fundamental tool in advocating the interests of Switzerland.

In May 2005, Federal Council members Micheline Calmy-Rey and Pascal Couchepin came to an agreement at the request of the Swiss representations abroad, according to which a division of competencies between the FDFA’s Cultural Foreign Policy Centre (CCC) and the Pro Helvetia Foundation was specified, i.e., cultural projects abroad whose budget exceeded CHF 10,000 would henceforth fall within the competence of the Foundation, while those costing less than this amount would come under the responsibility of the FDFA.

At the federal level, still other actors play a role in Switzerland’s cultural relations with foreign countries. Each one pursues its own specific objectives, with the FDFA ensuring the coordination between the various bodies by means of the so-called “Pentapartite” working group, which meets four times a year. The members of this working group are:

• The Federal Office of Culture, which determines Swiss cultural policy;
• The Pro Helvetia Foundation, which promotes cultural exchange between Switzerland’s linguistic regions and its cultural milieu, while fostering Switzerland’s cultural relations with foreign countries;
• The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), a part of the FDFA, which provides local cultures with assistance as part of its development cooperation activities;
• Presence Switzerland, whose task it is to enhance Switzerland’s image abroad; and
• The Cultural Foreign Policy Centre (CCC) of the FDFA, which supports Swiss representations in the implementation of their cultural activities.