In Cammino con la Svizzera: A New Way to Connect, Discover, and Inspire ERI Collaboration Across Italy

In 2025, the Embassy of Switzerland in Italy, in collaboration with the Consulate General in
Milan, launched one of its most creative initiatives yet: “In Cammino con la Svizzera”, a
project personally led by Ambassador Roberto Balzaretti. Conceived both as a literal and
symbolic journey across all 20 Italian regions, In Cammino con la Svizzera places dialogue,
proximity, and sustainability at the heart of Switzerland’s diplomatic presence. The first
successful pilot project, a visit to in Umbria in 2025 set the tone for a mission designed to
bring institutions, communities, and individuals closer through meaningful encounters.
The first trip to Umbria illustrated the project’s potential. The Ambassador met with the Rector
of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia and delivered a Lectio Magistralis in front of 100
students. The visit also included a stop at the ItaloSwiss-American company Gemateg, a
hightech startup developing cuttingedge thermalmanagement solutions for chips and
highperformance computing infrastructures—an illustration of how Swiss–Italian collaboration
drives innovation with global impact.
What distinguishes In Cammino con la Svizzera is its innovative format. Over the next two
years, the Ambassador will travel across Italy on foot and by sustainable means of transport,
to meet people where they live and work. Alongside universities, research centers, and
regional authorities, the project aims at spotlighting unexpected forms of excellence:
innovators, artisans, entrepreneurs, researchers, and members of the Swiss community in
Italy whose stories and actions reveal the richness and diversity of Swiss–Italian ties. Each
trip will thus be an opportunity to listen, observe, and discover new opportunities to
strengthening Swiss-Italian relations, with a special focus on innovation, sustainability and
Europe.
Science diplomacy plays a key role in this initiative. For the Embassy’s Science Section, In
Cammino con la Svizzera offers exceptional strategic value: planning visits to the different
regions allows for the mapping of emerging research and innovation ecosystems across Italy,
the identification of new ERI linkages, and the exploration of regions that lie beyond
traditional diplomatic routes. Every visit enriches the Embassy’ with fresh connections,
practical collaboration prospects, and valuable insights into local dynamics. In the long-term,
the Embassy aims at fostering strong partnerships that support Switzerland’s engagement in
European research.
To commemorate the Ambassador’s visit, the project’s signature bench will be donated to a
public institution in every region. Produced in Switzerland using recycled materials, the
bench will remain in the community as a space for dialogue and learning.
Although at the beginning of its journey, In Cammino con la Svizzera is already emerging as
a modern instrument of diplomacy: a way to reconnect territories, uncover talent beyond
traditional hubs, and strengthen scientific and cultural bridges through a wide range of
informal exchanges and interactions with the public. As the tour continues across Italy, it will
carry a simple but powerful message: meaningful innovation and resilient relations begin by
walking side by side.