important a stable set of international rules was and will remain for the Swiss success story. AVIS28 highlights the strengths our foreign policy can bring to bear to contribute to Switzerland‘s future prosperity and security. The report provides an interpretative overview enabling us to draw the right conclusions about the changes that are currently underway. It translates them into a framework that takes due account of domestic politics: Switzerland’s success will depend more than was the case in the past on whether its citizens can understand and recognise the advantages of its foreign policy. AVIS28 is a vision, not a strategy. The report is a source of inspiration to reflect on and set the course for Switzerland’s future foreign policy. It aims to contribute to the dialogue on the Switzerland of tomorrow. Its ten-year perspective allows a careful examination of the horizon ahead. This time frame also makes it possible to make plausible projections about how Switzerland and the world will develop. AVIS28 spans two legislative periods to allow for gradual adjustments and innovations. Based on the premise that our environment will continue to change, AVIS28 lays building blocks for the further development of Swiss foreign policy. These are presented in the form of a six-point vision for Switzerland’s foreign policy until 2028: 1. By 2028, Switzerland‘s foreign policy will deliver on strategic priorities based on clearly defined interests and its values. 2. Foreign policy will be closely linked with domestic policy. 3. Greater focus on services for citizens and cooperating with Swiss businesses are recognised assets of Swiss foreign policy. 4. Switzerland will leverage its core strengths to build a more peaceful and stable world. 5. By 2028, new technologies will be an established topic of Swiss foreign policy. 6. Having consolidated its bilateral approach, Switzerland will work with the EU, as a non-member state, in shaping Europe. The report concludes with a set of considerations on the foundations of Switzerland’s future foreign policy. Policy deliberations must take account of the fact that Switzerland’s political culture and unique characteristics impose certain limits on its strategic capacities. Yet these same characteristics are also an opportunity for Switzerland and its global engagement. Political inclusion (the consociational model of democracy), peaceful coexistence against a backdrop of linguistic, cultural and religious diversity, a state structure based on power-sharing, and government policies focused on the welfare of citizens: these historic achievements are not only quintessentially Swiss strengths but also highly relevant for Switzerland’s future foreign policy. Introduction – why a 2028 Foreign Policy Vision? 2