THIS EVENT IS FULLY BOOKED Advancing Peace and Sustainability Through Innovation and Science Diplomacy: A Swiss Perspective
HE Mr Viktor Vavricka, Ambassador of Switzerland to New Zealand
Wednesday, 5 March 2025 5:30pm - 7:15pm
Wellington
Embassy of Switzerland, Maritime Tower, 10 Customhouse Quay, Wellington
The NZIIA Wellington Branch in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland to New Zealand invites interest from NZIIA members to attend an upcoming roundtable event.
Terms and conditions
Places are limited due to room capacity. This event is for NZIIA Wellington Branch members or Wellington student members only.
If you are available and interested, please send an Expression of Interest to NZIIA Wellington Branch via the EOI link above with a brief note why you are interested in attending this roundtable and your interest in Switzerland-New Zealand relations. Any EOI without a brief note will not be considered.
Please note, successful applicants will be advised of the meeting details by confirmation email by 28 February.
If you have already submitted an Expression of Interest you do not need to send another email.
Biography- HE Mr Viktor Vavricka
Ambassador Viktor Vavricka was born in 1972, in Winterthur, canton of Zurich, Switzerland, and graduated at the University of Zurich with a licentiate in law (1997).
He started his professional career in a Zurich based law firm before joining the International Committee of the Red Cross from 1999 to 2001 as a “detention delegate” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and Algeria.
In 2002, he entered the service of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and was assigned as a stagiaire in Bern and Ottawa, and subsequently as a diplomatic staff member in the Directorate of International Law.
In 2007, he was transferred to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as Deputy Head of Mission.
From 2009, he headed the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Section in the Directorate of International Law and, from 2011, the Asset Recovery Task Force in Bern.
From 2013, he served as Deputy Head of Mission in Bangkok, Thailand, and from 2017 as Deputy Head of Mission in Berlin, Germany.
Since 2020, he headed the Swiss Representative Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in Ramallah.
On 24 September 2021, the Swiss Federal Council appointed Viktor Vavricka as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, with residence in Wellington. He also serves as Consul General to American Samoa.
Viktor Vavricka arrived in Wellington in October 2022 and presented his credentials to the Governor-General of Aotearoa New Zealand on 16 November 2022, to the President of the Republic of Fiji on 21 March 2023, to the Governor-General of Tuvalu on 14 June 2023, to the King’s Representative of the Cook Islands on 21 June 2023, to H.M. the King of Tonga on 15 April 2024 and to the Prime Minister of Niue on 15 October 2024.
Dress: Business Casual
Registration: by Expression of Interest (Registration confirmations to successful members will be sent by 28 February if not earlier)
Catering: Provided
The NZIIA Wellington Branch in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland to New Zealand invites interest from NZIIA members to attend an upcoming roundtable event.
Terms and conditions
Places are limited due to room capacity. This event is for NZIIA Wellington Branch members or Wellington student members only.
If you are available and interested, please send an Expression of Interest to NZIIA Wellington Branch via the EOI link above with a brief note why you are interested in attending this roundtable and your interest in Switzerland-New Zealand relations. Any EOI without a brief note will not be considered.
Please note, successful applicants will be advised of the meeting details by confirmation email by 28 February.
If you have already submitted an Expression of Interest you do not need to send another email.
Biography- HE Mr Viktor Vavricka
Ambassador Viktor Vavricka was born in 1972, in Winterthur, canton of Zurich, Switzerland, and graduated at the University of Zurich with a licentiate in law (1997).
He started his professional career in a Zurich based law firm before joining the International Committee of the Red Cross from 1999 to 2001 as a “detention delegate” in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and Algeria.
In 2002, he entered the service of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and was assigned as a stagiaire in Bern and Ottawa, and subsequently as a diplomatic staff member in the Directorate of International Law.
In 2007, he was transferred to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as Deputy Head of Mission.
From 2009, he headed the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Section in the Directorate of International Law and, from 2011, the Asset Recovery Task Force in Bern.
From 2013, he served as Deputy Head of Mission in Bangkok, Thailand, and from 2017 as Deputy Head of Mission in Berlin, Germany.
Since 2020, he headed the Swiss Representative Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in Ramallah.
On 24 September 2021, the Swiss Federal Council appointed Viktor Vavricka as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, with residence in Wellington. He also serves as Consul General to American Samoa.
Viktor Vavricka arrived in Wellington in October 2022 and presented his credentials to the Governor-General of Aotearoa New Zealand on 16 November 2022, to the President of the Republic of Fiji on 21 March 2023, to the Governor-General of Tuvalu on 14 June 2023, to the King’s Representative of the Cook Islands on 21 June 2023, to H.M. the King of Tonga on 15 April 2024 and to the Prime Minister of Niue on 15 October 2024.
Dress: Business Casual
Registration: by Expression of Interest (Registration confirmations to successful members will be sent by 28 February if not earlier)
Catering: Provided
Membership
NZIIA membership is open to anyone interested in understanding the importance of global affairs to the political and economic well-being of New Zealand.