“Meet the authors” at GEMS World Academy Switzerland on 1 September 2016
Win a double ticket to attend a VIP literary cruise in Morges on 3 September 2016 (see end of article for more details)
GEMS World Academy Switzerland (GWAS) is offering the public two great opportunities to meet and mingle with top authors at the 7th edition of the annual literary festival in Morges, Le Livre Sur Les Quais.
Taking place beside the lake between 2 and 4 September 2016, the festival will host around 300 French- and English-speaking writers, covering a wide range of literary genres from children’s books through to travel writing and crime fiction. A comprehensive programme of talks, readings and round-table discussions has been set up throughout the 3 days of the event, some of them taking place on the lake in the form of literary cruises, as well as at various venues in and around Morges. This year the English program will be enriched by the presence of Scandinavian writers who are the guests of honour this year.
The 1938 Talbot Lago 150C roadster will be presented for the first time at a contemporary Concours d’Elégance. © Future Photography
Château de Coppet, 18 and 19 June 2016
From 1924 to 1954, the quays of Geneva hosted a prestigious concours d'élégance, a tradition that Mathias Doutreleau, co-founder of the event, has decided to revive on the edge of Lake Geneva. Organised in line with the official rules of the main automotive events of this type, the first Concours d'Elégance Suisse will be held in the exquisite settings of the Château de Coppet on 18 and 19 June 2016.
"The event pays tribute to the historical and cultural heritage of the automobile. In addition to beautiful collection cars, genuine masterpieces that are rarely seen, we will also be presenting themes celebrating the art of mechanics. Aside from the Concours itself, the public will be able to visit an exhibition of Haute Horlogerie timepieces, admire horse-driven carriages that were the seed of the art of coachbuilding and enjoy artistic creations from famous Fine Art Photographers", explains Mathias.
Celebrating classic cars
During the two-day event, the owners and aficionados of rare automobiles will be able to meet and share their passion for classic cars. The festivities begin on Saturday morning with a RoadBook Tour d’Elégance, along the scenic roads at the foothill of the Jura and along the shores of Lake Geneva. From 14h, the cars of the concours displayed on the lawns of the Chateau will be reviewed by a Jury presided by Adolfo Orsi and Ed Gilbertson from the International Chief Judge Advisory Group and leading figures of the automobile world. This preview day, reserved for entrants and VIP guests of the event sponsors, will end with a gala dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva.
As of 10h on Sunday, the Concours will be open to the general public, who will be able to admire these icons of the road, visit the Haute Horlogerie exhibition, explore the various pavilions of the sponsors and savour a choice of delightful barbecues alongside the Culinary Pavilion that will be exclusively reserved for entrants and VIP guests. The Concours d'Elégance will end with the award ceremony and the prestigious Best of Show Trophy starting at 14h.
Following the huge success of last year’s giant water slide, Gliss ‘en Ville will return to Geneva this summer even bigger and better than before!
Not only will the slide be an extra 30 m long, but there will also be a new launch pad this year, and an increase in the water flow to improve the sliding sensation! The opening hours will also be extended, from 10h to 20h, to allow more people to have fun!
For a whole day, the Rue Voltaire will be closed to cars to create a holiday atmosphere for everyone to enjoy – participants and spectators alike. In 2015, more than 8000 people joined in the festival spirit, which reigned throughout the day.
Free admission to the food museum on 4 and 5 June 2016!
After nine months of renovation work, the Alimentarium will reopen its doors on 4 June 2016. The food museum has been completely redesigned from top to bottom, with a new permanent exhibition and places to eat, relax and experiment. There is also a new range of culinary workshops and a revamped website, that has been transformed into a powerful online knowledge center, available in 3 different languages. With its new digital ecosystem, the museum is set to become the world’s leading information center on food and nutrition - a museum to be savored, either in person or virtually from all round the world!
Food - The essence of life: Travel to the heart of food
Designed as a fun, interactive journey, the permanent exhibition invites adults and children alike to explore the fascinating world of the food of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The new scenography brings together discovery, experimentation and knowledge enhancement in three new sectors: Food, Society and The Body. Each one uses film screenings, interactive terminals and video installations to create an unforgettable immersive experience that reveals the influence food has on the body and the environment.
Photo © Didier Jordan
Magicians for life or just for one night will be enchanted by the amazing experiences on offer at Geneva’s museums and art centres on 21 May 2016. Magic is the evocative and unifying theme of this fourth annual Museum Night. 26 institutions have put their collective imaginations to work to provide visitors of all ages with over 170 different activities, including a wide selection for English speakers. The event is coordinated by the Department of Culture and Sport of the City of Geneva.
Amusing, mystical, esoteric or illusionist, magic in all its guises appears Hey Presto! on the programme. This common thread is one of the special features of Museum Night in Geneva, with many institutions proposing a highly creative approach to the theme.
There’s a profusion of magic to delight nature lovers at the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, with strange objects in botanical tomes, magical evening fragrances and the music of plants; Qigong and a guzheng or Chinese zither concert will entertain you at the Baur Foundation; monsters and disturbing figures will materialize at the Bodmer Foundation; there’ll be amazing magic tricks and shows at Les Berges de Vessy, Mamco, the International Red Cross Museum and the Natural History Museum; MEG’s objects will pulsate with magical forces, and visitors can also watch trance-related performances with voodoo drums, whirling dervishes and Moroccan mystics; supernatural figures will appear in the rooms of the International Museum of the Reformation; the Ariana Museum is celebrating the alchemy and magic of porcelain; magicians of ancient times and a pharaoh cut in half are some of the surprising speed dating themes at the Museum of Art and History; strange phenomena associated with radiant matter will be demonstrated at the History of Science Museum; the manuscript of Zaïre (The Tragedy of Zara), Voltaire’s most famous tragedy, will be on display at the Voltaire Museum; minerals will magically change colour at the Natural History Museum; while ritual objects will be examined - "Magic or Religion?" - at the University of Geneva’s collection of casts. Finally, projection mapping performances will light up MEG at nightfall.
