Former Swiss ambassador to speak on American, European relations

Former Swiss ambassador to the United States Alfred Defago will give a talk, "The U.S. and Europe: political, economic, and cultural observations on a difficult partnership," at 10:45 a.m. Monday, April 4, in Pamplin 1045.

His talk is this spring's International Business and Culture guest lecture, sponsored by the Pamplin College of Business. The talk is free and open to the public; no tickets are necessary.

Defago, who has spent much of his life in public service, was ambassador to the United States in 1997-2001 and Swiss consul general in New York in 1994-1997. He has served as secretary general of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Bern and director of the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, overseeing all cultural activities of the Swiss Confederation, including its national library and federal museums and art collections. Before he began his career as a diplomat, he worked at the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. He has worked in the German-language, national radio service's foreign affairs department and served as head of national and economic affairs and as editor-in-chief of the network.

Defago earned a Ph.D. in history and German literature at the University of Bern and has studied at the University of Vienna, the German Institute in Rome, and the Vatican Library. Since 2001, he has been teaching international relations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in European-American relations.

Virginia Tech's nationally ranked Pamplin College of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs in accounting and information systems, business information technology, economics, finance, hospitality and tourism management, management, and marketing. The college emphasizes the development of leadership skills and ethical values and the integration of technology in the academic curriculum, and prepares students for global business challenges through faculty-led study abroad programs. A member of the college's marketing faculty directs the interdisciplinary Sloan Foundation Forest Industries Center at Virginia Tech. The college's other research centers focus on business leadership, electronic commerce, and organizational performance. The college is committed to serving business and society through the expertise of its faculty, alumni, and students.