"In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love; they had 500 years of democracy and peace. And what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."
This quote by actor Orson Welles in the 1949 movie, The Third Man, is probably the most famous quote about Switzerland, but to Swiss natives and those who have visited Switzerland, it is regarded as a misrepresentation of the beautiful country.
What Welles forgot to mention is that this tiny country, with a population of less than eight million, is seated at the heart of Europe and although it is not a member of the European Union, this does not make it any less of an influence on Europe and the organizations seated in it. In fact Switzerland's neutral status has made it a prime spot for the headquarters of many international organizations. Some of these organizations include: the Red Cross, the United Nations Human Rights Council, the European Broadcasting Union, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Telecommunication Union, the World Economic Forum, the International Olympic Committee, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), and many others.
Its rich culture due in part to its location but also because of having four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansch, will make this experience educational and interesting. I hope to discover more about this country especially in regards to its media system and the customs of the people. I also hope to gain more insight into other European countries through its relations with Switzerland and my expected travels outside of Switzerland.
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