Founded in 2000 by the Swiss Federal Council and parliament, Presence Switzerland is an organization that has been charged with the strengthening of Switzerland's image abroad. As it is explained on their web site, branding a nation is important for many reasons: "In today's global society countries vie with each other for the world's attention, for people, for foreign investment and capital. Where people go for their holidays, where companies invest, where universities select scientists for their research activities, or where major conferences are held - all these decisions affect the prosperity of a country. And they are made by people. Their decisions are influenced to a greater or lesser extent by the image created in their minds by the country concerned. The way a country is perceived abroad is central in such decisions. A country therefore cannot allow itself to be indifferent to its image abroad. This is not only true for the political scene but especially for foreign opinion-makers, the opinion 'multipliers' of society. This is where the concept of nation branding comes in. Nation branding is a process by which a country creates a fair and balanced image of itself for a particular purpose. It is intended to ensure that its image is not dominated by events from the past, but corresponds with current reality and is oriented to the future. Nation branding is successful if a country has a clear identity and is heard in this age of information overkill. If this can be achieved the country will stand out above others, and the images it generates in peoples' minds become sharper and closer to reality." (Primary Source: www.presence.ch)
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