by Huub van Heur, Past President IFFR Benelux

Welcome to the capital of Switserland, welcome to Bern. On Friday a nice welcome at the airfield of Bern by Nik Ammann the president, with drinks and snacks and a bag filled with cookies and beer. Maurice and Hijlien arrived with his brandnew DA 50 the PH TAKS. Kris with his friend Joan were coming by the Cessna OO LVA from Zwartberg at Saturday. Han and Gieneke Klinkspoor, Huub and Luciana van Heur by car. Another good delegation this time of the Benelux section.

Visiting the city and restaurant were sustainable by walking and tram.

We used only the bus for coming from and going to the airfield of Bern. The city tour was on foot. Bern is  an Unesco world Heritage. Very interesting to see medieval buildings, fascinating insights of Bern past. We saw the longest weather sheltered shopping promenades in Europe and the cathedral with its 101 meter high tower. And don’t forget the river Aare, where swimmers are drifting by the water through the city. A particular clock was the Zytglogge, an astronomical clock from 12^ecentury. We had a guided tour in the parliament, very special to learn about the swiss federal gouvernment and political affairs. 

Before we moved on to the gala dinner we had a lecture of dr Pete Messerli, director of the Wyss Academy for Nature. This institute is a place of inovation and solutions for sustainable futures with other parties as policymakers, business, research and communities. Their mission is to transform scientific knowlegde into action.

Saturday evening the gala dinner (no dresscode) – it was a good dinner – Nik and the wordlpresident spoke to us, Kris our president reported our fly in at Seppe EHSE 23-25 June 2023. All the dutch participants were sitting on one table ( as far I know for the first time). At Sunday departing to our next fly in or back home.