Switzerland Steps Up for Artsakh Armenians: Peace Initiative to Launch in Bern

The Armenian Report Team
May 20
4 min read

In a powerful show of solidarity with the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), Switzerland is taking a leading role in calling for peace, justice, and the safe return of displaced Armenians. On May 26, 2025, in the Swiss capital of Bern, a new initiative known as the Swiss Peace Initiative for Nagorno-Karabakh will officially launch, bringing together Swiss lawmakers, international advocates, and Armenian leaders.

This unique and important effort, supported by 19 Swiss parliamentarians from across political parties, is designed to restore hope and dignity to more than 120,000 Armenians who were violently forced from their ancestral homeland following Azerbaijan’s military assault in September 2023.

The Swiss Peace Initiative aims to create an international platform for dialogue—a place where representatives of Azerbaijan and the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh can come together under international supervision. The goal is clear and urgent: to negotiate the safe, voluntary, and collective return of the Armenians of Artsakh to their homes.

The proposal builds on a strong foundation. In December 2024, Switzerland’s National Council passed Motion No. 24.4259. The Council of States followed with approval in March 2025, officially calling on the Swiss government to host this peace forum. This is not just symbolic. It’s a legal and diplomatic push for peace, showing that Switzerland is ready to use its global reputation for neutrality and humanitarianism to help solve this crisis.

The initiative is co-chaired by National Councillor Erich Vontobel (EDU, Zurich) and National Councillor Stefan Müller-Altermatt (Center Party, Solothurn). Both leaders are strong voices for justice.

“The refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh feel abandoned and need our solidarity,” said Vontobel, who recently visited Armenia and met with Artsakh President Samvel Shahramanyan and His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.

Müller-Altermatt added that the Swiss Parliament’s support “gives Nagorno Karabakh Armenians renewed hope for return.”

Joining them in Bern will be key figures including:

Vartan Oskanian, former Foreign Minister of Armenia and current Chairman of the Committee for the Defense of the Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno Karabakh
Vardan Tadevosyan, Director of the Lady Cox Rehabilitation Center
Sarkis Shahinian, General Secretary of the Switzerland-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group
Dr. Joel Veldkamp, Director of Public Advocacy at Christian Solidarity International (CSI)

The initiative is also strongly backed by international Armenian organizations. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) welcomed the launch, calling it a “timely and meaningful step forward in reversing Azerbaijan’s 2023 genocide.”

“We deeply appreciate Switzerland’s principled stand for the fundamental rights of Artsakh’s Armenian population—especially their right to live in peace and dignity on their ancestral homeland,” said Aram Hamparian, ANCA Executive Director.

Ken Hachikian, Chairman of the Armenian Legal Center for Justice and Human Rights (ALC), emphasized that this Swiss-led effort helps establish “a formal, international framework for dialogue and accountability” and is a critical step in fighting impunity for the crimes committed by Azerbaijan.

In September 2023, Azerbaijan launched a brutal military operation that resulted in the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenian Christian population, forcing tens of thousands to flee to Armenia and abroad. These families left behind everything—their homes, schools, churches, and history.

Today, these Armenians remain displaced, traumatized, and in limbo. Many fear that the world has forgotten them.

But this Swiss initiative offers hope. It is proof that some nations are still willing to speak up for human rights and for the rule of international law.

According to Dr. John Eibner, President of Christian Solidarity International, the forced removal of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh is not only a humanitarian crisis but also a threat to global peace and stability.

“The conflict between Azerbaijan and the now expelled population of Nagorno Karabakh threatens regional security, obstructs Eurasian economic development, and takes a terrible toll on human rights,” he said.

Switzerland’s efforts are a reminder that lasting peace requires justice, dialogue, and international oversight.

The official launch of the Swiss Peace Initiative will take place at the Hotel Kreuz in Bern on Monday, May 26, at 11:30 AM. The event will feature presentations, a public forum, and an opportunity for international media and civil society to engage with policymakers and advocates.

Meanwhile, Armenian advocacy groups around the world—including in the U.S.—are continuing to push for:

Suspension of U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan
Release of Armenian prisoners
Emergency humanitarian support for Artsakh refugees
Recognition of the right of return for Artsakh’s Armenian population

In a world too often silent in the face of injustice, Switzerland’s peace initiative offers a rare moment of moral clarity. It is a call to action not just for the Swiss people, but for the entire international community.

As Armenian Americans and Armenians across the diaspora mark this important milestone, one message echoes above all: the people of Artsakh are not forgotten. Their right to live in peace, on their land, must be protected—and that fight continues.

For more information or to support the cause,

visit: 🔗 www.swisspeacekarabakh.com/en 📧 RSVP for the event: info@csi-int.org 📝 Take action in the U.S.: anca.org/action