A/HRC/4/19/Add.2 page 4 Introduction 1. Following an invitation from the Swiss authorities, issued in response to his request, the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance visited Switzerland from 9 to 13 January 2006. The purpose of the visit was to assess the situation of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, as well as the policies and measures adopted by the Government to address these phenomena. 2. During his visit, the Special Rapporteur met, at the federal level, in Bern, with Federal Councillors Pascal Couchepin and Christopher Blocher, the State Secretary Michael Ambühl, and several directors and representatives of federal departments and offices. He also visited the cantons of Ticino, Basel and Neuchâtel, where he met with, among others, State Councillors Luigi Pedrazzini, Gabriele Gendotti, Guy Morin, Eva Herzog and Bernard Soguel and Chancellor Robert Heuss. 3. The Special Rapporteur also spoke with Ermete Gauro, cantonal delegate for the integration of foreigners and for combating racism in Ticino; with Thomas Kessler, director of the Office for Integration of Basel City canton; and with Thomas Facchinetti, cantonal delegate for foreigners’ affairs in Neuchâtel. He also met with members of the Federal Commission against Racism in Bern and of the Federal Commission for Foreigners in Neuchâtel. 4. In the cities that he visited, the Special Rapporteur met with many associations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), members and representatives of foreign communities and national, ethnic and cultural minorities. He also talked with representatives of other civil society groups, such as political parties, employers, trade unions, the sports world, various religions and the media. At the request of one NGO, the Special Rapporteur went to Solothurn to meet with asylum-seekers whose applications had not been considered for formal reasons. He also visited, in Basel, a deportation centre and a registration and procedure centre. 5. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the Government of Switzerland for its invitation, as well as for its availability and openness. He also wishes to thank the competent services for their cooperation, particularly the Service for Combating Racism, for the efficient manner in which his visit was organized. 6. During the months of preparation preceding his visit, the Special Rapporteur closely examined the documents and reports sent to him by the Swiss authorities and NGOs, and followed with attention articles in the Swiss and international press dealing with questions relating to his mandate. 7. In the course of his mission, the Special Rapporteur raised three main questions with all the persons with whom he met, concerning (a) the existence of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia in Switzerland; (b) their principal manifestations; and (c) measures and programmes adopted by the Government to address these phenomena, or to be carried out in cooperation with civil society and the communities concerned. The Special Rapporteur also asked them to transmit to him with any documents that might help him to obtain the most objective and complete picture possible and to draft an objective, credible and useful report.