Welcome message

Moving to a new duty station often comes with a mixture of feelings. Before arriving to your ‘new home’, the joy of excitement, adventure and the non-familiar as well as worries regarding different local realities and traditions can keep us busy with many unanswered questions.

The International Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI) was established as a ‘one stop shop’ to help you find answers to many of these questions. All our Services are free of charge and available to you as an employee of International Geneva and to all your family members. We offer a wide range of services and support with hands-on advices on daily situations ranging from search for accommodation, proofreading of lease-contracts, education for children, mobility, insurances and many other practical aspects of day-to-day life. In addition, we organise different events and activities on a regular basis:

• “Information mornings” for newcomers with the participation of local mayors and representatives of the Permanent Mission of Switzerland (twice a year).
• “Lunch time conferences” which provide you with the opportunity to discover the practical, social and cultural sides of life in the city such as: Practical Geneva, Geneva’s public and private education systems, health and healthcare network in Geneva, summer activities in the region, housing and insurances.
• “Social events” to facilitate your integration during your stay in the Geneva region.
• “Excursions” to discover hidden pearls in the city and country-side thanks to the tremendous help of some 30 committed volunteers.
• “Insiders’ Geneva” to help you discover the diversity of local events happening in Geneva: volunteers will help you to experience the authentic, chic, trendy and alternative Geneva and guide you through “the places to be!” (some examples: la Nuit des Bains, GIFF – Geneva International Film Festival, la Nuit des Musées, etc.)
• “Conversation Exchange Programme” (BEL) offers the possibility to improve your knowledge in a language of your choice. It is not a language course but a good opportunity to practise speaking the selected language with a partner who is keen to improve his/her knowledge in the language you master. The programme covers 65 languages with over 1’300 participants. Many locals participate in this programme and are looking forward to meeting newcomers.
• “Cultural and Information Kiosk” at Door C6 (Palais des Nations) that offers tickets at preferential rates for a range of museums, theatre plays, concerts and ice-hockey events. In cooperation with over 50 event partners, our offers cover many high-quality cultural and sport happenings in Geneva and the region.

In order to facilitate your settlement and integration we produced four short movies with practical information on housing, education, health, and mobility, which you can watch on our website: www.cagi.ch/practical-geneva

My colleagues and I are delighted to assist you in settling and integrating in Geneva and the region. We are located in the heart of International Geneva. Don’t hesitate to drop by to meet our team or contact us by phone or email. Check out our website for more about our Services: www.cagi.ch and follow us on twitter for the latest information on our activities and events: @CagiGeneva

The International Geneva Welcome Centre was founded in 1996 by the Swiss Confederation and the Republic and Canton of Geneva. Today, it is supported by over 30 public and private actors, including the two co-founders, the City of Geneva, the Canton of Vaud, the United Nations Office at Geneva and the World Intellectual Property Organisation and more. In addition to the events and activities mentioned above, we assists also NGOs already based in Geneva, as well as those interested in setting up an office in the region, and we facilitate the stay of delegations (governmental or NGOs) participating in conferences organised by the actors of International Geneva.

Have a wonderful stay in Geneva and the region and I am looking forward to meeting you in person in one of our numerous events.