Mr. Emil Wyss, who was the Consul General of Switzerland in Karachi from 2014-16, and his wife Mrs. Arie Wyss were in Pakistan on a two-weeks trip to Karachi, Lahore, and Hyderabad!
The former and well-known Swiss diplomat started his tour in Karachi by visiting Brenton & Carey Hostel for orphan and single-parent girls, the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre, Make-a-Wish Foundation Pakistan to grant the wishes of terminally-ill children, and Friends of Burns Centre at the Dr. Ruth K. M. Pfau (Civil) Hospital. Mr. Wyss speaking at the prestigious Rotary Club of Karachi South also gave a presentation on how Switzerland is able to sustain its exceptional economic growth through political stability.
In an interview with the media, this forever-young Swiss couple boastfully said that “… our hearts are half-green for the love of Pakistan because every Pakistani we meet treats us so well. It is our strong desire that we come regularly each year to this beautiful country and play in whatever way possible our part to thank this vibrant nation and its exceptionally hospitable people”.
Next stop for this Swiss duo was Pakistan’s historic city, Lahore. They visited Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Deaf Reach School (new Campus), Roshni Homes Trust (orphanage in Gujranwala), Aziz Jehan Begum Trust for the Blind (only Pakistani establishment printing books in braille), Kaarvan Crafts Foundation, and the Fountain House Institute of Mental Health. At the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Mr. Emil Wyss in an interactive guest speaker session with students shed light on the “Importance of country branding for improved trade and investment”.
In the last week of their tour, both visited Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation where they donated blood for thalassemia major children, Drug Free Pakistan Foundation / New Horizons Care Centre for impoverished drug addicts in Landhi, Bint-e-Fatima Old Home (Trust) for homeless elderly females, Pak-Swiss Training Centre, Karachi – one of Pakistan’s oldest vocational training institutes established by the Swiss authorities, Markaz-e-Umeed for Special Children, the recently inaugurated Buraq Centre run by Dawood Global Foundation’s LADIESFUND®, and Dar-ul-Sukun for physically and mentally challenged children and adults.
During their day long excursion outside Karachi, Mr. & Mrs. Emil Wyss were in Kotri’s Dhani Bux Khoso village to see the renovated Government Boys Primary School. In Hyderabad, the former Consul General and spouse were invited to Neuro Medical Centre and had a meeting with members of the Rotary Club of Hyderabad Galaxy. Both of them also highly appreciated the excellent artworks on display at the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology’s Centre of Excellence in Arts & Design in Jamshoro. Just before heading back home, Emil and Arie (Mrs. Wyss) expressed their strong desire to continue their yearly visits to Pakistan; to support charitable organizations active in the field of philanthropy services for the less privileged Pakistani citizens as well to meet friends.
