 Good evening. President Burkhalter, President of the Swiss Confederation, Prime Minister Abe, distinguished heads of state, heads of government, dear friends of the World Economic Forum, dear members. Just a short while ago, the world lost a great man who was also, for many years, a good friend and mentor of the World Economic Forum. To remember him, let me quote the first sentences of his speech when he joined us here in 1999 to say goodbye in his capacity of President of South Africa. Of course, I speak of Nelson Mandela. And I quote, let me very begin by thanking you most sincerely for affording me the privilege of addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos for the last time as President of South Africa. We have been lauded, politely listened to for some of the things that others and I on many occasions have said here in Davos. Indeed, I have vivid memories of this process during my historical first visit in 1991, just after leaving prison. My presence here in Davos has taught me as much and reinforced our belief in dialogue and interaction with the international community. I can assure you of South Africa's warmest hospitality and of many opportunities to promote our mutual goals. However, now stepping down as President, if you should during your next trip see an old man sitting at the side of the road carrying a placard saying no job, no money, new wife, big family, let's spare a thought. So please stand up and let's spare a thought for Nelson Mandela. Thank you. I have now the great privilege to introduce the President of our host country, D.D. Burkarton. And Mr. President, before you take the floor, let me just say some words. The forum shares the basic values of our host country of Switzerland. And those values are so much enshrined in what we are doing. Among those values are the commitment to human rights and humanitarian values, the commitment to human dignity and democracy, the commitment to peace-building and openness, the commitment to environmental prevention, preservation, and sustainability. And this is exactly why we are so proud and happy to conduct our annual meeting here in this country in Switzerland. And I want to use this opportunity, and I switch for a moment in German. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, thank our host country, the Swiss population, the Swiss government, the canton of Grabunden and the region of Davos, and the population of Davos. I would like to thank you most warmly for this hospitality, Mr. President. Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends from all over the world, united here in Switzerland, today Switzerland welcomes you, and with you welcomes the efforts of the world towards peace and process, towards peace and progress. This wants to be an area of peace and of progress for those who want to meet and to solve the global challenges. So welcome to the efforts, welcome to the efforts such as those made in Montreux and Geneva on the future of Syria, efforts made in Geneva on the future of relations with Iran. efforts made here in Davos to think about, to prepare for, and even reshape, the world of tomorrow. Switzerland is ready, Switzerland is ready, we are ready to play our part in these efforts, assume our share of responsibility, and make our contribution. The world today faces numerous challenges, first, security, stability and peace, second, the environment, climate, access to clean water and food, third, transport, energy, life in the cities of tomorrow, and fourth, health, especially with regard to aging population in numerous societies, in four words, peace, climate, urbanity and demography. We have mountains to move, and we will only be able to move them, these mountains, with a collective effort. States will have to join forces and government, will have to work with international organizations, the private sector and civil society, so the future of the world needs a great public private partnership. Together, the combined leverage effect would be enormous, and it is essential if we are to allow the future to emerge, a future in which each man, each woman, and above all each child is entitled to bright a prospect and dignity a future where they can bask in the sun of freedom. We have many challenges to overcome and many mountains to move. Of course, not those that provide the outstanding panorama here in Davos. No, Switzerland doesn't want to move the Alps, but it wants to drill through them, instead in order to accommodate the needs of our time. We are in the process of building the world's longest railway channels through the Goddard Massif, which is set to open in 2016, a project that will make a real contribution to improving traffic between Northern and Southern Europe while protecting the environment. We hope that Alpine panorama will once again serve as an ideal source of inspiration to stimulate our exchanges over the next few days. Let us hope they work their magic. Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, in Thomas Mann's novel, The Magic Mountain, precisely, which is set in Davos, seven years past before the hero of the story is allowed to head back down the mountain, only to be plunged into the turmoil and devastation of the First World War. We are reminded that 2014 marks the centenary of the start of the tragedy for humanity with the horror of its trenches, the horrendous destruction, and the invention of chemical weapons that came again last year in Syria. It is also 75 years since the outbreak of the Second World War, with its concentration camps, colossal battles, and the invention of nuclear weapons. We have a duty to commemorate these two wars, these two disasters for humanity which altered the face of the world, creating only losers. They serve as a lesson, a lesson of just how important it is for states to work together, in collective security mechanisms to diffuse tension when they arise, to seek diplomatic solutions to conflicts both existing and potential. You've seen Nelson Mandela on the screen. Nelson Mandela said, it always seems impossible until it is done. Impossible until it is done. This quote reminds us that it has been 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and 20 years since the end of apartheid which allowed the center of freedom to rise again for millions of people. It always seems impossible until it is done. These beautiful words can be applied to many of the challenges in the world today, and especially to the dramatic situation in Syria. This terrible conflict has far too long caused too much, far too much suffering, and far too many deaths. It's robbing millions of men, women, and children of any prospects for the future and making millions to refugees. This crisis, if it were to spread, could destabilize the entire region and even beyond. After months of diplomatic efforts, a peace conference has begun today in Switzerland, in Montreux, which I had the privilege to attend up to now. The states and parties are jointly seeking a way out of the conflict. A solution can only be achieved politically. The will of the international community can make possible that which seemed impossible just a short time ago. Switzerland is ready to welcome such conferences, to facilitate, to mediate, to give good offices, and it is proud and glad to be able to offer a safe and effective environment for the search, for peace, and to prepare for reconstruction for the day after. Switzerland is also proud and glad that Geneva serves as a useful, safe, and discreet location for discussion with Iran. Here too, it is a matter of finding solutions and diffusing tensions, of enabling a future without being naive but determined. In order to contribute to peace and security in the world, Switzerland is also ready to step up and make real commitments. We want to further enhance the assets Geneva offers to even better meet the needs of the international community. This year, Switzerland has accepted the chair of the world's largest regional security organization, the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It is an honour, it is a responsibility, and it is also an opportunity, an opportunity to build new bridges. Switzerland doesn't just build tunnels, it's also used to building bridges across valleys and between its different cultures and between countries, one it is asked of us. We want to make the OSCE a true security community at the service of all for the benefit of everyone from Vancouver to Vladivostok. In order to contribute to peace, stability and development, Switzerland, the world's 11th largest donor, has also decided to increase its contribution by raising its official development assistance to not 0.5% of gross national income by next year to assume our share of responsibility and affirm our solidarity. This is a commitment of everybody in Switzerland. This amounts to a contribution to one franc per day per inhabitant over a period of four years. Switzerland is therefore ready to contribute to greater security and stability in the world. Another key, another key to reshaping the future is science, science for people, science in Switzerland. Switzerland is fortunate enough to possess a platform for science which is dynamic and open, one in two researchers is foreign. Its universities are classed among the best in the world. Switzerland has ranked first in the European Union's European Innovation Scoreboard for several years now. This is vital for the economic future of my country whose innovative capacity is its prime catalyst for growth. Science will also be an essential tool in overcoming major challenges in particular in terms of the environment, climate and health. Let's take an example. The Human Brain Project, based at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the Swiss Institute of Technology, has enjoyed a high profile since it was designated last year by the European Commission as one of two flagship projects of European research. This vast project involving numerous researchers and universities in Europe and around the world aims to produce a detailed computer model of the human brain. It could bring about a breakthrough in understanding and possibly treating degenerative diseases. These are the diseases of tomorrow, given ever greater population aging in societies in different regions of the world. Science in these areas is essential in terms of improving public health and quality of life. For its part, the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, through its future cities laboratory in Singapore, is working on designing the cities of the future. Cities are more populated and interconnected than ever before. If we fail to create a template for the city of the future, problems regarding the environment, traffic, health and but also social relations and security will become unmanageable. And yet it is in our cities that the future is invented and shaped. So Switzerland is also ready to contribute to resolving the great challenges of our time through its cutting edge scientific achievements. The last subject I wish to raise with you at the beginning of this laboratory of ideas for the world in Davos is one that is particularly important to me. It is youth, youth unemployment and youth employment. This is one of the great challenges in safeguarding the future. Young persons with a job see their future open up ahead of them. Youth unemployment is a cancer on society. The human and social consequences are dramatic. Studies show that if a young person fails to get a foothold on the carry ladder within two or three years of completing training, the chances of entering the labour market drop by 80 percent, 80, not 18, but 80 percent. Three years is not long when you think you have your whole life ahead of you. Young people are giving action in this field. It's not just reshaping the future. It is giving someone, giving youth, young people a future for what is the future if not youth. Here to Switzerland is fortunate enough to have a strong end and it is willing to make a contribution. Our labour market is good at integrating young people. This is thanks a lot of things, a dynamic economy, flexible labour market, liberal state, strong social partnership, but it's also thanks to an education system which combines the academic and the vocational. Switzerland's dual track system of vocational education and training for young people has a long tradition. Practical element mostly takes place in businesses through immersion with additional theory and academic education in a vocational school. The costs of this dual track system are not only public affairs. The costs are shared equally by the state and by business. Education authorities are in direct contact with professional organization through and practical public-private partnership. Here to build bridges between education and employment, between adolescence and adult life, between private and public. Young people who earn their living benefit from the support of experienced professionals. They work for a company. They are productive. It is a boost to productivity for the company and in the medium term. It is a boost to the workforce. It's also a boost for young people who developed skills which are immediately transferable in the workplace. It is a win-win situation. Number two, Switzerland wants to play its part. We are in the process of developing partnership projects with a number of countries such as Myanmar, India and others. Switzerland is organizing an international conference on vocational education and training to be held in Winterthur in the canton of Zurich in September. The event is aimed at decision makers and vocational education training actors from around the world. Switzerland is ready to contribute towards youth employment through its experience in the field of vocational education and training. Ladies and gentlemen, my country is prepared to play its part but only by working together in Davos, in Geneva, in Montreux or elsewhere. We will succeed in building bridges and reshaping the future, a future for young people, a future by people. Thank you for making the journey to Switzerland rest assured that Switzerland, my country, is ready, together with you to build a better world. Thank you very much.