Thinking about the future in turbulent times

While once-loyal political trading partners are making a fuss about rule-based exchange and cooperation, the exact opposite could be observed on 5 June in Zurich's Schiffbau:

Members and association partners from education, research, politics and business came together at the Swiss Textiles Summit. To exchange ideas and discover common ground as well as new things. Over 200 guests in total.

"Live your partnerships with your suppliers, your customers!", President Carl Illi called on the guests in his welcoming speech. Textile challenges can only be solved together. With neighbouring countries, the EU in particular, and worldwide. The Bilateral Agreements lll are therefore indispensable for the industry: "We need open access for purchasing and sales," he emphasised.

Being prepared for future developments

In the formal part of the Annual General Meeting, the members discussed and voted on the amendment to the Articles of Association, which the Executive Board revised in line with the expiring Strategy 2025.

The previous five strategy topics - economic policy, sustainability, skilled labour, design and technology - were loosened up or merged. As a result, new topic-specific working groups have replaced the corresponding specialist committees.

"We have realised that the topics are becoming more complex and interlinked," explained Carl Illi. The new focus will enable Swiss Textiles to react more agilely and quickly to future developments.

Christiane Hügelmann succeeds Michela Puddu

The members also elected Christiane Hügelmann to the Board of Directors. The Head of Sustainability, Compliance & Quality at the Holy Fashion Group succeeds Dr Michela Puddu, who has stepped down from the Board due to a new professional activity outside the textile industry.

Keynote speaker Prof James W. Davis, Professor of International Politics at the University of St. Gallen, then gave an overview of current global developments.

He spanned the spectrum from global political upheavals to their impact on democratic structures, economic stability and entrepreneurial thinking in Switzerland.

Turning the question around

"Instead of asking why there is currently so much disorder in global politics, I turn the question around: Why did we have such a long period of stable order in the past 75 years after the Second World War? Perhaps we can then better understand the current situation?"

According to him, possible causes can be explained sociologically and psychologically. Put simply, peace, prosperity and security were far more attractive and favourable for countries after the Second World War than armed conflicts triggered by territorial claims and power games. Moreover, the threat of nuclear war was existential and too great.

Together we are less alone

What deterred states from attacking each other back then is hardly a deterrent today. The pros and cons of war are weighted differently, explained Davis. The reasons for this include new, precise technologies, re-emerging territorial claims, a shift in values and former hegemonic powers as well as a crumbling security community.

He estimates that global politics will be upside down for "the next two years" and will not recover.