The Caux Palace opened its doors to the public!

What is this palace overlooking Montreux? 

Over 100 people have come to discover the Caux Palace during CAUX-IofC Foundation’s Open House Day, on 16 July 2016. Featuring at this event celebrating the foundation’s 70th anniversary : an introduction on CAUX-IofC’s work, a historical treasure hunt throughout the Caux Palace and a workshop on mediation skills.

For visitors mainly from the Montreux region, but also from Ukraine and all over the world, it was the opportunity to finally discover the famous Palace that can be seen high over the city of Montreux. For others, it was simply the occasion to enjoy the idyllic setting and the splendid views over the Montreux Riviera. 

“What makes Caux such a unique place for peace and reconciliation?”

It is through an open discussion with the visitors that the CAUX-IofC Foundation was able to provide an overview of its mission and its activities in Switzerland. Some visitors were surprised as to how many people from different countries could be gathered in such a place, high up in the Swiss mountains, to discuss world peace. Barbara Hintermann, secretary general of the CAUX-IofC Foundation, highlighted Caux as a special and safe space allowing an open and honest dialogue, the importance of sharing positive testimonials and stories and listening to one’s inner voice as some of the factors making the international Caux Conferences an inspiration for change. 

A place steeped in history

To discover this place with a unique heritage and history, visitors were divided into small groups of 5 to 15 and accompanied by local and international guide-story-tellers. The visit included historical re-enactments, insider anecdotes and a chase down the old luxury hotel’s corridors for clues, in a fun and family-friendly atmosphere. The history of the village before the building of the Palace was shared in the exhibition hall, the visit of the Maharaja’s room in the south-east part of the building enabled participants to learn more about the Maharadja’s visits, and finally a stop by the panoramic terrace provided an opportunity to commemorate the Jews that found refuge in the Caux Palace as well as those that did not. 

At the end of the day, visitors participated in a dialogue on the role of mediation. This workshop was led by Enrico Formica, UN mediation expert in Geneva, and focused on acquiring practical skills for mediation in everyone’s own environment. 

We would like to thank all visitors for their interest and for making this day a moment full of exchange and discovery!