Launch event
2025-11-05 Geneva: Book presentation and Q&A
2025-11-05 Geneva: Book presentation and Q&A
Dare We Hope? Building Lasting Peace: A Swiss Ambassador’s Insight.
After more than four decades in international diplomacy, I have lived through wars, negotiations, fragile truces, and moments of reconciliation. I have seen both the worst of human conflict and the quiet power of dialogue. These experiences gave rise to my new book: Dare We Hope? Building Lasting Peace: A Swiss Ambassador’s Insight.
International politics is repeating its worst mistakes. Wars that could have been prevented in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Sudan, and Myanmar are tearing lives apart while the world looks on, divided or distracted. In a time of war, mistrust, and global uncertainty, where do we turn for hope? Can we still cooperate in a divided world?
About the book
The world is at a crossroads. Wars multiply, trust breaks down, and the old rules no longer hold. Yet giving in to despair is not an option. Dare We Hope? – Building Lasting Peace: A Swiss Ambassador’s Insight offers a way forward.
This is not a memoir. It is a guide born from more than four decades of international diplomacy. At its heart lies one conviction: peace is possible. Governance, like navigation, requires both vision and instruments. That is why I present the Global Governance Toolkit—five practical instruments forged in negotiations from Geneva to the Balkans, from South Asia to Türkiye. They are designed to help leaders, diplomats, and citizens make sense of today’s turbulence and shape solutions.
The book combines history, the principles of the United Nations Charter, and lessons from real negotiations I was part of. Its aim is not abstract theory, but practical wisdom—insights that can help us bridge divides and rebuild cooperation.
The cover image tells its own story. The old bridge of Mostar, destroyed in 1993 and rebuilt a decade later with international and local support, now stands as a monument of reconciliation. It reminds us that even after deliberate destruction, trust and coexistence can be restored. That message is at the very core of Dare We Hope?.
Table of contents
- Introduction – Setting the Stage
Why today’s crises demand both vision and instruments. - Part 1 – A World in Collision
The return of power politics, global divides, and the risks of confrontation. - Part 2 – Detecting the Forces
How history, geography, economics, and human nature shape today’s conflicts. - Part 3 – Unveiling the Dynamics
Hidden agendas, shifting alliances, and the psychology of negotiation. - Part 4 – Understanding Governance
Why institutions matter, and how diplomacy works in practice. - Part 5 – The Governance Ladder
Linking the global, national, and local levels of decision-making. - Part 6 – Dare to Hope!
Building visions, strategies, and solutions for peace. - Epilogue – Embracing Peace
A personal reflection on what decades in diplomacy have taught me.
Endorsements
“Gyger brings together deep experience, practical tools, and institutional knowledge. He knows the actors, the stakes, and the complexity. His book presents a structured and engaging fresco of diplomacy today, supported by vivid examples from more than forty years of service. His writing offers a true global toolkit for diplomats.”Joseph Deiss, former President of Switzerland and President of the 65th UN General Assembly
“This book offers not just insight into diplomacy and cooperation—where it works, where it breaks—but it provides tools. Tools to turn hope into action. Not just for diplomats. For all of us. For teachers, for young leaders, for anyone longing to heal and rebuild.”Sanela Music Lee, Peace Activist and Rotary International Champion of Peace Honoree 2025
What you will learn
- A clear framework for complex conflicts
- Stories that show methods in action
- Checklists for negotiation prep
About the author
Walter B. Gyger, a former Swiss ambassador, has seen how international cooperation breaks down and how it can be repaired. In his new book he offers a practical toolkit: five governance tools shaped by real crises and real negotiations. They do not promise miracles, but they give those who are ready to act a way forward.
Events and media
Blog
News, excerpts, and notes from the project.
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Dare We Hope? A Roadmap for Peace in an Age of Division
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Welcome to the Dare We Hope? Blog
Exploring how wise governance can light paths toward peace in a turbulent world.