PREAMBLE

Gambia Swiss Congress is an umbrella organization formed in 2016 as a humanitarian organization. It was the initiative of Gambian associations from Switzerland’s major cities, namely: Zurich, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Biel, and Luzern who came together to take collective actions in improving various aspects of their lives and beyond.

It aims at building stronger and more resilient Gambian diaspora communities in Switzerland by promoting their socio-economic development while contributing its quotas in improving the welfare and livelihoods of the people back home in The Gambia through the creation of smaller and bigger projects.

Conscious of our different backgrounds and ethnicities but recognize the need to feel as one people (Gambians) and work together as One Gambia. With the strong belief that unity is strength and that through honesty, transparency and the rule of law, we can achieve these aims and objectives.

BASIC PRINCIPLES

  • Congress shall serve and protect the interests of all active and regular members.
  • Congress is non-tribal, non-religious and non-partisan but should preserve our common values and culture.
  • Congress shall be democratic and never be driven by any single individual or association.
  • Congress shall be humanitarian and not for profit-making.
  • The Congress shall operate under the laws of Switzerland with jurisdictions where its official location is.
  • Congress shall be based on transparency and accountability.
  • Congress shall give autonomy and it shall guarantee the independence of individual associations but every association must respect and keep its obligations to the basic laws, rules, and regulations of the Congress.
  • Congress should recognize and respect the independence of the various associations but the associations should not jeopardize the basic principles adopted by the Congress.
  • Congress should provide help or intervene on humanitarian grounds in cases where the individual associations are unable to provide assistance or the problem is beyond their means, resources, and capacities.