General Information » Culture & Lifestyle » Culture

With over a third of its population coming from about 200 different countries, Geneva is decidedly cosmopolitan. This is reflected in its culture, which is quite distinctive from the German-Swiss or Italian-Swiss culture.

In general Genevois are courteous but reserved, and it is often said that it is difficult to get to know them. It may take a little patience and a lot of perseverance before you manage to break the ice. While they may seem cold, distant and uncaring, this outward appearance has more to do with the fact that they are reluctant to bother others and so they tend to be very discreet. Only once they feel a certain amount of camaraderie has been established will they open up slightly and share more personal information. As a result your early conversations with Swiss people may seem overly superficial and you’ll need plenty of ‘small talk’ to keep going!

The Swiss have built their entire economy on reliability, efficiency, quality and perfection, and this is reflected in people’s daily lives. Respecting these values is important when dealing with the Swiss, whether in a business or personal context. When the Swiss say they will do something by a certain time, they mean it and they expect the same of others. They will not commit themselves to anything until they have collected all the facts and are sure that they can keep their word. Trams and buses arrive and depart exactly on time, even if that means reserving a substantial amount of the urban road network solely for these vehicles. In fact, drivers are, at times, so obsessed with sticking to the timetable that, even if someone is sprinting to catch the bus, they will still drive off!

With so many nationalities and religions represented Genevois can be said to be tolerant. But in return, it is expected that visitors and foreign residents respect local customs and laws (this includes sticking to peaceful activities on Sunday). If you cause a disturbance you will soon be put straight whether it is by the police force or its extension, the law abiding citizens.