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Swiss musicians share their experiences after the fifth edition of Swiss Days at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre. Image Credit: Arshad Ali/Gulf News

Dubai: Swiss authorities are aiming to further promote Swiss art and culture across the Gulf by extending Swiss Days into Qatar.

The fifth edition of Swiss Days concluded on Saturday, which featured eight musicians and performers showcasing their acts at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre.

“During the two-day event, we invited artists from Switzerland because we wanted to show everybody that [our country] is not only about banking, chocolate and watches but that we have artists as well,” said Walter Deplazes, Swiss Consul General in Dubai.

“A new embassy will be opening in April 2013 and after that we hope that Doha will have its own version of Swiss Days Dubai,” he explained.

Kurt Blum, general manager of Swiss Art Gate UAE, pointed out that the event featured five musicians playing in the classical band Spark, in addition to the three-man group Coloro.

Coloro is a multi-media spectacle comprising video animation, the art of movement, theatre and music, with coordinated image projections on to the three artists and their stage props. In Germany, Coloro was selected “Artist of the Year 2010” in the category “Innovative Show”.

“Coloro alone flew in 1,300 kilograms of stage props, lights and equipment, and while many Swiss companies are keen to support us, we will be grateful to find more. Swiss Days has been going on for five years and the response we received has been great, as more people are becoming aware of the different types of artists Switzerland has to offer,” said Blum.