
The Swiss in Sri Lanka
The first Swiss association was founded in 1933 as Schweizerischer Huelfsverein and later renamed Swiss Benevolent Society before it was given its present name Swiss Circle Sri Lanka.
The Swiss Circle has 75 regular members who, together with their families and corporate members, form a core of 165 active participants, not counting friends and acquaintances.
Events take place every 2 - 3 months, with the premier event being the 1 August celebration on the beach, followed by the Santa Claus evening, which is usually accompanied by a fondue, and of course the association’s annual general meeting. Apart from at the AGM, members’ friends and acquaintances are very welcome, which contributes to the conviviality and makes Swiss culture better known.
According to official statistics, the total Swiss population in Sri Lanka is 439 registered persons.
A brief historical review
The first settlers came to Sri Lanka in the mid-19th century. The trading company Gebrüder Volkart AG (Winterthur) expanded in Asia and opened a branch in Sri Lanka in 1857 to promote the export of colonial goods.
In 1884, Alfred Baur from Andelfingen came to manage a coconut plantation for the Volkart brothers. He set up his own business in 1897 and founded the still very successful A. Baur & Company in Colombo, which has been under Swiss management ever since.
Nestlé followed in 1906, the honorary consulate in 1916, and the first permanent Swiss embassy in 1968, which was based at A. Baur & Company's headquarters at a prime location in Colombo for almost 30 years.

Fun Fact
Sri Lankans living in Switzerland make up the largest non-European expatriate community in Switzerland. Accordingly, Sri Lanka has a very close relationship with Switzerland.
Further information
Swiss Circle Sri Lanka Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
- Swiss Embassy: http://www.eda.admin.ch/colombo
- Government of Sri Lanka: https://www.gov.lk
- Immigration and Emigration: http://www.immigration.gov.lk/
- Tourism: https://www.srilanka.travel/
- Airport: https://www.airport.lk/main
Members of the Council of the Swiss Abroad (CSA) Sri Lanka
Last update: May 2025