Le puzzle de la Cinquième Suisse: 1/800 000
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Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur, Bangladesh
21.10.2025
The “Fifth Switzerland” is a colourful, varied and multilingual puzzle with well over 800,000 pieces. Today’s puzzle piece is …
… Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur, 51, lives in Bangladesh since 2002. She is a Marine Conservation Practitioner.
Photo: Rajib Dhar
How and when do you show your Swissness in your everyday life?
My planning and organizing things well in advance, being on time, and the urge to optimize systems are indications of my Swissness.
Do you ever feel like a foreigner in the country where you live?
My skin colour distinguishes me as a foreigner here in Bangladesh, so I get questioned daily about my origin and nationality.
What is your greatest concern at the moment?
My greatest concern at the moment is the loss of diversity and the disregard of basic human rights. We need more positive role models that exemplify dignity and respect as non-negotiable human values, that hold themselves accountable for their actions and that take a strong stand for safeguarding creative and inclusive societies and the (bio)diversity we all depend on.
Which Swiss customs does your family still observe?
We celebrate the Swiss National Day on 1. August with a nice dinner and fireworks. I guess you could consider our weekend bicycle tours out into the countryside as customarily Swiss, too.
Being Swiss means ...
… holding ourselves responsible for putting the privileges and advantages we grew up with in Switzerland to work for others across the world.
Further info on the bio of Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur
Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur works with government and non-government partners on effective management strategies for connecting wildlife conservation with sustainable resource use, including to support communities directly affected by climate change, biodiversity loss, and conservation management regulations. Her formal training and experience as a teacher in Switzerland, expertise gained as CEO of a renowned nature tourism company in Bangladesh, and as manager of the educational outreach and marine conservation programs for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Bangladesh country program, enable her to facilitate inclusive and collaborative processes for science-based species and habitat protection. Together with her husband, she received the Pathfinder award in recognition of notable contributions to wildlife conservation and sustainability in Bangladesh. Elisabeth serves as the Indian Ocean Regional Vice-Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group and as technical advisor to the Bangladesh CITES Management Authority.
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