[Press Release] President Uchtdorf Welcomes the President of Switzerland to Church Headquarters

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, welcomed the President of the Swiss Confederation to the Church’s global headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

During the visit, President Uchtdorf and His Excellency Guy Parmelin, president of the Swiss Confederation and head of the country’s Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), discussed shared values, including religious freedom, self-reliance, family, education, volunteerism and civic engagement.

The Swiss delegation, which included President Parmelin’s wife, Caroline; His Excellency Ralf Heckner, Swiss Ambassador to the United States; and various government officials, stopped at Church headquarters while visiting Utah for events commemorating the 10th anniversary of Stadler Rail’s U.S. operations. The Swiss-based railway manufacturer established its U.S. headquarters in Salt Lake City in 2016.

President and Sister Uchtdorf have had a close relationship with Switzerland since their teenage years, when the Bern Switzerland Temple was built as the first temple of the Church of Jesus Christ outside the United States. Many of their ministry and private travels brought them to the country, most recently in May 2026, as well as in 2024 and 2022. It’s also where their son and his family reside. 

The history of the Church in Switzerland dates back to 1851, when Apostle Lorenzo Snow visited the country and dedicated the land for the preaching of the gospel. Today, more than 9,600 Latter-day Saints reside in the country.

In 2028, the Church will commemorate its 175th year in Switzerland.