Caux Forum 2023

Looking out over Lake Geneva from an altitude of 1050 metres above sea level, the Caux Palace can accommodate up to 450 people.

In 1946, the former Caux Palace Hotel became an international meeting place for Initiatives of Change, thanks to generous contributions of time, talent and money from countless volunteers and supporters.

The Caux Palace is owned and managed by the Swiss foundation Initiatives of Change (IofC) Switzerland, also known as CAUX-Initiatives of Change.

We highly recommend that you travel to Caux by public transport as parking spaces are limited. Caux’s train station is situated right next to the Caux Palace. Caux can be reached within one and a half hours by car or train from Geneva, and two hours from Bern. Trains run every hour from both Geneva Airport and Bern.

For exact travel times and connections, please consult www.rail.ch

Click here for a detailed map of the area.

Participants’ rooms will be ready and available for check-in from 4pm on the day of arrival. Participants who arrive earlier may leave their luggage at reception. Our staff will do their best to have all rooms available when you arrive.

Check-out of rooms is required before 10:00am on your day of departure. If you stay on for events happening in Caux on your departure day you can leave your luggage at reception and collect it later in the day.

Please note that these are our general rules. However, our on-site team will inform you upon arrival if there is any flexibility on these points. 

We look forward to offering you well-balanced meals, mostly inspired by European cooking traditions. We favour seasonal produce from environmentally sustainable sources. Meals are served as a self-service buffet, open at specific times. Meals include fresh mountain water and coffee or tea.

Please note that for food safety and health reasons, there are no storage space or fridges for personal food. We also ask you not to keep any perishable food in your bedroom.

Vegetarian options will be available for lunch dinner.

If you have medical or health issues, our catering service will do its best to accommodate most standard dietary requests. We can also meet requests for gluten-free and lactose-free diets. Low fat meals are not provided, but you will be able to choose appropriate food at our buffets. In order to welcome people with different religious backgrounds we do not serve pork.

Please make sure to inform us about your dietary needs in advance, (see registration form) as we might not be able to accommodate late or on-site requests.

Please be aware that there is no ATM in Caux and we are not able to exchange foreign currency. You will find ATMs and currency exchange facilities in Montreux.

• Families with children are welcome to come and join the Caux Forum. 
• Please indicate your family’s needs during your stay in Caux on the registration form.
• Large family rooms with additional beds will be made available for families who come with young children.
• Please note that the Caux Forum event teams will not be able to provide a dedicated youth-oriented, participative programme with age-specific content. 
• A play area will be made available during the Caux Forum where children will be looked after by their parent(s), legal guardian(s) or by volunteers designated by IofC International.
• Prices for the Caux Forum are already subsidized, but families sharing a room can benefit from a reduced rate of CHF 100 per night and day event for each child (aged 6–14). Children under 6 will be free of charge. Children over 14 years of age will be considered as adults.

Child Protection

Child protection includes protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect as provided by Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

For all events at Caux, children must be accompanied by their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Children remain primarily under the protection of the said parent(s) or legal guardian(s), as provided by law.

ny child protection issues which happen during the Caux Forum must be immediately reported to the IofC Switzerland Director of Operations and/or the IofC International Director General (see contact details below), either directly or through any member of the conference organizing team.

Contact:

Imad Karam - IofC International, Director General:
+44 7932 084711   imad.karam@iofc.org

Horia Jarrar - IofC CH, Director of Operations, Finance & HR:
+41 79 615 58 11   horia.jarrar@caux.ch

Download the document on Caux Forum Policies for Families

Play area with animators

A play area in Caux will be available, where children will be looked after by their parent(s), legal guardian(s) or by volunteers designated by IofC International.

Location

2nd floor of the Caux Palace at the end of the terrace (close to the dining room)

Opening days:               Every day during ongoing conferences

Opening hours:             9:00 – 12:00  /  14:30 – 18:00  (Time may be adjusted)

Children age range:     18 months – 14 years

The children will have an opportunity to enjoy:

• an indoor playroom with toys for different age groups
• board games
• arts and crafts
• books
• children's movies and cartoons
• outdoor playground in the garden
• table-tennis
• outdoor games etc.

Snacks and drinks

Your children will be provided with drinks and snacks (fruits, biscuits, etc.) during the morning break.  

Parents are invited to have their main meals with their children in the dining room.

Please do not leave the Caux Palace building while your children are at the play area and always let us know where to find you so that we can contact you if needed. 

Please remember that, even though we will do our best to take care of your children, they will remain under your full responsibility.

Download the document on Caux Forum Policies for Families

Young people are vital stakeholders in the future of Caux. A free indoor play area and outdoor playground is available during the main events of the Caux Forum. Please be reminded that children remain the full responsibility of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

If your child is 14 months old or younger, please contact us to make sure that we can offer the required care: reservation@caux.ch

For parents with babies, a special kitchen is available 24/7 to store and prepare food. 

It can be quite chilly in Caux so you may want to bring some warm clothes even during the summer. Sturdy shoes for a hike and closed shoes may also be of use. There is no formal dress code, but please bring clothing that respects the multicultural nature of our participants.

A public laundry room offers everything you will need to wash, dry and iron your clothes. 

The Caux Palace and Villa Maria buildings are a non-smoking and alcohol-free zone to provide a safe space for adults and children of all cultures. There are designated smoking areas outside the buildings. Smoking on the balconies is forbidden for fire security reasons.

Caux's beautiful location high above Lake Geneva offers an ideal environment to relax. The conference schedule allows time for individual reflection and for cultural or outdoor activities. In summer you can play football or table tennis and enjoy hiking and sightseeing.

Caux Forum participants receive the Riviera Card which offers free travel to Montreux and Vevey, reduced train fees up to the Rocher-de-Naye as well as numerous discounts for museums and other activities.

The schedule may include opportunities to share your artistic talents and pianos are available. 

Please make sure you have adequate health insurance to cover your journey and stay in Caux since the Swiss medical system is expensive.

Interpretation services in English, German and French will be provided upon request (see registration form). Interpretation into other languages may also be provided according to the needs of the audience.

The Caux Forum welcomes journalists, bloggers, organizations, institutions and individuals who wish to cover Caux Forum events. Depending on your role and who you represent, different requirements, terms and conditions will apply. For any request to cover the Caux Forum, including interviews with participants or speakers, please contact us by filling out the form for media coverage.

Help us reduce our carbon footprint!

In recent years, Initiatives of Change Switzerland has taken various measures to reduce its carbon footprint and to promote sustainable living.

• Wood-fired heating was installed in the Caux Palace in 2016. This has reduced both our direct CO2 emissions and those associated with transporting fuel.
• Caux Forum pens, notebooks, water bottles, bags and other official merchandise are made from sustainable materials.
• Since 2016 all IofC Switzerland’s promotional materials have been printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or recycled paper. This ensures that the paper is produced from responsibly-managed sources.
• We are offsetting the carbon footprint of the Caux Forum by partnering with Worldview Impact and planting 2,000 trees in India.

You can help us in the following ways:

• Switch off the lights when you leave your room.
• Unplug your battery charger as soon as your device is recharged. Don’t leave the charger plugged in overnight.
• Save water by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth or washing your hands.
• Avoid unnecessary washing of towels and sheets by following the housekeeping recommendations.
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator: this saves electricity and helps to keep you fit.
• When the heating is on, don’t leave the window open for more than ten minutes.
• Reduce food waste by only taking as much food from the buffet as you will eat. If you are going out for a meal, please sign out in advance.
• Reduce plastic waste by refilling your water bottle from the tap. Tap water in the house is drinkable and comes from our own mountain springs.

There are two designated car parks near the Caux Palace with spaces for about 60 cars. All parking spaces are free of charge. There are more parking lots available close by but we recommend that you use our spaces first according to availability.

Kindly refer to these two floor plans.

The village of Caux does not have any shops but a selection of souvenirs, toiletries, snacks and drinks can be purchased at the Caux Palace.