(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Few Swiss honorary consulates are further away from home than the one in Auckland, New Zealand. Since 2019, Adrian Blaser, a chemist from Bern who works in cancer research, has represented Switzerland there, alongside his hobbies of brewing beer and playing the alphorn. This content was published on November 15, 2025 - 10:00 7 minutes

In my work, I focus on topics that are relevant to Swiss citizens abroad – from political developments in Switzerland and their impact on the diaspora to social, economic, and cultural issues. Before joining SWI swissinfo, I worked as a local journalist for the Aargauer Zeitung. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Multilingual Communication and, as is typically Swiss, completed an apprenticeship as a commercial employee.

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Adrian Blaser has held the position of Swiss honorary consul in Auckland since 2019, at what may be Switzerland's most remote outpost.

Now 53 years old, Blaser moved to New Zealand in 2001. He flew to the other side of the world with his wife and their son, who was 18 months old at the time.“We only planned to stay for a year,” says Blaser on the phone.

Swissinfo is featuring people like Adrian Blaser in Auckland, part of a network of Swiss honorary consuls who represent Switzerland on a voluntary basis. They assist Swiss citizens in emergencies, maintain professional relationships in the region, and promote cultural and economic relations where there is no official representation.

There are 225 Swiss honorary consulates worldwide. Their work is voluntary, yet indispensable for Swiss citizens living abroad, and ensures that Switzerland continues to have an active presence around the world. In the coming weeks, Swissinfo will be introducing you to some of these“hobby diplomats”.

Since then, they had two more children, and the family now live about an hour's drive outside Auckland on a so-called“lifestyle block”. It is a small farm with two cows, ducks, and a large vegetable garden.“That's how things turned out,” he says, reflecting on the past 24 years.

From club president to honorary consul
Adrian Blaser and his family in 2017, hiking the Te Araroa Trail – a 3,000 km trail across New Zealand. zVg

Blaser is a jack of all trades. The chemist, who earned his doctorate at the University of Bern, works in cancer research at the University of Auckland. In his spare time, he brews beer and distils schnapps, hobbies he picked up during the Covid-19 lockdowns. He also regularly plays Swiss card games and has been learning to play the Alphorn for the past six years. Now he plays the alphorn he received as a 50^th birthday present.

Blaser has long been involved in the Swiss community in New Zealand. He became a member of the Auckland Swiss Club in 2006, served as its president for five years, and supported numerous activities organised by Swiss expatriates in the region. His active involvement eventually brought him, in 2018, to the attention of those involved with the honorary consulate.

“I was asked if I would like to take on the role,” says Blaser. Curious, he applied for the position.

Recruitment involved the Swiss embassy in Wellington, the foreign ministry in Bern, and the New Zealand authorities. The process took some time. Because Blaser was also serving as a justice of the peace in New Zealand, it was necessary to check whether the two offices were compatible.

Time-consuming volunteer work

Blaser's role combines official duties with personal commitment.“Every day I receive phone calls and emails about visas, passports and other consular matters,” says Blaser.“I often have to explain why, as honorary consul, I am not allowed to do certain things myself,” he says. Visa or passport requests can only be processed by the embassy in Wellington. Occasionally, he has to make the case for the consulate's importance, despite its limited administrative capacity.

What does an honorary consul actually do? Our explainer:

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